Gender Roles In The Story Of An Hour

Some people believe that once they marry they are giving up their freedom. In some cases, this is true, especially in the late 19th century. Woman during this period were marrying as young as 15 years old and were marrying men well into their 30s. This caused a lack of communication and love between a married couple and usually resulted in the man having control over the woman. The idea of men having control over women in marriage can be seen in Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour.” In this short story, Louise Mallard learns of her husband’s death due to a fatal train accident. Sad and alone at first, Mrs. Mallard sits in her room contemplating how she will live now that her husband is gone. Soon her emotions are flipped and Mrs. Mallard

Women have strived hard to gain the treatment as men. In the workplace, society, and even at home women were treated as second class to men. In Kate Chopin’s, The Story of an Hour, Mrs. Mallard loses her husband, but her reaction is not what is expected from the reader. Mrs. Mallard’s reaction was from the treatment of her husband and now she finally felt free.

Women in history stood best known for a less ascendant sex in the mid-nineteen centuries. Since times have gone by women had fought for their equal rights and freedom. There had been many stereotypes, where the women were considered as a slave to the men’s because the women’s position was to be the homemakers and a mother to their children, while the men’s are out socializing with others. If they were not happy with the marriage, they cannot just walk out or complain because a women role is to endure all these pains without a word coming out of their mouths. Two out of the ordinary short stories, “The Yellow Wallpaper” and “The Story of An Hour,” mostly focused on a women’s dilemma that they faced near the 19th century. The two main characters in the short stories show some resemblances in some ways, but both characters portrayed them in different ways of how they dealt their sorrows in their marriages.

In addition to this in “The Story of an Hour”, Mallard is confined to the home due to her illness as her husband, Brently, is also away on a trip. This is an indication of what Kent attempts to explain in his article. The undisputed authority that Victorian men hold against women proves to connect to gender oppression and leads to the domestication of women.

The short stories, “The Story of An Hour”, by Kate Chopin and “The Jury of Her Peers”, by Susan Glaspell compare two married women who live under the shadow of their husbands. Both of these stories were written in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries during the time when women were treated unequally. Women had limited rights. For example, they could not vote, voice their opinion or work outside the home. Glaspell and Chopin were considered feminist writers who focus their writing on the struggle of women during the time when the Women’s Suffrage Movement was beginning; these short stories reflect women’s struggles under the control of men. Married women were responsible for taking care of the household, children and wifely duties while the husbands were responsible for consistently managing the title of “the breadwinner.” Married women were expected to be discreet and obedient to their husbands, which meant that the wives could not express their opinions because of society’s expectations of women. In the short stories, “The Story of An Hour”, by Kate Chopin and “The Jury of Her Peers”, by Susan Glaspell, Mrs. Mallard and Mrs. Wright share a prominent similarity concerning the loss of their individual identity during marriage and realize that the death of their husbands allow them to regain their self-identity.-

Margarita Engle, a poet, and novelist, once said, “Marriage without love is just one more twisted form of slavery.” In the eighteenth century, marriage was the exit door of many women from their homes whether they believed in love and filled their hearts with hope, or had no choice, and they were sold to men as if they were cattle. In The Story of an Hour, Kate Chopin shows complex issues such as marriage, independence, symbols, and ironies. After hearing the news that Brently Mallard was dead in a railroad accident, Richards, Mr. Mallard’s friend, went to the house to be next to Mrs. Mallard and to help her at this difficult moment. Contrary to what everyone was worried about, Mrs. Mallard knew that she would lament her husband’s death, but she was full of hope, dreaming of her freedom, appreciating life beyond the window, and a new beginning. Unfortunately, Mrs. Mallard’s dreams faded when she went downstairs and her husband arrived alive, and she could not stand it and died. Focusing on The Story of an Hour, there are three main points related to women in the early eighteenth century, such as oppressive marriages, women’s new perspective and ways of liberation, and women’s submission and obedience that demonstrates how women survived, even though they were not heard.

