Antisocial Edna While being social and part of a community is incorporated in humanity, it is also enjoyable to spend some alone time away from distractions and reflect. This characteristic can be seen in The Awakening with the main protagonist Edna who gravitates toward privacy. Edna longs to be an independent, strong woman and associates this belief with being alone and on her own. Edna is often involved in activities with others where she chooses to seclude herself from the group. Kate Chopin accentuates this aspect of Edna through her actions, but especially through her relations with Robert.
In her 1894 short story, “The Story of an Hour,” Kate Chopin at the mists of Women’s Rights. Louise Mallard, the female protagonist, heard news that her husband, Brentley Mallard, was killed due to a freak accident at the railroad. Whereas in his 1995 short story, “Bullet in the Brain,” Tobias Wolff is a suspenseful thrill. Though significantly different in focus theses story lines seem to be, both Chopin’s and Wolff’s short stories communicate their ideas through the dynamic of their characters, third person omniscient point of view, and the perception of death. Mrs. Mallard, the epitome of youth and beauty, has a heart condition, a warning of a complication for the foreseeable future When Mr. Mallard, the person we believed to be dead is truly alive, and the assumed “widow” is the one who dies, completely an ironic reversal of fortuity in a short-lived moment.
Heart Trouble “The Story of an Hour” is a short story by Kate Chopin which portrays marriage, freedom and death by using a clever style of writing that captivates readers. Kate Chopin wrote this short story in 1894, a time that is known for women not having any power or say in anything because of the way society was constructed. The protagonist of this story, Mrs. Louise Mallard, experiences grief as well as loss that turn into the exhilarating feeling of freedom when she learns of her husband’s death. Though, as the hour progresses she learns the truth that her husband is alive which in turn causes a great shock and leads to her death. Thus, the author provides the reader with an ironic story that gives a different view on what it was like
This article examines the conflict between life and death for ladies, who were not free and could not express thoughts, or achieve their goals in The Story of an Hour, written by Kate Chopin. The text shows that after the news of her husband’s death Ms. Mallard runs and locks herself alone in her room. The heroine looks through the window in the room and starts to feel something that she had never felt before. In this moment she begins to feel freedom and even she whispers “free, free, free!” under the influence of great joy.
Today, most people would assume that the reaction to a loved one’s death would be immediate grief; however, that would not be the case in the late 1800s. In Kate Chopin’s “The Story of An Hour” women were expected to grieve differently than men. The story conveys the main character Mrs. Mallard’s distress and joy after she discovered the supposed death of her husband. The story does not demonstrate Mrs. Mallard following the stages of grief that would be expected when grieving over her husband. In spite of the fact that Mrs. Mallard was grieving she was likewise encountering joy and satisfaction since she then realizes that she is currently free.
Kate Chopin’s short story “The Story of an Hour” is in an incredible story about a woman, Louis Mallard who is informed that her husband, Brently, was killed in a railroad accident. Initially appearing to be traumatized, by the unforeseen death of her beloved husband she leaves the company of her sister and family friends and races to her room where we see a conflicting side of Mrs. Mallard. During her moment of isolation, she establishes a different view of life now that her husband is dead. While she is saddened by the abrupt death of her husband, she does have something to be joyful about. The passing of her husband now means that Mrs. Mallard is able to be her own person, pursue her own endeavors, rather than been oppressed in her marriage
In the beginning of time, women were treated like second class citizens. Women were repressed because of the problems they had to face created by society. Women were controlled by their husbands or men in their lives and couldn’t have their freedom. In both stories, “The Story of an Hour,” by Kate Chopin and “A Rose for Emily,” by William Faulkner, the main characters are women that are controlled by men and long to be free. Mrs. Mallard in "The Story of an Hour" and Emily Grierson in "A Rose for Emily" have been shaped physically and mentally by the men they live with.
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.
In the short story, “The Story of an Hour,” Louise Mallard is given the news that there was a “railroad disaster” (Chopin 283), and her husband was the leading name on the “killed” list. Immediately she begins grieving over her deceased husband, weeping in her sister’s arms. In an instant she realizes that she is free from from her unhappy marriage saying, “...over and over under her breath: ‘free, free, free!’”
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.
Every person has the right to be and feel free. They have the right to be independent and live happily. Kate Chopin’s, “The Story of an Hour,” focuses on sixty minutes in the life of a young Mrs. Mallard. Upon learning of her husband’s death, Mrs. Mallard experiences a revelation about her future without a husband. Her life, due to heart problems, suddenly ends after she unexpectedly finds out her husband is actually alive.
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.”
As one may feel joy on a bright sunny day, or sadness when the skies are gray and gloomy, the setting in which an individual resides can affect one’s emotions. In Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour” the main character, Mrs. Mallard, is faced with a life altering situation in the beginning of the story when she is informed that her husband perished in a railroad accident. Upon
The Short Story The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin explores the emotions of Louise Mallard a woman with a heart disease. In the hour that the story is told, it ranges from showing Mrs. Mallard different reactions to learning of her husbands death to him surprisingly showing up alive and eventually her untimely death from a heart disease. Although only a brief period of time is shown, many emotions are revealed through the third person omniscient point of view. This point of view shows more than just the protagonists thoughts and is not limited to one person. It allows the readers to know something about Mrs. Mallard that she does not as the story ends after Mrs. Mallard has already died.
Love is a small word that is magical and wonderful, while freedom is a powerful word that represents strength and individualism. These two simple words, love and freedom, are two of the most sought after things in life. Everybody wants to love, and be loved in return, whether they admit it or not. Everybody also wants to know they have the power of freedom and the ability to do as they please. If this is the case, then why do freedom and love seem so contradictory in “The Story of an Hour” written by Kate Chopin?
