...Hannah Radney Professor Andrew J. DiNicola English 1102 July 22, 2014 Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour”: Character Analysis of Louise Mallard Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour” (1894) is a fictional short story presumably set in America in the late 19th century. Chopin’s story is a description of an hour in the life of Louise Mallard, the protagonist in the story. The subject of the story is the transformation of Louise Mallard after she learns about the supposed death of her husband, Brently Mallard; what she thinks and how she feels as she is alone and contemplates self-assertion for the first time. (Koloski) Chopin first introduces the reader to the main character as only Mrs. Mallard. Given the time period of the story, Chopin directs the reader to the conclusion that Mrs. Mallard has no identity of her own. This reference to her as only by her husband’s last name foreshadows how marriage represses Mrs. Mallard and realistically like many women of this time in history. The virtuous wife, in Mrs. Mallard’s world, accepts the idea that her husband has a right to impose a private will upon her. (Jamil) During the time period in which the story takes place, married women are in a subservient role to their husbands under the “femme covert laws.” “Covert refers to a woman’s legal status after marriage: legally upon marriage, the husband and wife were treated as one entity. In essence, the wife’s separate legal existence disappeared as far as property.” (Lewis 1) A married...
Words: 1825 - Pages: 8
...with socializing, instead of taking care of family related things. In the lights of these circumstances, the feminist approach has revealed itself in literature. One of the good examples of feminist literature is Kate Chopin’s short story “The Story of an Hour”, which exposes the lack of freedom of women in the 1800s. In her story, Chopin estimates the situation of women in marriage and she looks at the life from a female perspective. Mrs. Mallard, the heroine of the story, is a cardiac patient, who had been told what to do by her husband and could not make choices for herself. In a way, Chopin portrays what it is like to be a woman in the late nineteenth century through an ill protagonist. In the story Mrs. Mallard is told that her husband is dead, even though she is emotional at first, she leaps for joy with the recognition of freedom. However, when Mrs. Mallard learns her husband is alive, which means she will lose her moment of freedom all over again, she dies. “When the doctors came they said she had died of heart disease—of joy that kills.” (Chopin 3) Analyzing of “The Story of an Hour” through the historical and feminist lenses, it can interpreted as an illustrating of a woman’s lack of freedom in a male-dominated society. “The Story of an Hour” was written in the Victorian Era, when a wife was responsible for all household chores without...
Words: 1223 - Pages: 5
...“The Story of an Hour” Brian Williams English 125 Melissa Eidson April 8, 2013 “The Story of an Hour” I have chosen to describe the theme for “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin in 1894. Theme in fiction is associated with something abstract, something broad. The theme in a story is associated with an idea that lies behind the story. I will give great insight on identifying two of the literary elements in the short story that contribute to the theme. The point of view and symbolism will be the two literary elements, I will provide with examples. Explaining how the selected literary elements affect the narrative theme will be a vital point to this literary work. The theme of Chopin’s piece is essentially a longing for more freedom for women. Chopin reflects her rejection of the “postures of femininity” through her character’s descriptions. She describes her as young with a fair calm face whose lines bespoke repression. Men in the 19th century looked for young and calm attributes in a wife. They wanted a submissive woman to tend to their needs as Chopin’s description suggests. Chopin says that Mrs. Mallard would live for herself. Mallard believes she will be free of marriage, and won’t be repressed as aforementioned any longer by her husband. Chopin displays her character as having a joyous moment after the death of her husband because she is let go being forced into her femininity. Chopin displays a need for more independent women in this piece, suggesting that wronged...