During the late 1800’s and early 1900’s women were not treated as equals and had extremely low expectations on them.All their existences consisted of was cleaning,cooking,and taking care of their husband and kids.With these types of duties expected on to them you could imagine how it would eventually cause them to feel empty ,unfulfilled,and restricted in their life.These types of emotions are expressed through the main character in Mrs. Mallard in the book ‘ Story of An Hour’ ,and is the main reason why She rejoices when her husband is said to be dead.

“ The Story Of An Hour” portrayed woman as often weak, useless, and honestly does not have a say in the marriage. Louise Mallard took her husband’s “death” as a chance to be free, independent and her own woman, she would no longer have a man controlling her, and a man would not bring her down. She said over and over under her breathe “free, free, free”. There would be no one to put a burden on her. The thought of freedom, independence, and being her own woman, made Lousie Mallard happy

Story of an hour conveys the feelings of many married women who may not be entirely unhappy in their marriage yet feel restricted in some way. They feel that they could have done so much more had they not married, if they had been without all these restrictions. They could spread their wings and fly to their favorite destinations if they had stayed unmarried. Marriage despite all its so-called bliss is still a very restrictive union that clips a woman's wings sometimes because of the children, sometimes because she is constantly reminded of her wifely and motherly duties and sometimes simply because her husband wouldn't approve.

In “The Story of an Hour,” when Louise Mallard hears the news that her husband, Brently Mallard, was killed in a tragic train accident, she is devastated. After being left alone and having time to think, she realizes that she is now free to live as her own person. This occurrence is a prime example of how women were not treated as equals, but as servants to men and their husbands. Furthermore, it shows how women at the time had no way out of their marriage unless their husband passed away. Nonetheless, if it were written today, there is a possibility that Mr. Mallard would have treated her better and she would have been able to live her own life while still being married to him. If not this, she could have divorced him and found a husband that

Uncomfortably, she sat in the restaurant; the romantic ambience almost felt sickly, the dim lighting, the candles and the classical music humming in the background. It is not that she did not enjoy the romantic side to love; it is just that she was here with Billy, a man who now seemingly loved her. The last man who loved her and who had taken her to this restaurant was Ric; it was the night he had confessed his love for her, the night they kissed in the moonlight.

In the 1800’s men were treated differently than women, men were treated with more rights while women were not. Most men believed that women shouldnt be involved in politics or work outside their houses. “Women should not vote, or work outside the home, or be involved in politics.” Many people believed that the “women's world” was too soft and emotional compared to the “men's world”. Men had more respect than the women. Women felt more trapped. For instance, in “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin the dynamic character, Mrs. Mallard, found out her husband dies. She was sad for a brief period of time but once she realized she was “free” she was overwhelmed with joy. Mrs. Mallard changed since the beginning of the story. She started feeling trapped

Women submitting and expected to bow down to their husbands dates back to when time first began. Also men wanting power and to feel as if they are in control, is still present today. When reading “The Story of An Hour” I got the impression that Mrs. Mallard was very unhappy in her marriage. In “The Yellow Wallpaper” The woman experienced mental and emotional trauma and she had no one to talk to. I would like to elaborate on how these stories relate to relationships and marriages today.

In “The Story of an Hour” independence is forbidden for women. In the movie “Hidden Figures” women were never noticed on what they could really do. Women had barely any independence in the 1900’s. When the women in “The Story of an Hour” and the movie “Hidden Figures” both set goals for each other on what they would do with their freedom.

The Story of an Hour Common knowledge of women’s rights in the 1800’s were that marriages were male dominated. Women had no rights only that which were to obey to their oppressive husbands and take care of children. Marriages are not always about mutual love between a man and a woman but especially during this time era it was more about monetary comfort and social acceptance. Mrs. Mallard was a young and had fair calm face that indicated repression first learns of her husband's death and is overcome with emotions she weeps in the arms of her sister before returning to her room alone. Which symbolizes and foreshadows her freedom which Mrs. Mallard will soon realize.