Abuse within a marriage does not always happen in the lower social class. Marriages can become abusive in any social class. Zora Neale Hurston and Kate Chopin show this in their short stories. A close examination of the way Delia, the protagonist of “Sweat”, and Louise Mallard, the protagonist of “The Story of an Hour”, react to their encounters with unhappy marriages demonstrates that the authors use both short stories to tell similar stories about the different ways unhappy marriages can effect a person. First, Delia endures her unhappy marriage with her husband, Sykes, by focusing on her work and her faith. She chooses to turn a blind eye to all of his flaws and wrong doings. While Sykes is gallivanting around with his mistress, Delia
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Mallard. Unlike Delia, Louise depends on her husband for everything. After being married Louise has no self expression: “Mrs. Mallard” (Chopin 516). This quote shows that outside of her husband Louise has no identity by herself. She is solely known by her husbands name and her place as his wife. Louise‘s behavior is almost childlike: “She sat with her head thrown back upon the cushion of the chair, quite motionless, except when a sob came up and shook her, as a child who has cried itself to sleep.” (Chopin 516). This is an example of how she is like a child. Children are dependent on their parents or guardians like she depends on her husband for most things. Because Louise has never had to work and worry, her appearances have remained childlike: “She was young, with a fair, calm face, whose lines bespoke repression and even a certain strength.” (Chopin 516). This refers to Louise as childlike and immature. Her juvenility still remains no matter what the circumstances are. Even though Louise was childlike she had much more heinous intentions. Louise’s heart troubles not only affected her health but also her attitude towards others: “afflicted with a heart trouble” (Chopin 516). Louise’s heart troubles are much deeper than just physical matters. Mrs. Mallard is …show more content…
She does not have a kind heart: “She did not stop to ask if it were not a monstrous joy that held her.” (Chopin 517). Louise has just found out that her husband has died and now she is happy that she is free and can be her own person. This quote shows how she does not have a kind and caring heart, she is more worried about herself than the fact that her husband has just died. When Louise finds out that her husband is not dead, she dies: “When the doctors come they said she had died of a heart disease- of joy that kills.” (Chopin 517). In the end when Louise dies, everyone assumes it is because she has found out that her husband is actually alive. In reality, it is because she is so distraught that she is no longer free and is not able to be her own person. Although Louise did not have an abusive marriage like Delia she is still very unhappy in her marriage. Even though Louise was glad to be out of her marriage, she still realized what a kind man he was: “She knew that she would weep again when she saw the kind, tender hands folded in death; the face that never looked save with love upon her, fixed and gray and dead.” (Chopin 517). This quote portrays how Mr. Mallard never laid a cross hand on Louise. Mr. Mallard was always kind to her and gave her everything she wanted or needed. Louise had the wrong outlook on marriage: “A kind intention or a cruel intention made the act seem no less a crime as she looked upon it in that brief moment of illumination.”
Mallard. Unlike Delia, Louise depends on her husband for everything. After being married Louise has no self expression: “Mrs. Mallard” (Chopin 516). This quote shows that outside of her husband Louise has no identity by herself. She is solely known by her husbands name and her place as his wife. Louise‘s behavior is almost childlike: “She sat with her head thrown back upon the cushion of the chair, quite motionless, except when a sob came up and shook her, as a child who has cried itself to sleep.” (Chopin 516). This is an example of how she is like a child. Children are dependent on their parents or guardians like she depends on her husband for most things. Because Louise has never had to work and worry, her appearances have remained childlike: “She was young, with a fair, calm face, whose lines bespoke repression and even a certain strength.” (Chopin 516). This refers to Louise as childlike and immature. Her juvenility still remains no matter what the circumstances are. Even though Louise was childlike she had much more heinous intentions. Louise’s heart troubles not only affected her health but also her attitude towards others: “afflicted with a heart trouble” (Chopin 516). Louise’s heart troubles are much deeper than just physical matters. Mrs. Mallard is …show more content…
She does not have a kind heart: “She did not stop to ask if it were not a monstrous joy that held her.” (Chopin 517). Louise has just found out that her husband has died and now she is happy that she is free and can be her own person. This quote shows how she does not have a kind and caring heart, she is more worried about herself than the fact that her husband has just died. When Louise finds out that her husband is not dead, she dies: “When the doctors come they said she had died of a heart disease- of joy that kills.” (Chopin 517). In the end when Louise dies, everyone assumes it is because she has found out that her husband is actually alive. In reality, it is because she is so distraught that she is no longer free and is not able to be her own person. Although Louise did not have an abusive marriage like Delia she is still very unhappy in her marriage. Even though Louise was glad to be out of her marriage, she still realized what a kind man he was: “She knew that she would weep again when she saw the kind, tender hands folded in death; the face that never looked save with love upon her, fixed and gray and dead.” (Chopin 517). This quote portrays how Mr. Mallard never laid a cross hand on Louise. Mr. Mallard was always kind to her and gave her everything she wanted or needed. Louise had the wrong outlook on marriage: “A kind intention or a cruel intention made the act seem no less a crime as she looked upon it in that brief moment of illumination.”