In Kate Chopin’s, “The Story of an Hour” the use of symbolism introduces a powerful and significant aspect to the work of literature. These symbols include the heart condition, the open window, and the characters themselves, Mr. and Mrs. Mallard. Chopin effectively uses each of these symbols to arouse thought about the patriarchal, oppressive society that existed during her time, but these symbols continue to have limited relevance in the twenty-first century. The first symbol that Chopin uses is the heart condition. The heart condition can symbolize Mrs. Mallard’s unhappiness in her marital relationship and the absence of free-will over her own life. At first, the heart condition was seen as an obstacle that placed difficulty on telling Mrs. Mallard of her husband’s death, as it could have been a major shock on her heart and potentially caused her to have further heart problems or death. Everyone expected that she would be grief-stricken and shocked over the news …show more content…
and Mrs. Mallard. Mr. Mallard symbolizes the patriarchal society of the time, the oppression, and inequalities between genders. This is due to the fact that Mrs. Mallard feels so oppressed and unhappy with their marriage, but cannot communicate her unhappiness with him. When it is assumed that he is dead, Mrs. Mallard experiences a sense of freedom and happiness that she did not feel in her marriage. This can further relay that Mr. Mallard symbolizes the inequalities that existed between men and women and the power that many men had over their wives. 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