Essay on Literary Analysis on Kate Chopin’s The Story of an Hour

This loss of happiness and freedom caused Mrs. Mallard’s heart to give out and she died. The doctor said “She had died of heart disease – of joy that kills” (Chopin). Society believes she

Mrs. Mallards emotions were so high from day dreaming about how she was free that wend she found out that her husband wasn’t dead, it was so devastating that she died from her heart weakness “When the doctors came they said she had died of heart disease--of the joy that kills” (Chopin). Miss. Brill in the other hand was hit with her harsh reality by two young children “But why? Because of that stupid old thing at the end there?" asked the boy. "Why does she come here at all— who wants her?

In Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour” allows one to explore many ironic instances throughout the story, the main one in which a woman unpredictably feels free after her husband’s assumed death. Chopin uses Mrs. Mallard’s bizarre story to illustrate the struggles of reaching personal freedom and trying to be true to yourself to reach self-assertion while being a part of something else, like a marriage. In “The Story of an Hour” the main character, Mrs. Mallard, celebrates the death of her husband, yet Chopin uses several ironic situations and certain symbols to criticize the behavior of Mrs. Mallard during the time of her “loving” husband’s assumed death.

When her husband is killed in a train accident Mrs. Mallard cries, but for different reasons than would be expected. She is sad for her husband’s death, but, moreover, she is overcome with joy. For now she is free. No one recognizes her true emotions because women fall apart when their spouse dies; it’s required. Marriage is portrayed as a life sentence. "She said it over and over again under her breath: ‘free, free, free!' Her pulse beat fast, and the coursing blood warmed and relaxed every inch of her body"(1). Mrs. Mallard was relieved that her husband died for she thought her sentence was over. When she realized that he was still alive, and therefore she was still committed to the marriage, she died from the shock and horror of being trapped.

Reading this story you are given background information and details about the main story unlike “Popular Mechanics” therefore giving it more of a classic short story feeling. This story is about a woman by the name of Mrs. Louise Mallard who receives word that her husband has died in a trainwreck while away on business. In the opening of this story you are told that Mrs. Mallard has a heart condition and that any emotional breaking news would be bad and to be caring and gentle. When she received the news that her husband had passed and the news was a shock, she went to her room alone to weep and sorrow over his passing. As the news became processed, she became less sad and more relieved of her husband's passing. Mrs. Mallard felt as though she had been set free and the weight of the world was let off of her shoulders. She finally left her bedroom and returned to her sister’s company after this. But after leaving and walking downstairs that weight of the world fell onto her as her husband entered the front door. The shock of her husband’s presence and her failing, weak heart killed her and similarly to the other story, it ends with great irony, reading, “When the doctors came, they said she had died of heart disease- of joy that kills,” (Chopin

In “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin, the author depicts how someone can be trapped in an unproductive and unsatisfying reality because of other’s thoughtlessness, exploitation, and domination. When combined with the contemporary society’s belief, presumably the later half of the 19th century, a further understanding of Chopin’s thoughts and feelings can be realized. Mrs. Louise Mallard, the victim and messenger of this story, is the image of such a person. Her relationship with her husband is so oppressive and limiting that even death is considered a reasonable means of escape. The condition of life for Mrs. Mallard is terrible, yet for some reason she doesn’t seem to come to the full

Anyone who receives notice of a loved ones death is never expected to take it lightly. In Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour,” Mrs. Mallard is informed of her husbands “death” as gently as possible, and immediately she understands the enormous significance this loss will have on her life. Unlike many widow’s, her feelings of utter devastation do not last. Mrs. Mallard’s sobs of loss turn to cries of joy after she reflects upon her own character and discovers truths about her marriage.

In Kate Chopin’s “Story of an Hour” the protagonist, Louise Mallard, is going through a life-changing event that is brought on by the news of the death of her husband, Brently Mallard. During this hour, she is told of her husband’s death, grieves for a short time, discovers that she will now be able to “live for herself” (16) and is finally able to free herself of the restrictive marriage she has been living in. The end of her last hour comes when she sees her husband walking through the door. There are many varying opinions as to why she actually died. Chopin does not directly state what Richards, Brently Mallard’s close friend, is shielding from view or why Mrs. Mallard’s sister,

Chopin’s use of figurative language allows her to subliminally interject her opinion on the treatment of women. Chopin says, “When the doctors came they said she had died of heart disease- of the joy that kills” (Chopin 2). Chopin says Mrs.Mallard’s death is the result of her happiness from seeing the return of

“Knowing Ms. Mallard was afflicted with a heart trouble, great care was taken to break it to her as gently as possible the news of her husband’s death.” Her sister and husband’s friend Richard had to be careful when telling Ms. Mallard about her husband’s because it may give her problems with her heart. Ms. Mallard had to lock herself in her room and look out the window to calm down after hearing the news. She even knew that death is inevitable.

In the novel Ethan Frome, the theme of the connection between characters is used to portray the reality of their relationships. The connection between Ethan and Mattie keeps growing through out the story which further develops and strengthens their relationship. From the beginning of the story, Ethan and Mattie’s relationship has been clear and understanding. They have a mutual apprehension of each other which makes them be more amiable and intimate with one another. “She had an eye to see and an ear to hear: he could show her things, and taste the bliss of feeling that all he imparted left long reverberations and echoes he could wake at will (pg.29)”.

In Kate Chopin's short story "The Story of an Hour," there is much hatred. The first hatred detected is in the way that Louise reacts to the news of the death of her husband, Mr. Mallard. Before Louise's reaction is revealed, Chopin turns to how the widow feels by describing the world according to her outlook of it after the bad news. Louise is said to "not hear the story as many women have heard the same." Rather, she accepts it and goes to her room to be alone. Now the person reading starts to see the world through Louise's eyes, a world full of new life.

Chopin are two different stories with the women both suffering from an illness. One of the

The women is overcame by some many emotions; sad, happy, anger, and relieved. The women came down to share the news of being a single women and not having a committed to anyone but as she gets down the stairs she sees her husband walk in the door. The women dies in the floor of a heart attack. Many people say she die of a heart attack, others say she did because of all the emotions. No one will ever

She began weeping and her body was going through shock, as her sister told her the news. Her body began to fill up with grief. She feels this immediately after, because she knows that the man that has loved her through his life, is now gone forever. She loves Mr. Mallard sometimes, with this news she begins to feel a different way, and then a typical wife would.