Words: 865 - Pages: 4
...Literary Analysis of “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin (1894) Cameron J. Garrett Colorado Christian University – English Composition June 11, 2011 The foundation of a great mystery story is the sudden and unexpected ending. One that drives you to question wither you missed the warning signs of what the future of the story holds. In “The Story of an Hour” (1894), Kate Chopin masterfully weaves us through many different emotions. Concern and sympathy develop as the story unfolds while the surprise ending makes for a great story. The story is built on the basis that Mrs. Mallard is not in good health. She is described as “afflicted with a heart trouble” (p. 259 ¶1). This leading statement instantly drives the reader to be concerned for Mrs. Mallard’s health. It also sets the stage for us to be compassionate for her loss during already difficulty times. As the story continues, the concern for Mrs. Mallard’s delicate state is further strengthened by who are relaying the information of Mr. Mallard to her. The presence of her sister Josephine and Mr. Mallard’s friend Richards show the level of support that Mrs. Mallard has from her friends and family. There is no evidence in the beginning that Mrs. Mallard is anything other than a grieving wife. Ms. Chopin further develops this as she describes Mrs. Mallard as “She wept at once, with sudden wild abandonment, in her sisters arms.” (p. 259 ¶3) We are further driven to believe that Mrs. Mallard is at a great loss...
Words: 1020 - Pages: 5
...The story of an hour Like many contemporary women living in the nineteenth century, Mrs. Mallard in “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin bore social ties of traditional requirements. Under the strict control of social requirements, married women’s lives were formed around their husbands. They were happy with their husband’s happiness and sad with their husband’s depression. They were regarded as the properties of their husbands even in daily lives. Kate Chopin did not directly express women’s dependence, but the readers could realize this truth through the chaos in Mrs. Mallard’s mind. After her instinct reaction when hearing the news of Mr. Mallard’s death like “wept at once, with sudden, wild abandonment, in her sister’s arms” (p.106), there was something a little bit hopeful and happy appearing in her feelings. Then, “she did not stop to ask if it were or were not a monstrous joy that held her” (p.107). For one moment she was afraid to allow herself to be joyful about her freedom "she was striving to beat it back with her will" (p.106). This showed us that Mrs. Mallard was a product of her time and was dependent on society rules. We often need a whole life to comprehend one person’s soul and desire. Though, sometimes, in only a while, we are able to realize some meanings of life. In “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin, in just one hour, Mrs. Mallard’s thought and feelings revealed profoundly the desire for freedom of women in the nineteenth century. Through only one hour...
Words: 914 - Pages: 4
...“The Story of an Hour" published by American author Kate Chopin is often referred to as a mainstay of feminist literary study. This story is the documentation of the abstract reaction Louise Mallard had upon learning of her husbands, Brently Mallard, death. After the initial waves of grief have passed, to the surprise of many readers, including Mrs. Mallard herself, Mrs. Mallard feels a sense of relief, joy and freedom. It is through this reaction that readers are able to infer that Chopin is making the argument that individuals discover their self-identity only after being freed from confinement, and how freedom or lack of affects mental and emotional states. After Mr. Mallards death is revealed to Mrs. Mallard, Mallards self-identity is revealed to herself. Chopin does this to portray that people who have...
Words: 453 - Pages: 2
...Yin 1343685 Mrs. Mallard’s unhappy marriage in “the story of an hour”by Kate Chopin In Kate Chopin’s short story “The story of an hour”. Chopin keenly explores the status being of married women back in the late 1890s that they were isolated, not tolerated for seeking freedom for themselves, and the pathetic values of the society they have to deal with. Mrs. Mallards in the story who gains and loses her freedom in an hour suffers from her marriage. When her sister Josephine told her the death of her husband, she “wept at once” and realized that the freedom was belong to her in the future(Chopin 15). Then she became excited and believed the rest of her life would be joyful. However, at the end, her husband’s return destroyed her hope. Her dream to freedom shattered and she lost the freedom she just acquired. The great contrast between her ideal life and reality killed her. Moreover people did not understand the truth of her death and believed that she died of “joy that kills”(Chopin 16). Obviously, Mrs. Mallard has an unhappy marriage because she does not have freedom in a male dominated word. Also, comparing with other women, Mrs. Mallard looks forward to the freedom eagerly which makes her marriage more torturous .Also, she has a contradiction which she loves her husband and freedom while she could not have both. The contradiction makes her a complex person and confused about her marriage . Mrs. Mallard suffers from her marriage due to the lack of freedom. In late 1890s,...
