Story Of An Hour Literary Analysis

This personal confession shows that Mrs. Mallard, though she will mourn at first, now is free to “live for herself,” (228) not for her imposing husband. Before her husband’s death, Mrs. Mallard believed she was in a healthy, normal marriage. This death revealed to her how while she cared about her husband, she despised the lack of freedom her marriage had given her. All of the realizations that Mrs. Mallard reaches during her time of reflection shows the readers exactly why she will no longer mourn the death of her husband.

Although some people react dramatically when facing a situation, after reflecting on their initial reactions, their previous emotions may be affected by a previously unknown feeling of freedom. In Kate Chopin’s short story, “The Story of an Hour”, the protagonist, Mrs. Mallard, receives some sad news. Initially, Mrs. Mallard reacts with great sadness over the news of her husband’s death. As the story progresses, Mrs. Mallard begins to reflect on her previous emotions alone and begins to develop her true emotions towards her husband’s death. Finally, Mrs. Mallard realizes that the wonderful feelings of individual freedom overpower her feelings of sadness. Therefore, although Mrs. Mallard reacts with sadness over the death of her husband, Brently, after reflecting on her previous emotions, she discovers that the feelings of individual freedom overtake the relationship with her husband.

After hearing about her husband’s death Louise immediately breaks down and begins to sob as

In "The story of an Hour," Kate Chopin reveals the complex character, Mrs. Mallard, In a most unusual manner. THe reader is led to believe that her husband has been killed in a railway accident. The other characters in the story are worried about how to break the news to her; they know whe suffers from a heart condition, and they fear for her health. On the surface, the story appears to be about how Mrs. Mallard deals with the news of the death of her husband. On a deeper level, however, the story is about the feeling of intense joy that Mrs. Mallard experiences when she realizes that she is free from the influences of her husband and the consequences of

Kate Chopin, the author of “The Story of the Hour”, writes about Louise Mallard’s mental and emotional suppression during her marriage in 1894 and her overwhelming excitement of her husband’s death. Following the traditional role of wifehood, upheld for centuries, Louise Mallard conforms to her husband’s wishes and desires with no regard to her own personal life. The stress of life and her marriage has caused her to have a weakened heart. Her health is further compromised by the constant conforming to her husband. Louise Mallard steadily falls into a depressive state and questions her love for her husband.

In “The Story of an Hour,” Kate Chopin describes to her readers a young woman’s response to her husband’s death, or at least his presumed death. The opinions readers will draw from this story will vary from person to person due to personal experiences. The experience and wisdom that I have gained through the trails and tribulations of my life help me to understand, relate, and even despise Mrs. Mallard’s character. On one hand, I feel pity for Mrs. Mallard. I think she felt trapped in a situation that she found to be inescapable. She felt lonely, restless, and did not know how to help herself. Yet, on the other hand, I do not feel sorry for

Louise is informed that her husband has been killed in accident, and due to a heart disorder, the news is broken to her very carefully. The reader acknowledges that Brently was oppressive by her reaction to the news of his death. Instead of reacting with melancholy feelings, she expresses her joy for her fallen husband. Chopin writes, ?She did not stop to ask if it were not a monstrous joy that held her. A clear and exalted perception enabled her to dismiss the suggestion as trivial? (par 12). Louise knows that she should feel upset about her ?dead? husband; however she cannot help to feel relieved that the oppression has ended and that she can finally behave in the manner in which she chooses. It is soon discovered that Brently did not actually die in an accident, which causes the Louise to die.

This caused her to start visualizing a new carefree life after his death. In addition, Mr. Mallard cost Louise her life. After Louise pondered on her new exciting life without Mr. Mallard, he enters the house. Disappointed that her new life was immediately taken from her, Mrs. Mallard dies of a heart attack. These men could have been the best husbands of their time, but they were the reasons that their spouses ended up either psychologically disturbed or

Helping to prove how Mallard was oppressed by her husband and once she recognized freedom

Outline for the Critical Analysis of “The Story of An Hour” by Kate Chopin I. They say "the truth shall set you free"; but is that really true? Mrs. Mallard finds freedom in the false belief that her husband is dead, and dies when she faces the truth. What does that really imply? II. People must live a life of independence to maintain wellness in all aspects of life.

I can infer from the text that the relationship between Mr. and Mrs. Mallard was abusive. In the text, after Mrs. Mallard hears of her husband’s death, she whispers “free, free, free” over and over, and also whispered “body and soul, free”. This action shows that she was freed of something by the death of her husband, which may be abuse that he inflicted on her. (Chopin)

“The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin has a theme that relates to the freedom and independence the protagonist, Mrs. Louise Mallard, feels during the story. When Mrs. Mallard receives the news of her husband’s death, she becomes overwhelmed with emotions. During her grieving process, she realizes that she felt weighed down by her husband. Mrs. Mallard felt as though her husband kept her from living her own life. At first, freedom may seem like something that does not exist; however, when Mr. Mallard dies Mrs. Mallard feels free and as though she can now live life for herself and not for anyone else.

Chopin includes that Mrs. Mallard tried to fight off these ideas with her will (Booth 307). Her embraced feelings of independence could have been viewed as forbidden. Although she is excited by these thoughts, she tries to resist the pleasure she truly feels when she realizes the freedom that she has gained. The words “free, free, free!” escaped from her mouth (Booth307). She attempted to hold back the overwhelming desires for her own life. Perhaps she is hesitant to welcome these feelings because of the public view on women’s rights, and the potential consequences for those who opposed such views. Despite the faithfulness and love Mrs. Mallard showed for her husband, the extreme relief she felt in no longer having a marital obligation overpowered her feelings of sadness and loss.

Mrs. Mallard feels tied down and trapped in her marriage. The lines of her face "bespoke repression" (paragraph 8). Once Mrs. Mallard receives the news of her husband's death, she knew that there will "be no powerful will bending her" (paragraph 14). There now would be no husband who believes he had the "right to impose a private will upon a fellow creature"

Kate Chopin’s prompt has many different points of views of one character. Mrs. Mallard is the main character of this short story and goes through a tragedy that doesn't affect her as it would most people today. The story is based off of older times, where men were strictly in charge of their wives. Mrs. Mallard has a heart condition, and those around her are unsure how to break the bad news to her. The author Kate Chopin wrote this short story of the main character. Chopin spoke of the internal and external conflicts of Mrs. Mallard. The internal conflicts Mrs. Mallard faced were the feelings of being oppressed through her marriage, or her desire for freedom.