The Story of an Hour In 1894 women had little to no rights. They had no true identity or self recognition. In the short story “The Story of an Hour” it demonstrates this theme of women being trapped in their own lives. The main character Louise is trapped in her marriage and does not have the freedom she craves. Louise only realizes her true identity after her husband dies.
Literary criticism: psychological
“The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin shows how women in 1894 had no real identity. Women were owned like property and were known as either a daughter or a wife. In the story the main character Louise is a wife. She has no freedom and cannot be her true self. Louise only realizes her true identity and gains freedom when her husband passes away, “She saw beyond that bitter moment a long procession of years to come that would belong to her absolutely.” (2) This quote shows Louise realizes that as a widow she does not belong to anyone, she is finally free. She is now her own person. Her label is no longer a “daughter” or “wife” she is her own person as a widow. When she was married she was restricted in many ways, “suspension of intelligent thought” (1). Louise is now free to think for herself. She can live for her, and do
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This story shows us the mentality and position of women during this time period. At one point in the story Louise repeatedly says: “Free! Body and soul free!” (2) This quote shows how trapped Louise felt for all those years being a wife. She is saying that she is now free not just physically but emotionally and mentally too. The rest of her life can be whatever she wants to make of it. “It was only yesterday she thought with a shudder that her life may be long.” Louise used to think life was too long. Now, she is hoping for it to be long because she can live it how she pleases. She wants as long as possible to live