Marriage Confinement In Kate Chopin's The Awakening

After Louise Mallard received the news of her husbands death from her sister and husband's friend, Richards, a new beginning was about to be embarked upon. She was upset about the news she took herself to her room where she demanded privacy. As Chopin pointed out "She would have no one follow." (138) It was at that moment she sat down to look outside her

As she beings to consider all of the opportunities that will soon await her, Mrs. Mallard becomes Louise. She blossoms into a free, relaxed woman who was ready to begin her life on her own. During the hour which Louise believes Brently is dead, her heart beats strongly. She opened and spread her arms out, welcoming her new life. She whispers to herself repetitively, “Free! Body and soul free!” (158) A statement that shows her new independence really is for her. Louise soon becomes a woman aware of her own desires, enjoying the anticipation of being freed from the confines of her marriage.

The Awakening, by Kate Chopin, is a novel about a women named Edna Pontellier and she transforms from an obedient, traditional women of that era – a woman that stayed home cooked and cleaned for her husband and took care of the kids- into a an independent, sexually free and self-realized woman. In the novel Edna notices 3 people. Two lovers constantly followed by a lady wearing black. These people are very significant in representing Edna’s life.

For the wife, Louise Mallard, this was an awakening of a new life. This new life is cut short as the information that led her to believe this news turns our false. Kate Chopin reveals that even the desire for love is trumped by the need for freedom and independence, through her use of precise diction and syntax, and symbolism. (rewrite)

Mrs. Mallard is, outwardly, a typical woman in the 19th century with a husband, family, and home. It is first apparent that Mrs. Mallard is not satisfied with her role as a wife when she receives the news of her husband’s death and begins to feel a sensation of joy that overcomes her. The wife’s unhappiness with her married life is enhanced when the narrator states, “She breathed a quick prayer that life might be long. It was only yesterday she had thought with a shudder that life might be long.” (Chopin 16) The reader infers that Mrs. Mallard was figuratively suffocating under the duties and stereotypes a 19th century woman was subjected to, such as caring for a house and family instead of pursuing a career outside of the home. Mrs. Mallard views her husband’s death as an escape from her role and a chance to have control over her life and choices, showed when she whispers “Free! Body and soul free!” (Chopin 16) In the final portion of the story Mrs. Mallard’s husband returns home, having never been in an accident, and she dies of what doctors determine is an overwhelming joy for seeing her husband alive. The reader infers that Mrs. Mallard has lost her chance of a new start and freedom from her role and dies of grief over her loss of freedom. The author contrasts Mrs. Mallard’s lack of control and freedom in her life to

Marriage is an important stage in people lives, for this is when someone has found someone to live the rest of their life with and to love. This is a general idea of marriage, for a study was done to see what University Students think the meaning of marriage and stated “Marriage, which includes the coupling of two people possessing different interests, desires and needs, is a special association given shape by social rules and laws and significantly affects individuals’ development and self-realizations … meeting both individuals’ biological, social, psychological and motivational needs, bringing new generations to world, gaining a place in society, the feelings of being safe and protected, the sense of cooperation, being confident about the future, feeling proud of each other” (Özyiğit 680). This shows what a group of people thinks about marriage, and the problem with the group that taken the survey were generally young people who have no idea what marriage is for they may not be married. Kate Chopin knowing how serious people take marriage poked fun at it with many of the stories she wrote during her time. Chopin’s stories would be about what people see as forbidden during a marriage such as the wife having an affair with someone and the wife truly not loving her husband. The short story “The Story of an Hour” written by Kate Chopin story demonstrates the tyranny within some marriages which relates to current day marriages.

This newfound freedom is in effect a new motivation for Louise. Before experiencing such freedom, Louise was petrified of the thought of life being long; now however, she felt herself wishing, even praying for life to be long. This is evidenced with the following quote, "She breathed a quick prayer that life might be long. It was only yesterday she had thought with a shudder that life might be long." (15). This depicts an ever embracing Louise, finally liberated of the powerful institution of marriage. What is more, this quote serves to further support the idea that Louise indeed felt trapped, she was unhappy and yet, the thought of her husband dying hadn't crossed her mind, only the relief from her own passing was her wish.

