Louise Mallard's Treatment Of Women In The Story Of An Hour

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“The Story of an Hour” tells us about Louise Mallard who in the midst of her mourning the death of her husband, who was presumed to have been killed in at train accident, she is also rejoicing. After realizing what her life would be like without her husband she feels nothing but joy and keeps repeating, “Free, free, free!” to herself. This shows that her husband, Brently, did not give her much freedom to do anything and not let her leave their home. Mrs. Mallard’s heart condition, as stated in the beginning of the story, is the main excuse as to why he kept her isolated. However, Mrs. Mallard’s reaction to her husband’s death represents how marriage’s in the nineteenth century where because back then women were dependent of their husbands, so they were not given much freedom and they were oppressed by men especially, in marriages. Kate Chopin published “The Story of an Hour” in 1894. The nineteenth century was a time where a woman, in her opinion, could have a loving husband but as wonderful as he could be the wife would have the least amount of freedom in the relationship. The role women would have …show more content…

The strong, protectors who would bring home the money while their wives were the caregivers who kept them satisfied and never left home. This lead to the oppression of women in marriages since they didn’t have many liberties and were frowned upon if they wanted to be more than just a housewife. In the story Chopin suggests that Mrs. Mallard was rejoicing her husband’s death because she knew that once he was gone she would no longer be oppressed and was free to do what she pleased. In reference to the film when Mrs. Millard shared the news to her husband about her healthy heart and that she was able to be more productive her husband didn’t seemed too pleased. He wanted to keep his wife locked away in their home while he traveled to all the places Mrs. Mallard dreamed of