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Louise Mallard Symbolism

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Kate Chopin wrote from a place of captivity and loneliness, for no one could understand her. The stories Chopin wrote were an expression of her oppression in her time period. Although she lived in a period of what would be known as ignorance today, she utilized her talents to write pieces that still hold presence today. In The Story of an Hour, Chopin gives symbolism a new meaning. Love is heavily stereotyped, yet in this work, love is not so simply defined. Louise Mallard is a pampered, adored housewife with a husband many women would beg for. Despite not having to lift a finger, Louise has been afflicted with heart trouble. Not an obvious symbol at first, the heart trouble began to define itself as the story progressed. Mallard’s heart trouble was both physical and symbolic of her being bound and unhappy (The Story of an Hour 4). Despite possessing the “perfect” husband, Louise was all but upset to hear of husband’s passing. The only thoughts that came to her mind where the thoughts of a free woman. All Louise thought of was how happy she finally …show more content…

As she begins to truly process her husbands suspected death, Mallard envisions a whole new life. As stated in page 2 of the story, “She said it over and over under her breath: ‘free, free, free!’(Chopin). Free to live, free to defy society, free to be equal to that of a man, Louise never thought her life had the potential to be in her complete and utter control. Little does she know, Brently, Mr. Mallard, still controls her thoughts, her aspirations, and her future. The open window is a symbol of ambiguous freedom. The story is set in the springtime in the nineteenth century, for springtime represents new life. However Louise can only perceive springtime as the window allows her too and her view is obstructed. Due to her acceptance of a illusion of a sort, Louise Mallard is still not truly

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In the short story “The Story of an Hour”, By Kate Choplin was about a main character named Louise Mallard, who had a tremendous change in her life. The open window and the independence Louise Mallard is experiencing is a forbidden pleasure that represents her way of new life and opportunity. The life of Louise Mallard was always been in control by his husband and she never gets any freedom until the news she receive about the death of his husband Brentley Mallard. Mrs. Mallard reaction to the death of her husband was “She wept at once,” this describe how she felt when they told her about his husband was “killed” (Para 2, Line 6), she felt as she was hopeless and not herself anymore and that she will always be the wife material of Brentley Mallard.

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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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The irony within this is Mrs.Mallard is looking forward to the days which are going to be her own and to live them without her husband by her side. Consequently, conveying that her husband’s death positively affects her. After hearing the demise of a loved one, it is typically expected to have a yearning for companionship however, it is ironic because Mrs.Mallard is relieved to be alone. Louise was not relieved because she hated her husband, but because she felt suffocated by her marriage with Mr. Mallard, and her lack of personal identity. As Mrs.Mallard rejoices her new freedom, she begins this process of “awakening” to her new life alone as an independent woman.

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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.

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She exists in a time when women are classified as objects of beauty and property, and her heart trouble suggests that she is fragile. Louise’s initial reaction to the news of her husband’s death suggests that she is deeply saddened and grief stricken when she escapes to her bedroom. However, the reader is caught off-guard with Louise’s secret reaction to the news of her husband’s death because she contradicts the gender norm of the 19th century woman. Her contradiction to the stereotype / gender norm is displayed when she slowly reveals her inward

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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.

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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.

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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).

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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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‘Louise, open the door! I beg; open the door—you will make yourself ill.’ said Louis”(Chopin). It is ironic that Josephine is so worried about Mrs. Mallard when in reality she is in her room dreaming of how her new life will be. The short story is rather entertaining because you have to think past what the author writes, and create for yourself your own depiction of what the meaning is.

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In Story of an Hour, the whole central point of this short story is to discuss Mrs. Mallard 's heart condition. After reading the story the first time, it came about that this heart condition means a lot more than you think. Mrs. Mallard 's heart condition symbolizes the troubles that she encounters having a husband. For example, if Mrs. Mallard didn’t have this heart condition, she would still possess emotional heart trouble in her relationship.

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Louise’s victory in accepting her husband’s death is a feeling that she now cannot live without. The ultimate death of Louise Mallard is one that represents physical and emotional defeat. In this dramatic short story, Chopin uses imagery to sew together a tapestry of emotions all encompassed in an ill-stricken widow. Works Cited Chopin, Kate. “The Story of an Hour.”

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If the last line of “The Story of an Hour” is taken in the literal sense, it can be perceived that Mrs. Mallard was not oppressed and was ecstatic that her husband was alive, ultimately being killed by the excitement. Although the latter it is a logical presumption, the thoughts and actions of Louise Mallard reinforce the argument that the true meaning behind this story is one of marital oppression. She blatantly stated that she welcomes the upcoming years free from her husband with open arms. Louise Mallard’s internal dialogue following her husband’s death suggests oppression and her reaction to her husband’s death was hardly one of a distraught wife. It is true that the blame doesn’t

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We think that the form of the “Imaginary” mentioned in Lacan’s psychoanalytic theory of Mrs. Mallards family and friends “imagining” that the devastated new of Mr. Mallard’s death would cause her a heart attack, however later on in the story it was mentioned that she was in fact relieved to know she was a free woman of her marriage. Consequently, the reality of Mrs. Mallard’s thoughts, perceptions and feelings were not the same as others may have assumed or imagined to be. Based on stereotypical standards of society this was misunderstood because a wife should feel an enormous pain for the death of her husband. As the story continues, when Josephine whose Mrs. Mallard’s sister told her about the death of Mr. Mallard, instead of reacting in shock as “many women would’ve (Chopin, The Story of an Hour)” done so, Mrs. Mallard “wept at once, with sudden, wild abandonment, in her sister’s arms.

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Throughout the story the reader can see that independence for a woman is a forbidden pleasure that can only be imagined privately. Mrs. Millard finds out from her sister that her husband died she “wept at once… when

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