“When the doctors came they said she had died of heart disease-- of the joy that kills.” At the end of Kate Chopin’s short fiction“ The Story of an Hour”, the wife dies from a shock at the sight of her husband, who reported dead in a train disaster, unexpectedly return home. Throughout the story, there are many clues as to the true reason that causes Louise's death, the loss of freedom. Chopin uses irony to reflect a sharp illustration of women’s inferior position in the early century. At the same time, herself as a feminist of the nineteenth century represents women’s desire to gain autonomy and independence.
The story illustrates the dramatic scene that kills an independence-craving woman. When Louise Mallard’s sister and friend discover
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In the article “The Autonomous Female Self and the Death of Louise Mallard”, Mark Cunningham clearly states that “the story portrays the position of women in late nineteenth-century American society as so bleak that the attempt to break from the life-denying limitations of patriarchal society is itself self-destructive” (49). It evaluates Louise’s death as the tragedy of losing independence in marriage and being controlled by society’s denying perspective to female, as well as demonstrating the desire of the woman to live in an autonomous life at that time period. Upon this point, he emphasizes if Louise, representative of all women in the society, “break free of patriarchal definitions (wife, widow, lover) in her own mind, she will find no other social system to accept her: women have been unable to create a system of their own.” (Cunningham 49). It points out that the role of women which is only associated with domesticity and often tends to be undervalued. If Louise stops inhibiting her appetence of independence and develop a strong voice, it is like standing in the position that is gaining the whole social system. When Louise is there on her own, she fails to control the forbidden joy of being “free! Body and soul free.” (Chopin 3), which is actually contradicted to her death as her husband
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.
The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin is an immaculate illustration of how a short story can have the ability to make a considerable impact on an entire nation. Chopin manipulates her writing effectively with her outstanding applications of certain literary techniques. Moreover, these techniques such as pathos, irony and symbolism, amplify the intensity and overall impact women oppression had on Chopin and many other women during the late nineteenth century. In addition, the story overshadows the protagonist, Mrs. Mallard, and her persevering fight to overcome the mournful news regarding the death of her husband. She was informed about her husband's death by her sister Josephine, who told her in a rather gentle fashion which ultimately caused Mrs. Mallard to go to the hospital with an unfortunate affliction of heart trouble. Initially, Mrs. Mallard rhapsodically struggled in trying to cope with this news as it left her in a paralyzed state of sorrow but she then realized that she gained a great deal of freedom due to to her husband's death. Furthermore, Chopin leaves out many details within her text, which obligates the reader to fill in the gaps within Chopin’s iceberg imagery like writing and gain a perception of women’s mistreatment during the mid 1800’s.
Traditionally, women have been known as the less dominant sex. They have been stereotyped as being only housewives and bearers of the children. Many interesting characters in literature are conceived from the tension women have faced with men. This tension is derived from men; society, in general; and within a woman herself. Kate Chopin‘s short story, “The Story of an Hour”, focus on a woman’s dilemma near the turn of the 19th century. Contradicting the “normal” or sad assumption of death, “The Story of an Hour” illustrates the significance of death representing freedom. The Story narrates about an hour of Louise Mallard’s life, as she tries to understand, and deal with her feelings of her husbands death.
While society places several roles and expectations on women, Kate Chopin’s writings depict a changing world. Women are typically depicted as being dependent on men. Women are also looked down upon for being promiscuous, while men are not, due to the notion that women should not act in this manner. Chopin addresses these societal norms in her short stories, “The Story of an Hour” and “The Storm.” In “The Story of an Hour,” Louise no longer feels restrained by her husband or marriage after she receives news of his death.
In Kate Chopin’s short story, “The Story of an Hour,” Louise privately imagines the forbidden pleasure of independence. When Louise’s sister Josephine informs her of her husband Brently’s death, she reacts with violent grief. Once alone however, Louise realizes that she is now an independent woman and it excites her. As time passes, Louise begins to pray that this new independent lifestyle lasts forever. However, when Brently unexpectedly returns from a trip, this newfound freedom disappears and leads to Louise’s untimely death. A major theme in this short story is the idea of the forbidden joy of independence which Louise briefly experiences. Throughout several excerpts of this short story, the joy of independence possess Louise and gives
The readers might notice a strong but subtle moral point in comparison with Louise Mallard and Mrs. Sommers against themselves. Louise Mallard is lonesome in life after receiving news about the death of her husband in a train incident. As for Mrs. Sommers, she is in financial decision of luxury items with her fifteen dollars. Defining their conflicts with the perception of self-reliance is presence for these women. Kate Chopin usually explains about women being held back as a controversial move.
