Conflict In The Story Of An Hour

“The Story of an Hour” was written in a time period when women had no rights in the male-dominated

Written in 1894, “The Story of an Hour” is a story of a woman who, through the erroneously reported death of her husband, experienced true freedom. Both tragic and ironic, the story deals with the boundaries imposed on women by society in the nineteenth century. The author Kate Chopin, like the character in her story, had first-hand experience with the male-dominated society of that time and had experienced the death of her husband at a young age (Internet). The similarity between Kate Chopin and her heroine can only leave us to wonder how much of this story is fiction and how much is personal experience.

Setting in a story can create certain moods, influence the way we feel about a character, and change the reader's perceptions. “The Story of An Hour” by Kate Chopin is a short story about a woman named Mrs. Mallard, who learns of her husband’s death. This tragic news causes a range of emotions and internal conflict for the main character. The century, season, and room, in which the story takes place, prepares readers for the overflowing emotions and gives clarity to the character’s frame of mind. Kate Chopin uses the setting to help set the structure of the story.

Kate Chopin’s The Story of an Hour is a brilliant short story of irony and emotion. The story demonstrates conflicts that take us through the character’s emotions as she finds out about the death of her husband. Without the well written series of conflicts and events this story, the reader would not understand the depth of Mrs. Mallard’s inner conflict and the resolution at the end of the story. The conflict allows us to follow the emotions and unfold the irony of the situation in “The Story of an Hour.”

When reading “The Story of an Hour” written by Kate Chopin, the reader may think that the story is going to be about the husband that dies. As the story develops the reader notice the use of irony. The wife at first feels extremely sad but then she realizes that she is going to be free. As the analyst of the story believes that this is about a woman who feels like she finally is going to live for herself but suddenly that freedom is taken away from her which causes her own death.

Understanding the historical context of The Story of an Hour is vital to interpreting the story. The text references the telegram and railroad, setting the story in the 1800s. The culture during the 1800s was vastly different than what it is today. Women were often treated as inferior to men in society, and men were usually the ones in charge at home. Women were frequently silenced and told to “do their husbands’ biddings” without protest. For Mrs. Mallard in The Story of an Hour, the societal view of the inferiority of women was her reality. When she heard of her husband’s death, she was first overcome with grief. But within an hour, she was overcome with another emotion: freedom. For Mrs. Mallard, she had been in a relationship where she

Literary Techniques in “The Story of an Hour” Writing a good short story is difficult. A strategic use of literary devices is needed to get the author’s point across in a short amount of time. The use of literary devices can also make a short story much more engaging. In Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour”, she uses a multitude of techniques to create an engaging story. Chopin creates a memorable story through her effective use of descriptive language, irony, and a gripping twist ending.

Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour,” takes place in the late 1800’s. In this period of time woman had significantly less freedom and rights than they do now. The textbook mentions women’s roles in their households and how busy they were kept every day. Women were responsible for clothing, food, laundry and much more back then (Women 520). The text states, “By 1920, only 6.5% of married white women in the United States worked outside the home” (Women 520). Chopin herself did not start her literary career until after her husband’s death in 1884 (Chopin 524).

The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin begins with Mrs. Mallard learning of her husbands untimely death. It's a story wrapped in symbolism and allegories. From the beginning one wonder what the author mean. Beneath each perfectly crafter segment there's a treasure trove of meaning. From the psychological, to death, love and freedom these are all explored by Chopin in this short. Yet in my opinion create a meaningful story that speaks to the human condition.

Looking back at women in 1894, when The Story of An Hour was written, we can see many sexist excuses given by men to control women. In these times the ideal women that society portrayed was a homemaker wife that took care of her husband and children first. Her other duties were to keep the appearance impeccable and to keep her home the same way. It was also believed that

“The Story of An Hour” was written by Kate Chopin on April 19, 1894, and was published in Vogue Magazine later that year. Chopin’s short story takes place in the Mallard home where Louise Mallard has just heard the news of the passing of her husband, Brently Mallard. A tone of a conflicted self-discovery begins to unfold throughout the story as Louise begins to contemplate life with no husband. The purpose of the story is to understand Louise’s inner struggle and to comprehend her newfound appreciation for herself and the possibilities that lie ahead as a widow. Kate Chopin uses various forms of figurative language to bring this short story to life. Also, Chopin’s use of symbolism

To begin, as mentioned earlier, the stories took place in the Victorian era. Both women were stuck in societal ways of how women should act in a marriage. Through the use of setting, the author allows readers to understand societal relationship dynamics. In “The Story of an Hour” the setting took place in Mrs. Mallard’s home. Mrs. Mallard was confined inside the home while her husband was away at work. Already the author shows how she submissive in her marriage. The author of “The Story of an Hour” showed through his reading that even if a wife did not care to be married, she stayed. Mrs. Mallard was in a marriage that she no longer wanted to be in, but due to societal standards divorce was a no good so she stuck it out. “Her fancy was running riot along those days

Situational and dramatic irony are the main type of irony used throughout the story. It occurs when the final outcome of a story is complete opposite of what was originally expected. Kate Chopin uses irony to emphasize meaning in the text and to create a vivid meaningful image. A example of this would be when Mrs. Mallard’s sister, Josephine, is worried she is making herself sick by locking herself in a room Mrs. Mallard replies “Go away. I am not making myself ill." No; she was drinking in a very elixir of life through that open window” (278).The audience knows Mrs. Mallard is pleased to be liberated from an oppressive unfulfilling marriage from this example of quote. Another example of irony in the short story is the overall plot. Mrs.

In the “Story of an Hour” Louise’s conflict is when she received the news that her husband was supposedly dead in a train accident and felt as if a complete burden had been taken away from her. It was her sister Josephine and her husband’s friend Richard who had to tell her the story. She falls in her sister’s arms into her sister’s arms making us think that she was heartbroken but she wasn’t though. Although, most people would grieve the death of a loved one, but the thought of it made her feel apprehensive about it and saying the word “free” and feel like a new person. Louise knows she loved her husband and she feels ecstatic now that she can finally live her life.

Kate Chopin, an U.S author of many short stories and novels in the late nineteenth Century. Most of her best-known work focuses on the lives of sensitive, intelligent women in the old strict society. “The Story Of An Hour” is one of her short fiction, which was written in 1894 (Walker). This fiction story makes the reader curious through its title, also the setting is reasonable for situation happens, in addition the unexpected ending is one of the factors make the story more interesting.