“The Story of an Hour” and “The Storm” by Kate Chopin, are two different stories with opposite plots, but lots of similarities in their characters. While “The Story of an Hour” is tense, fast and full of ironies, “The Storm” is more detailed, calm, and even romantic in a certain way. In such different scenarios, Chopin could describe two women with a lot in common; they both want some kind of freedom outside their marriages and are not able to express their feelings. Another similarity between the characters is their internal conflict; Mrs. Mallard is caught between grieve and happiness; at first, she grieves her husband’s death, crying at once; however, when alone, a feeling of joy takes control. Calixta on the other hand, has the desire for another man, even though she seems to love her husband.
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In “The Story of an Hour” Mrs. Mallard finds freedom and is dominated by a feeling of happiness when she thought her husband was dead. Clearly, she was in a repressed marriage, especially when Chopin describes her as “young, with a fair, calm face, whose lines bespoke repression” (65). However, everything happens so fast, the readers barely have time to grasp her husband’s death when a big turn of events changes everything; Mr. Mallards is the one who dies after finding out her husband was, in fact, alive. In “The Storm,” Chopin also writes about a woman who wants freedom of her marriage, even if it was only for a couple of hours; nevertheless, the story has calmness to it, and it happens gently. Although Calixta seems happily married, when alone with her ex-lover, she feels peaceful and safe in the middle of a big storm. Once the storm is over, she returns to her life without any feeling of guilt; after having her moment of freedom, she is ready to come back to her family that she seems to love very much. Chopin portrays an unfaithful woman as a likeable
In “The Story of an Hour” Mrs. Mallard finds freedom and is dominated by a feeling of happiness when she thought her husband was dead. Clearly, she was in a repressed marriage, especially when Chopin describes her as “young, with a fair, calm face, whose lines bespoke repression” (65). However, everything happens so fast, the readers barely have time to grasp her husband’s death when a big turn of events changes everything; Mr. Mallards is the one who dies after finding out her husband was, in fact, alive. In “The Storm,” Chopin also writes about a woman who wants freedom of her marriage, even if it was only for a couple of hours; nevertheless, the story has calmness to it, and it happens gently. Although Calixta seems happily married, when alone with her ex-lover, she feels peaceful and safe in the middle of a big storm. Once the storm is over, she returns to her life without any feeling of guilt; after having her moment of freedom, she is ready to come back to her family that she seems to love very much. Chopin portrays an unfaithful woman as a likeable