ipl-logo

Story Of An Hour Literary Analysis Essay

1067 Words5 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Literary analysis on story of an hour

“The Story of an Hour” was composed by American author Kate Chopin in 1894. The short story depicts a period in time, specifically an hour, when Mrs. Mallard experiences a plethora of emotions after receiving the news of her husband’s death, which was assumed that he had died in a railroad disaster. Considering Mrs. Mallard’s heart condition, Mrs. Mallard’s sister strives to inform her of her husband’s death in a gentle manner to prevent the risk of heart failure. To cope with the devastating news, Mrs. Mallard locks herself in her room and ironically becomes overjoyed to be “free.” However, her joy subsides as she discovers Mr. Mallard is alive after all and she dies of heart disease. Therefore, this short story indirectly emphasizes how women were suppressed in their marriages and wanted freedom, independence, and self-identity. A literary element which serves as great significance to the story is symbolism because it contributes to the actuality that Mrs. Mallard did not love her husband, but was only adhering to society’s norm. Mrs. Mallard’s heart trouble serves as a symbol of anguish because as her heart is trapped inside her body, likewise, she feels oppressed in her marriage and is unhappy with the restricted freedom and lack of independence. After hearing about her husband’s death, she did not experience any heart trouble; however, you would expect her to since she lost her significant other. Instead, Mrs. Mallard was anticipating the new life of …show more content…

I want the poem to showcase how Mrs. Mallard truly feels about her husband from her perspective instead of a narrator’s. Therefore, I excluded the other characters who were included in the short story, Josephine and Richards. I still want to maintain the depressing mood of the short story to recreate the intensity of the plot within my poem. Also, I want to describe why Mrs. Mallard died and how she felt after her

Show More
Related

My Bondage And My Freedom Frederick Douglass Literary Analysis

616 Words | 3 Pages

The reader soon discovers, this feeling that comes to Mrs. Mallard is joy and relief, she feels this because she can now finally be her own person. Mrs. Mallard comes to the realization that her husband had been oppressing her for years, “There would be no powerful will bending..”, and she was finally free of that. Before the passing of her husband, Mrs. Mallard was scared of living a long life because of the treatment she received from him. After his passing she had a much different outlook, “There would be no one to live for her during those coming years; she would live for herself.” This shows that Mrs. Mallard was excited to now live her own life without being told what she was to do.

Read More

Story Of An Hour Literary Analysis Essay

755 Words | 4 Pages

“The Story of an Hour” is written by Kate Chopin. The main character in this story is Louise Mallard, a married woman in the 19th century who has a heart defect, she receives news that her husband died in an accident. After hearing the news of her husband she goes into solitude into her room where she finds herself not has sad about her husband but feeling some relief that she can live her own life and gains a new sense of freedom that she will have in the later days to come. This is where the theme of freedom comes in, this is seen using many literary elements throughout the story some of these would be foreshadowing, irony, and symbols to show Mrs. Mallard new- found freedom from her “late” husband.

Read More

Chopin Gender Roles

344 Words | 2 Pages

Mrs. Mallard was the everyday wife who cooked, cleaned and made sure everything was in order,

Read More

Story Of An Hour Character Analysis Essay

940 Words | 4 Pages

In Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour” demonstrates the personal growth of the dynamic protagonist Louise Mallard, after hearing news of her husband’s death. The third-person narrator telling the story uses deep insight into Mrs. Mallard’s thoughts and emotions as she sorts through her feelings after her sister informs her of her husband’s death. During a Character analysis of Louise Mallard, a reader will understand that the delicate Mrs. Mallard transforms her grief into excitement over her newly discovered freedom that leads to her death. As Mrs. Mallard sorts through her grief she realizes the importance of this freedom and the strength that she will be able to do it alone.

Read More

Louise Mallard In Kate Chopin's The Story Of An Hour

1200 Words | 5 Pages

In “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin, after hearing the news of her husband’s death, Mrs. Mallard’s emotions did not portray sadness or despair instead she was relieved and rejoiced. Even though Mrs. Mallard admits that her husband was kind and loving, she feels joy after hearing the news of her husband’s death that she will no longer be known as Mrs. Mallard. Although it was acknowledged in the story that Louise Mallard loved Bentley Mallard, we can tell by the statement “had never looked save with love upon her,” (Chopin, 1894), the favor was not returned. The main theme we see in this story is the oppression of marriage. Death of her husband shows that Mrs. Mallard finally has freedom.

