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Kate Chopin's The Story Of An Hour

1188 Words5 Pages

During the 1800s, most women looked at their marriage as not be able the have any type of freedom. During that period of time, women roles were supposed to be a regular housewife that cooked, cleaned and that care of the family when their husbands were at work. Most of them during that era felt trapped in their marriage and wanted to do more than doing housewife duties. That was the average role for a middle age woman in that period of time while the men role was to provide and take care of the family. The men in 1800s had more power and control over their wife or spouse, which made the women wanting freedom from their marriage. “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin, which is a story that portrays women’s lack of freedom in the1800s; women …show more content…

Chopin is probably expressing her view on marriage through the character of Louise Mallard and her actions upon discovering that her husband had just passed away. Chopin does not write much on how Louise Mallard felt during the marriage but she hinted that she was not very happy with it, she says “And yet she had loved him--sometimes. Often she had not. What did it matter! What could love, the unsolved mystery, count for in the face of this possession of self-assertion which she suddenly recognized as the strongest impulse of her being!” This shows Louise Mallard and her husband relationship was not the best because she felt like she was force the love her husband again her own will. Louise receives the news with overwhelming grief and tears where others would have been shocked into disbelief. Her grief is short lived as she begins to imagine her future alone. Any burdens Louise had felt were lifted at her thoughts of being free to live for herself. Kate Chopin creates Louise character as woman who wants to enjoy her life without feeling like she is being tied down in a marriage. Readers can interprets that Louise Mallard felt the only way out of her unstable marriage was the death of her spouse, so when she heard the news of her husband’s death was shocking but at the same time she finally felt free. The marriage oppressed her, she needed freedom, freedom to grow and do what she wanted to do, and marriage took that away from her, she loved freedom more than she did her

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Although Mrs. Mallard was in a situation of grief, she quickly realizes that losing her husband was a change of freedom “She said it over and over under her breath: ‘free, free, and free!” (Para 11 Line 5) Louise Mallard feel that she has control of her

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Louise Mallard who is married, she is also a protagonist, central figure and the person whom all the other characters revolve. It seems like she understands the proper way for women to behave and her internal thoughts and feelings are anything but correct. At the beginning of the story, we find out that she suffers from a heart problem which indicates the range to which she feels that marriage has oppressed her. The moment of awakening comes to her when she realizes she is free to be her own woman. She receives news of her husband’s death and at first she spends an hour in planning of the possible, not grieving as anyone

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During the time that this story took place married women were highly dependant on their husbands. The problem that is encountered with Mrs. Mallard is that she lacks the joy of Independence. At the beginning of the story freedom to Mrs. Mallard seems like an awful idea because she has been restricted in multiple ways such as the house, her marriage etc. Despite the love that is shared between a husband and a wife Mr. Mallard’s death seems to come as a release from oppression to Louise. As stated by Chopin “ There would be no one to live for during those coming years; she would live for herself.

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This can be seen when she fees free in a confined room, or how her weak heart sets her free from her husband through death. The author also sets up a subtle melancholy tone to the story that leaves the reader thinking and analyzing the sad events that occurred in the hour. She also use her tone to point out the cruelty idea of marriage at the time and how Mrs. Mallard thought it was a crime which left her powerless because she was a woman. Throughout this short story symbolism is quite clear. For example, when Mrs. Mallard is characterized with heart trouble.

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Louise expresses, “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”(Chopin 2). This quote shows how Mrs. Mallard feels about no longer being controlled since her husband's death. Now that her husband is gone, she can finally live for herself and no one

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Louise also becomes ecstatic with the death of her husband because she can finally focus on herself and not cater to her husband. These women wish to be independent and in

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Louise Mallard, the most important character in the story, is a woman who is told her husband was killed in a train accident while working. On the outside, she reacts as expected for a woman who just lost her husband that she loves. However, what the reader can infer is that she is actually happy that her husband is no longer living. “There would be no one to live for her during those coming years; she would live for herself.” (Chopin, 1) With the death of her husband she has a new independence, she no longer has to live to please him.

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Chopin also describes Mrs. Mallard as “young, with a fair, calm face, whose lines bespoke repression and even a certain strength”. At the beginning Mrs. Mallard is thought of as being controlled, and weak. In the 19th Century, when this story was written, husbands controlled their wives. Perhaps Mrs. Mallard wasn’t like most women of her time. After she hears of her husband’s death she morns for what feels like only a moment.

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Through her husband’s death, Louise Mallard saw a new life for herself and freedom from her body and spirit. Even though it doesn’t show how Mr. Mallard oppressed Louise, there are hints throughout the story that suggests how they both oppressed each other. The author used death to symbolize freedom and happiness instead of fear, grief or sorrow. After hearing the news about her husband, Mrs. Mallard went to her room and we can see how the atmosphere of the story changes by reflecting how Louise is feeling as soon as she enters the room. For example, “She could see in the open square before her house the tops of trees that were all aquiver with the new spring life.

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A man was the highest role in society, owned everything and had rights to all property. Women too were considered property in that time period. Louise Mallard knew and felt the sense of being owned by man, her husband. After news of her husband dying, she was finally free. “What could love, the unsolved mystery, count for in the face of this possession of self-assertion which she suddenly recognized as the strongest impulse of her being!”

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The Story Of An Hour Literary Analysis

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Mallard’s emotional journey. From her initial reluctance to her ultimate freedom, Mrs. Mallard reflects nature’s everchanging beauty. Chopin conducts a symphony of imagery that pieces together the life and death of Louise Mallard. It is evident that Chopin uses Louise Mallard’s story to convey her perception of women and men’s roles during the late 1800’s by showcasing her acceptance of the freedom that could only be gained by a single woman. The descriptions used in Chopin’s work are a marvelous representation of her character’s struggle with inner conflicts.

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Kate Chopin's The Story Of An Hour

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The Story of an Hour American author Kate Chopin (1850–1904) wrote two published novels and about a hundred short stories in the 1890s. Most of her best-known work focuses on the lives of sensitive, intelligent women. Her short stories were well received in her own time and were published by some of America's most prestigious magazines, including Vogue and the Atlantic Monthly. Her early novel At Fault (1890) was not much noticed by the public, but The Awakening (1899) was widely condemned by the society in which Kate Chopin lived. Chopin’s short story, “The Story of An Hour,” describes and critiques the lack of freedom that American women in the past; the ways in which marriage can be ironic, and how an hour is enough time to provide the strength and hope needed to believe in an escape from the

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In the story, Chopin begins with the issue of female identity. The story, just like several other stories, begins with Mrs. Mallard being at home; two assumptions can be made, one she is married, and two, she is probably waiting for her husband to return home. What is particular about it, is how Chopin only mentions her name after she knows about her husband’s death and when is realizes that she is free. By doing this, the author criticizes the fact that women adopted her husband’s name in marriage as a signal of men’s property. This fact could mean that for a woman to recover her identity or freedom is by becoming a

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Being known as Mrs. Mallard is accustomed to Louise, but the desire for that seems to be missing. After hearing of her husband’s death, she feels a “possession of self-assertion which she suddenly recognized as the strongest impulse of her being” (14). She believes that freedom can finally stand as her first name. Bondage and oppression are lifted from her shoulders, or so she thinks. Louise thinks she is free from the binding of her marriage, but the whole time her life remains constant, despite her unawareness.

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