Words: 1291 - Pages: 6
...the two short stories “The Story of an Hour”, by Kate Chopin and “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty”, by James Thurber. “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” is a short story written in 1937. The main character is an older man that drives his wife to town for beauty parlor visits and weekly shopping. “The Story of an Hour” was published in 1894. The main character, Louise Mallard, thinks that she will find freedom from the death of her husband. These short stories share a common theme, gender roles within a marriage. Each of the main characters in these stories has their own ideas about the gender roles that they are supposed to play, according to society and the time that they live in. The secret life of Walter Mitty and The Story of an Hour are based on a man Mr. Walter Mitty and a woman Mrs. Louise Mallard, whom believe that they have become prisoners within their marriages. They have to abide by the society standards of their era, divorce is not an option because all marriages have issues and the wedding vows need to be honored, “Until Death due us Part”. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty Versus The Story of an Hour In “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty,” Walter is an elderly American man who is retired and has nothing better to do but to follow his wife around. Walter daydreams about a life that he wishes he had. The focus of this story is to represent a fantasy world opposed to a reality. “The Story of the Hour” presents a much more dramatic effect. This story reflects upon a...
Words: 2909 - Pages: 12
...19th century. Her short story “ The Story of An Hour” is one of the most outstanding works in her numerous novels. Although the length of this story is short, and it has less than two-thousands words, it wins the favor of many critics because its exquisite language, dramatic plot, changing creative skills, and deep themes. This story tells readers a one hour story in Mrs. Mallard’s life. Mrs. Mallard has heart disease, so her sister and her husband’s friend tell the news of Mr. Mallard’s death very carefully. They both think when Louise hears the news, she will get sick. However, Mrs. Mallard feels very excited, even looks like a goddess of Victory. Though the news makes her sad, she finally...
Words: 1088 - Pages: 5
...The story of an hour Woman’s rights have changed very much through the last centuries. In the 19th century women were not allowed to make decisions. It was the man who ruled at home. Women just had to obey the man’s orders and do what they were told. Their place was in the kitchen, while the man dominated everything else. In the short story “The Story of An Hour, 1894 by Kate Chopin” we see that Mrs. Mallard, who is the main character of the story, tries to drown her sorrows about the tragically death of her husband. But when she has thought it through, she actually is not that sad anyway. She feels relieved, she feels free. She knows it is going to be hard to see his body and attend the funeral, but at the same time she looks forward to the years that belong entirely to her. No man is ruling over her life anymore: (Chopin, page 2) “"Free! Body and soul free!" she kept whispering.” One day Mrs. Mallard’s sister comes to visit her. She has some very sad news and prepares to tell them as gently as possible, because of the weak heart Mrs. Mallard has. Both her name and the fact about her weak heart, give hints about her personality even before the actual story begins. Mallard is the name of a small and shy duck, which is the most ordinary bird in the world. This name gives associations of being ignored, overlooked and not be taken serious. Mrs. Mallard’s weak heart can also be a symbol for that she has a troubled marriage, because the heart is always metaphorically connected...
Words: 1153 - Pages: 5
...“The story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin knocks down the idea that all women dreamed to be a wife and forces the reader to pay attention to what marriage actually meant to a woman who wanted individuality. In the 19th century wives were not viewed as people, but only as assets to their husbands. As a wife in those times your only purpose of life was to abide by your husband’s will. “The patriarchy of that time mandated the complete dependence of wives on husbands making marriage a form of slavery” (Jamil 216). After reading “The Story of an Hour,” the powerful statement by Patrick Henry “give me liberty or give me death” resonated in my mind. Mrs. Mallard viewed marriage as an oppressive institution that granted her no room to live life as Lousie because of the restrictions enforced by a patriarchal society to only be a wife. According to Chopin, Mrs. Mallard was afflicted with a heart trouble. This is a dynamic piece of information for the reader because the heart is often viewed as the emotional core and main source of life. The brief description Chopin gives of Mrs. Mallard’s physical appearance is that of a “calm face, whose lines bespoke repression and even a certain strength.” This is an indication to the reader that there was an incessant struggle for her to fit into what society dictated her to be. Louise Mallard was not a traditional woman of the times that believed she should have to survive only as the wife to Brently Mallard. She wanted the freedom to be an individual...