Read More

Story Of An Hour Literary Analysis

1096 Words | 5 Pages

Mrs. Mallard’s actions cause the readers to contemplate a hidden meaning woven into the story line. Mr. Mallard is assumed to die in a railroad accident, leaving Mrs. Mallard devastated. Instead of feeling sadness or grief, Mrs. Mallard actually feels free. "There would be no one to live for her during those coming years; she would live for herself. There would be no powerful will bending hers in that blind persistence with which men and women believe they have a right to impose a private will upon a fellow-creature" (Page 499).

Read More

The Contrast Of Kate Chopin's The Story Of An Hour

520 Words | 3 Pages

When Richard’s heard the news of her husband’s death, he assumed Mrs. Mallard would be devastated. While everyone knew Mrs. Mallard was “afflicted with heart trouble” (57), him and her sister, Josephine, wanted to give her the news with “great care” (57). Josephine broke the news to Mrs. Mallard in “broken sentences”

Read More

Literary Analysis Of Kate Chopin's The Story Of An Hour

913 Words | 4 Pages

The last hour Mrs. Mallard has spent she has experienced great joy; thinking of her new life, but

Read More

Story Of An Hour Analysis Essay

727 Words | 3 Pages

Chopin writes, “She could see in the open square of her house the tops of trees that were all aquiver with the new spring life... there were patches of blue sky showing here and there,” (Chopin 307). This quote is implying that even when Mrs. Mallard got the news of her husband’s death, the world is still going on and she has a whole new life ahead of her being a single

Read More

Literary Devices Used In The Story Of An Hour

550 Words | 3 Pages

“The Story Of An Hour” uses Literary Devices. Literary Devices are specific language techniques which writers use to create text that is dear, interesting, and memorably. The literary devices in “The Story Of An Hour” are Irony, Symbolism, Imagery, and Allegory. Irony means the expression of one’s meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite, typically, for humorous or emphatic effect. Symbolism is the use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities.

Read More

The Story Of An Hour Literary Analysis

828 Words | 4 Pages

Hour of Freedom “The Story of an Hour” is a short story written by Kate Chopin. It details a wife named Mrs. Louise Mallard, who struggles with a heart condition. After learning of her husband, Brentley Mallard’s death in a railroad accident, Mrs. Mallard deals with grief in many stages. Chopin incorporates many literary devices throughout “The Story of an Hour,” but imagery is the most evident.

Read More

Compare The Story Of An Hour And Aunt Jennifer's Tigers

740 Words | 3 Pages

She saw birds flying, blue skies, and new spring life blooming everywhere. Lastly, Mrs. Mallard actually received her freedom while having an epiphany in her bedroom, even though it was stripped from her soon after when her husband, Brently Mallard, came through the door alive as he could be. She had a heart attack from the realization that she would have to go back to her old life of pleasing her husband. On the other hand, Aunt Jennifer never actually received her freedom from her husband. He would always have that hold on

Read More

Kate Chopin's Story Of An Hour

1115 Words | 5 Pages

It is quite ironic how Mr. Mallard’s death brought his wife such great happiness and self-assertion. The literary element of irony helps magnify the tale of rebirth and death of the Mallard family in Kate Chopin’s “Story of an Hour.” The death of Mr. Mallard seemingly brought his wife a new life. After Mrs. Mallard finds out her husband has died due to a tragic accident, she is quick to mourn his death.

Read More

Literary Terms And Narrative Elements: The Story Of An Hour

1330 Words | 6 Pages

Mallard’s death is a combination of her heart condition and becoming suddenly over-happy at the sight of her husband. This is ironic because the real reason for Mrs. Mallard’s death is the opposite. It is a combination of her weak heart and extreme sudden sadness and shock. Everyone thinks she was still overcome with sadness from his death when really she was finally happy that she could look forward to a long, independent life, living just for herself. Then when she discovered that her husband was really alive they thought she was so overcome with joy that she died when really she became extremely sad again because she was back where she had been before the incident.

Read More

Story Of An Hour Critical Analysis

1346 Words | 6 Pages

The story of an Hour Critical Analysis through a Psychological Perspective using both Freud and Lacan’s theory approach. In the beginning of the story, the Chopin informs the audience of Mrs. Mallard serious heart condition. Her friends and family were worried how to break the news to her of her husband’s death. After giving it much thought Mrs. Mallard was given the news as gently as possible of her husband’s death.

Read More

More about Story Of An Hour Literary Analysis Essay

Related Topics

Open Document