A controversial story during the 1890s, Kate Chopin, “A Story of an Hour,” provides an inside look of a woman who just found out her husband has died in a railroad incident. The story takes place in one hour, hints the title, from the time the protagonist, Louise Mallard, is informed her husband has died to the shocking ending. This short story is consider one the first pro-feminist stories and was consider controversial due to the fact that the protagonist feels liberated by the news of her husband’s death. Today I will be discussing how the author tells the story and how she brings light to a problem that is still a problem in today’s world. I will analyze Louise reaction, Louise revelation, and lastly the authors descriptions.
I continue to evaluate Kate Chopin’s “Story of an Hour” as being mainly Victorian in its literary conventions, attitudes, and story. In effect, the story’s ideas progress past Victorianism (some say feminism/Chopin might beg to differ), with the subject of women’s independence from men and Louise’s abrupt recognition of it. Comparable to the mid-to-late 19th century suffragists of the time, Chopin addresses the idea of gender inequality, with her relatively non-traditional character, Louise. However, despite Chopin’s creation of an unconventional Victorian woman, the story still holds to many Victorian constraints of gender, as well as the readers of the era’s exceptions. Thus, Chopin doesn’t go “too” far in openly advocating a parting from
Kate Chopin’s short story, “The Story of an Hour”, is about a woman, named Louise Mallard, in the late 1800s who is told that her husband, Brently, has died in a railroad accident. Initially, Louise is surprised, distressed, and drowned in sorrow. After mourning the loss, the woman realizes that she is finally free and independent, and that the only person she has to live for is herself. She becomes overwhelmed with joy about her new discovery of freedom, and dreams of all of the wonderful events in life that lie ahead of her. Louise’s sister finally convinces her to leave her room and come back into reality. While Louise is walking down her steps, her husband surprisingly
“The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin is very intriguing, not only because of the emotional change Louise Mallard goes through the hour after her husband’s tragic death but also the way Chopin uses irony in the story. During this analysis of “The Story of an Hour” we will discuss the summary, plot, setting, tone, theme, point of view, emotions of Louise Mallard and other characters involved in the story. Chopin’s story uses the feelings of a married woman in the late 1890’s and feminine identities, to help the reader better understand married life of a woman during that period in time. In the story, Louise Mallard is a young woman with a heart condition who recently is informed of her husband’s
Kate Chopin is a writer whom focuses her work primarily on women in society. An example of this is, “The Story of an Hour,” which is a short story written by Kate Chopin, that gives readers an outlook on a female character named Louise Mallard. In this short story we visit Louise in a particular hour of her life through the eyes of the narrator, whom is not introduced in the story. Even though the short story is written in the present moment, we, the readers are also given enough information to acquire a basic understanding of both her past and present, which may contribute to understanding more on the whole why Louise undergoes what she encounters in her life.
In Story of an Hour, Kate Chopin tackles complex issues involved in the interplay of female independence through brief effective characterization of the supposedly widowed Louise Mallard in her last hour. Chopin utilizes symbolism, motif, and irony to suit the equally mixed story line and underlying concept in this story. The author portrays a sad portrait of a marriage and a very unique ending to be expected in the story. The world inside Mrs. Mallard’s mind is lively and well described by the narrator. Kate Chopin utilizes freedom as to be the main theme throughout the story. That one hour brings in freedom and new happiness to look forward for as she plots all this in her mind.
There are four characters in this short story. Foremost is Louise Mallard, who is the wife of Brently Mallard; she hears that he is dead. Brently Mallard is Louise’s husband, who is presumed to be dead. Moreover, Josephine is Louise’s sister, the character who informs Louise about her husband’s death. Lastly is Richards, who is Brently’s friend, and the man who first learned about Brently’s death at the newspaper office.
‘The Story of An Hour’, by Kate Chopin, is a reflection of the radical phases Louise Mallard, a heart patient, goes through whilst perceiving the unfortunate news that her husband, Brently, is dead. Louise endures a series of momentary, yet bewildering emotions as she imbibes the truth that Brently died in an accident. Through contemplation, Mrs. Mallard experiences the contentment of freedom and independence over the misery of her solitude. Towards the end, when Mrs. Mallard discerns that Brently is alive, this disappointment kills Mrs. Mallard as she realises all her
“When she abandoned herself a little whispered word escaped her slightly parted lips. She said it over and over under her breath: “free, free, free!” (Chopin). During the late 1800’s women were obligated to give obedience to their husbands and basically be a housewife. In the “Story of an Hour” Louise Mallard was an intelligent women living in the 1800s with a very bad heart problem. So when the news struck about her husband’s death, Josephine, her sister had to inform her with great care about the tragic death. Instead of other women in her time who would be dreadful over the news was very understanding and decided to grieve in pain alone in her room where she felt a sense of freedom. Kate Chopin’s 1894 short story “The story of an Hour” displays a theme of freedom and the oppressiveness of marriage at the end of Victorian era with setting, symbols, and distinctive characters.