Words: 1144 - Pages: 5
...from taking advantage of their wife. In both of these stories, we become aware that the husbands are not healthy because they are both causing difficulties for the wives. In “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin, we are immediately informed that Mrs. Mallard's husband has passed away. We know that Mrs. Mallard feels some form of relief because she repeats the phrase, “free, free, free!”. Although Mrs. Mallard loved her husband sometimes, she felt a burst of joy and sudden freedom now that he was gone. Soon after Mrs. Mallard had accepted her new life, she stood at the top of the stairs just to watch her husband open the front door. Mrs. Mallard soon after passed away from heart disease. Kate Chopin, the author, is trying to make it clear that marriages are not always as romantic and loving as they seem. She makes it obvious that Mrs. Mallard lived in a man's world and the only true escape route was death....
Words: 502 - Pages: 3
...First & Last Name English 101/Section # Date Essay #6 Disappointment "The Story of an Hour" is a short story in which Kate Chopin, the author, presents an often unheard of view of marriage. Mrs. Louise Mallard, Chopin's main character, experiences the exhilaration of freedom rather than the desolation of loneliness after she learns of her husband's death. Later, when Mrs. Mallard learns that her husband, Brently, still lives, she know that all hope of freedom is gone. The crushing disappointment kills Mrs. Mallard. Published in the late eighteen hundreds, the oppressive nature of marriage in "The Story of an Hour" may well be a reflection of, though not exclusive to, that era. Though Chopin relates Mrs. Mallard's story, she does not do so in first person. Chopin reveals the story through a narrator's voice. The narrator is not simply an observer, however. The narrator knows, for example, that Mrs. Mallard, for the most part, did not love her husband (paragraph 15). It is obvious that the narrator knows more than can be physically observed. Chopin, however, never tells the reader what Mrs. Mallard is feeling. Instead, the reader must look into Mrs. Mallard's actions and words in order to understand what Mrs. Mallard feels. Mrs. Mallard is held back in her marriage. The lines of her face "bespoke repression" (paragraph 8). When Mrs. Mallard learns of her husband's death, she knows that there will "be no powerful will bending her" (paragraph 14). There will...
Words: 825 - Pages: 4
...thesis in “The Story of an Hour” Chopin’s thesis in “The Story of an Hour” was that women in the 1800’s lived in a world of patriarchy and chaos. The 1800’s were a time when women worked at home doing house work and raising children. They had not been given the right to vote or be heard like men had. Chopin wanted to express the struggles of what women went through, through the life of Mrs. Mallard. Mrs. Mallard was given the news of her husband’s death which took a large toll on her being that she had a heart condition. Chopin included the detail of Mrs. Mallard’s heart disease to ensure that the reader understands why she fell to her death at the end of the story: “Mrs. Mallard was afflicted with heart trouble.” Chopin included that, “When the storm of grief had spent itself she went away to her room alone. She would have no one follow her.” This quote was given to us to show that Mrs. Mallard had not wanted anyone to see the emotion she was to express. Mrs. Mallard was soon to see the new spring life growing upon the tree tops. Chopin uses words like, “delicious” and “new” to explain the spring time outside the windows. Chopin also uses “blue” to express the sky in which is seen through Mrs. Mallard’s eyes. These adjectives would seem alarming to the reader due to what had just happened in the recent paragraphs. Mrs. Mallard should be grieving her husband’s death, but instead notices how beautiful the world truly is. Chopin uses these words to express that Mrs. Mallard is...
Words: 700 - Pages: 3
...Stephens 1 John Stephens Professor Freeland Eng 101 7 January 2009 An Analysis of “The Story of an Hour” 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 and happiness. 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. 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. Indeed, Louise Mallard and Kate Chopin’s lives are very similar. Louise’s life began once she came to the realization that she could live for herself. During this “hour” she felt true joy and freedom, but her life ended abruptly as her husband walked through the door. Like Mrs. Mallard, Chopin’s writing career began once her husband died. She wrote a few collections of short stories, but when she began expressing her feminist views, the critics walked through the door and her life as a writer was over. The background of the story gives us the idea of what Mrs. Mallard’s marriage meant to her. We see a picture of a young well-to-do wife who seems to be very pleased with her life. We also get the Stephens 2 impression that she was...
Words: 1245 - Pages: 5