At the end of the story, Mr. Mallard walks through the front door causing Louise to die of a heart attack (66). Louise was so overcome with shock or grief over the loss of her once promised freedom filled future she died. This shocking ending, shows how patriarchal views not only oppress women but also damage them in a way that their bodies react strongly and negatively. In turn showing how patriarchal views effect women physically and

            Kate Chopin's The Awakening focuses on a woman's struggle to become an individual while still being a mother and wife. In the process of this journey, the female heroine discovers that establishing her own identity means losing a mother's identity. Edna looks to be the "brave soul," a "soul that dares and defies" (Chopin 61). Edna's society looked down upon females who seek anything other than attending to their children and husband's needs. Therefore, she is seen as an outcast and must turn inward as well as outward towards nature for satisfaction and approval.

In the story we find that, Louise feels overcome with satisfaction about the passing of her husband. After Louise's brief moment of sorrow for her husband, author Kate Chopin “Now her bosom rose and fell tumultuously. [...] She said it over and over under her breath: ‘free! Free! Free!’” (Chopin 630). She feels as if a great burden has been lifted. Her initial response, where she wept and had great sorrow for her loss, was appropriate to the news of the loss of her husband. However, her second reaction, in which she rejoices as if a curse has been lifted, is completely inappropriate. If she had truly loved the man, she would have continued to feel sorrow and grief, not freedom. Although her

“She could only realize that she herself – her present self – was in some way different from the other self” (Chopin 67). The Awakening by Kate Chopin is a compelling story of a woman who is awakened from the miserable duties of a housewife and mother to a woman who falls in love and finds herself. This story is not to judge a woman for having an affair with her husband, but it is to make the reader fall in love with this woman named Edna and go with her on her journey of finding herself. Edna is an extraordinary character in The Awakening, and it makes the reader see the basis of independence, and also giving the reader his or her own journey and reflection of their own life throughout the novel. The

Mrs Mallard's awkward attitude after learning of her husband's death establishes an irony- somebody who is really happy in marriage will not enjoy nature in peace and have mixed emotions; the person will feel genuine grief upon hearing of the death of her husband. Here, Mrs Mallard's reaction portrays the extent to which her thirst for freedom was strong. Kate Chopin allows us to visualise the moment that Mrs Mallard is able to shed the bondage of marriage: "free, free, free!." She feels liberated through her husband's death. Much emphasis is laid on her joy upon finding freedom- "there would be no one to live for." The author also points out that "she knew that she would weep again.....folded in death." This only highlights the fact that it is not an expression of love but seems more like a duty that

Louise Mallard is Kate Chopin short story's protagonist. As noted earlier, Louise has a heart trouble during the time when her friends are to break her husband's death news to her. She reacts to the news despite her heart condition with a flood of grief. She quickly retreats to her room which indicates repressiveness which she is accustomed to. She briefly feels guilt out of experiencing joy at the freedom which is brought by the death of her husband. She is later faced with some complex mix of love and resentment emotions which are elicited by the thoughts of Brently's tenderness with absolute control of her life from her husband. She ultimately welcomes her independence which she has newly found and then takes on the newly self-possessed individual's life. This essay will emphasize my argument on how the story shows some aspect of mental change in character, and I will identify where this starts in the character, what happens to cause the change, what the change is, and the consequences of this change for the character.

In “The Story of an Hour,” Chopin does not directly say that Mrs. Mallard is unhappy in her marriage, but these feelings are revealed in Mrs. Mallard’s reaction to her husband’s demise. In contrast to the normal cycle of grieving, Mrs. Mallard’s face “bespoke repression” even though she is youthful. When a woman receives the news of her husband’s death, she is not expected to whisper the word “freedom.” Perhaps Mrs. Mallard had sacrificed her own desires to satisfy Mr. Mallard’s wishes,

Author, Kate Chopin, presents the character of Mrs. Louis Mallard. She is an unhappy woman trapped in her discontented marriage. Unable to assert herself or extricate herself from the relationship, she endures it. The news of the presumed death of her husband comes as a great relief to her, and for a brief moment she experiences the joys of a liberated life from the repressed relationship with her husband. Finally, she recognizes the freedom she has desired for a long time and it overcomes her sorrow: "Free! Body and soul free! She kept whispering." In her soul, the dark clouds are disappearing because she is illuminated. All the memories of her husband are now of the past. She is living in the present. At this point, she is no longer "Mrs.Mallard." She is Louise and is ready to welcome a new horizon of freedom : "Spring days, and summer days, and all sorts of days that would be her own." Overwhelmed with a new sense of herself, she feels as if she