Story of an Hour by Lawrence L. Berkove

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

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.

Chopin's use of language effectively conveys the intensity of the emotions that overcome Louise. Repetition of the word "free" reveals the exaltation Louise experiences in being released from possession by her husband's will. The diction aptly portrays the significance, emotionally and physically, of Louise's transformation. Tumultuously, Louise's bosom, the seat of passion, rose and fell as the "monstrous joy" possessed her. As the elixir of life "courses" through her once weak heart, Louise's "pulses beat fast." When Louise's fancy runs "riot along those days ahead of her", the reader feels the excitement Louise feels. Through the image of Louise as a winged "goddess of Victory", her inner strength from triumph over repression becomes palpable. That strength is reaffirmed in Chopin's use of words that connote potency. Louise has a "clear and exalted perception" of herself.

In the short story, Story of an Hour, Kate Chopin uses diction and syntax to create a riveting and complex tone, that engages the readers and leaves them thinking long after the story is over. The story has many layers, and like a Kardashian, may make readers cry. With unexpected twists and turns, the reader must truly put themselves in Mrs. Mallard's position and time period to understand the dramatic irony used.

Kate Chopin’s The Story of an Hour is a brilliant short story of irony and emotion. The story demonstrates conflicts that take us through the character’s emotions as she finds out about the death of her husband. Without the well written series of conflicts and events this story, the reader would not understand the depth of Mrs. Mallard’s inner conflict and the resolution at the end of the story. The conflict allows us to follow the emotions and unfold the irony of the situation in “The Story of an Hour.”

Something that characterizes these stories is the rich language and unique word choices Kate Chopin has made. In “The Story of an Hour,” Chopin uses phrases that seem to contradict to describe Mrs. Mallard’s inner turmoil as she comes

Chopin, Kate. “The Story of an Hour, Kate Chopin, characters, setting. “KateChopinorg. Kate Chopin International Society. N.d. web. 20 Nov. 2014. http://www.katechopin.org/the-story-of-an-hour/

A woman could not make a simple decision without her husband’s approval. Louise like many women during the 19th century has led her life to her husband’s expectations. Her life has been restricted due to her marriage, but since Brently is deceased, she can finally live for herself. Chopin shows this as Louise is seated in her chair, “The vacant stare and the look of terror that had followed it went from her eyes. They stayed keen and bright.”

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.

Everyone who reads a story will interpret things slightly different than the person who reads it before or after him or her. This idea plays out with most every story, book, song, and movie. These interpretations create conflict and allow people to discuss different ideas and opinions. Without this conflict of thought there is no one devoting time to debate the true meaning of a text. Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour” tells about a woman who is informed of her husbands death, processes the emotions, and becomes content with this new status as an individual person – losing all the expectations that society expected her to live by within a marriage. This story however is written in a way that the reader has the final interpretation of the text. There are many different interpretations on not only the reason for the main character’s death, but also on the overwhelming emotions that she faces.

In addition to the theme of individualism, Chopin's use of the oxymoron "monstrous-joy" in Louise's reaction of gaining self-possession, implies that she is not conformed to the typical ideals of a wife, or woman, in this time period. Women generally sought motherhood and marriage, to which Louise shows dislike for. In response to Brently's return, Louise dies; the reader is given this information on her death, "When the doctors came they said she had died of heart disease-of joy that kills" (Chopin 41). While the other characters of the story believe she dies of joy from seeing her husband, the reader knows that it is quite, in fact, the other way around; in that, she has just had this beautiful feeling of freedom stripped out of her grasp. The walls that which have confined her were broken and rebuilt within a matter of minutes.

Kate Chopin’s short story, “The Story of an Hour”, is filled with deeper meaning that seems to be lurking beneath the surface of the immediately apparent, waiting for its reader to discover it. The mere fact that an abundant supply of material has been written analyzing Chopin’s short story is indicative of the fact that Chopin’s short story has an impressive amount of meaning packed into it. What makes Chopin’s short story even more fascinating is the fact that it is so short. Chopin would not have been as successful in delivering so much meaning, in so short of passage, without help. So what help did Chopin have?

In “The Story of an Hour,” Kate Chopin’s protagonist, Mrs. Louise Mallard, is a married woman in the 1900’s caught in a repressive marriage. While her outer appearance seems normal, her internal state keeps her true thoughts hidden. After the overwhelment with turmoil, she comes to a frightening revolution that becomes the death of her due to her medical condition. Mrs. Mallard possess feebleness, distinctness, and intelligence.

In the time period that this short story was written, wives were somewhat chained to their spouse’s economical and social status and power. Yet widows were not held to the same standards as women who had never married. They were not given the responsibility of finding another husband, and therefore gained some of their own recognition and were given more power over their lives. Although Chopin does not state the time period that the piece is set, the proclamations made by Louise in her moment of realization are: “Free! Body and soul free!”, which points to this historical

Whenever Louise is delivered with the tragic news of her husbands death she breaks down and sobs; however, when she was alone to herself she could not contain her excitement of her independence but tries to “beat it back with her will.” Although she tries, she could not hold it in any longer and finally her lips start to whisper the words she was fighting back:“free.” Another way to provide evidence to prove that this story is conveying feminism is how Chopin indicates that Louise has “heart trouble.” This heart trouble is not only a physically issue, but an emotional one as well for Louise heart represented her true emotions toward her marriage. Being confined into a marriage where she does nothing besides house chores and has no say so of things, literally is a strain on her heart.