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Mrs Mallard Symbolism

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In Kate Chopin’s “Story of an Hour” the setting of the story is very symbolic. Chopin sets up for the story and its setting by saying, “Knowing that Mrs. Mallard was afflicted with a heart trouble, great care was taken to break to her as gently as possible the news of her husband’s death.” (205). Chopin immediately portrays Mrs. Mallard as how most women were typically seen in this time period, weak and dependent on their husbands. This also tells us that Mrs. Mallard most likely never leaves her home. Mrs. Mallard’s sister and one of her husband’s friends come to her house to reveal the news to her. The entire story takes place in the home of Mrs. Mallard; there are three areas of her home that are symbolic: the downstairs, the upstairs bedroom, and the stairs. …show more content…

Mallard’s home, where her sister and her husband’s friend reveal the news of his death to her. They bring the news to Mrs. Mallard in the home that she shares with her husband. This is symbolic because the bottom floor of her house represents her marriage to her husband, and how she is trapped and controlled by her husband. In the time period that this story takes place it is reasonable to assume that she moved from her father’s home into her husband’s home so she has been controlled by a man her entire life. So initially the shock of her husband’s death is heart wrenching, she doesn’t know how to handle it. She weeps immediately like a good wife should and is just gut wrenched with grief. As she is downstairs with her sister and her husband’s friend she acts like any wife should at the loss of their husband. As she begins to reconcile herself she feels as if she needs to get away from her sister and her husband’s friend, she starts to feel trapped in the lower level of her

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On the other hand, Mrs. Mallard symbolizes oppressed women and feminism, due to her lack of freedom. The fact that it is Mrs. Mallard that dies, instead of Mr. Mallard can further emphasize this idea. Another aspect that emphasizes this idea is the fact that Mrs. Mallard was so unhappy in her marriage. Mr. and Mrs. Mallard symbolize the significant inequalities that existed between men and

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432 Words | 2 Pages

Mallard’s home; it all happens within an hour. Mrs. Mallard has a very critical heart condition. When her family discover that Mr. Mallard was killed in a train accident, they are very cautious when telling Mrs. Mallard, the news. She is heartbroken; she soon starts thinking of the freedom and possibilities that she holds. Even though she is truly saddened by his death, she feels free for the first time.

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308 Words | 2 Pages

Mrs. Mallard was a just like any other house wife until her husband died. She says, “sparrows were twittering in the eaves”. Now let me remind you this is right after she finds out her husband has passed. To me this is like a big weight that is now off of her shoulders and now she can go and follow her dreams.

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871 Words | 4 Pages

She learns of her husband’s death in an accident and falsely finds a renewed joy for life as she is free from the burden of marriage. Tragically she goes to the front door as it is being opened with a key, to find Mr. Mallard still alive, causing her to die of heart

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474 Words | 2 Pages

Mrs. Mallard is trapped in a single house in which she feels unsatisfied with her lack of productivity that is the reality of her life. Mr. Mallard is thoughtless towards his wife is downright disgusting. He exploits her health in his favor in order to keep her from further harming her heart. She was not allowed to go outside because her husband thinks of her as fragile. Breaking the news of her husband’s death must be dealt with delicately as possible in order to avoid heart

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616 Words | 3 Pages

The story begins with Mrs. Mallard getting the news that her husband had died in a terrible train accident. At first Mrs. Mallard was racked with grief for the loss of her husband. As the story progresses, Mrs. Mallard says, “There was something coming to her and she was waiting for it, fearfully. What was it? She did not know.”

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541 Words | 3 Pages

Mallard’s death but as soon as she steps foot into her room, her fictitious personality fades away, and she begins to feel the joy of her independent life. The entrance to Mrs. Mallard’s room represents her private life and her ability to think for herself without society weighing her down. Furthermore, the author uses the open window that Mrs. Mallard is looking out from to symbolize the freedom and great opportunities that await her. She sees beautiful creations of nature from the window which exhibits to the readers that she has a whole new life ahead of her: “She could see in the open square before her house the tops of trees that were all aquiver with the new spring life” (74). This vision of a ‘new spring life’ provides an idea to Mrs. Mallard and the reader of how happy and bright her new near future is; at least for the next hour.

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272 Words | 2 Pages

1- There is a sharp contrast between the symbolism of the lower floor of the Mallard home with the upper one. This can be seen by Loise 's actions in each one. On the lower floor she does what is expected of a woman who has just lost her husband. In other words, here she follows the role set for her. When she goes to the second floor, she begins to think of how better her life wil be now which is unusual for a widow of that time period.

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648 Words | 3 Pages

Mallard in her relation with Mr. Mallard is an institution of her freedom. In the late 19th century, a husband would be the person that would be the “powerful will”(14) in his wife. When Mrs. Mallard says that “A kind intention or a cruel intention made the act seem no less a crime,”(14) the reader realizes that problems in marriage doesn’t lie on individuals but in marriage itself. Even if the husband in the marriage means well, he still has the power to do and say what is right or wrong in the marriage. Therefore, Mrs. Mallard feels as if she is always a lesser party.

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898 Words | 4 Pages

Mallard. The two true themes of this story are loss and irony and Mrs. Mallard embodies both of these. The theme of loss is littered throughout this story; first Mrs. Mallard thinks that she has lost her husband; second she finds out that she has lost her new freedom, and finally Mr. Mallard loses his husband. While many readers may see Mrs. Mallard’s death as the greatest loss, Chopin’s writing suggests that it is instead the loss of new life that Mrs. Mallard has so quickly discovered. She had her entire new life planned out, and it all came crashing down within an hour.

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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).

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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”

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913 Words | 4 Pages

The plot of the story takes place in Mrs. Mallards mind. This gives us the advantage of knowing what’s going on in her brain,

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938 Words | 4 Pages

With this belief Mrs. Mallard now looks forward to a long life. Previously to her husband’s death she dreaded the years ahead spent under the thumb of her husband. Now, though, Mrs. Mallard is someone who has much to look forward to and many joys to appreciate. Soon this opportunity is taken from her, just as her chance of freedom is taken from her she learns that Brently is still alive. When Mrs. Mallard sees Brently walk through the front door, the disappointment and the devastation of loss that she suffers cause her heart

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654 Words | 3 Pages

Mallard, has just been informed that her Husband, Mr. Mallard has passed away. Though Mrs. Mallard feels sorrow, she soon discovers the bright future she will lead with the absence of her antagonizing husband. She begins to think of all the things she will be able to do, that she was restrained from by her husband for so long. It's almost as if at that very moment, a burden was taken from her, and she could finally move on with her life. In the end, her husband returns and the shock of losing her precious future vanishes, causing Mrs. Mallard to have a stroke, and ultimately dying.

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