Essay On The Story Of An Hour

“The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin is one of the best short stories I have ever read. I took it in on so many levels and can interpret it in many ways. The story was written in 1894, so it was written in the late 19th century, which was an era where equality struggled and women did not have rights. The author writes the story along some of the issues that women encountered during this time. Women were looked on as minorities and weren’t treated with proper respect. They were expected to clean the house and do things their husbands told them do like some sort of maid. You can read in the passage that Kate Chopin briefly throws some of this in her story. The story starts out as letting the reader know that Mrs. Mallard, the main character, …show more content…
Mallard finds herself sunk into her chair and staring out her bedroom window. She notices every detail of things going on outside. Trying to distract herself from the cruel truth of what had happened. “She sat with her head thrown back upon the cushion of the chair, quite motionless, except when a sob came up into her throat and shook her, as a child who has cried itself to sleep continues to sob in its dreams.” (477) While staring at all the certain things going on outside, she becomes overwhelmed with intelligent thought. There was something coming to her but she did not know exactly what it was. It was so great though that she arose from her chair. She then started to clasp and realize what was coming to her. She was free. “She said it over and over under her breath: “free, free, free!”” (477) Mrs. Mallard then realized that she was free from what had been holding onto her. Which was her husband, Mr. Mallard. She was free of the dull years that were ahead of her and her bland marriage as she describes it. She wasn’t happy with her marriage. She didn’t always love Mr. Mallard and didn’t enjoy the relationship they had. Since he has passed, she was free from that bondage and could now live a life for herself. As the era would have it, Mrs. Mallard probably wasn’t treated with respect as she deserves from Mr. Mallard. She could have felt more as a slave than a wife. She did not second guess herself on this sudden …show more content…
Mallard had, Josephine came to her door and asked her to come out for she had been alone in her room for some time now. Eventually Mrs. Mallard agreed and came out to her sister and they embraced each other. Mrs. Mallard seemed ready to move on. This is where the story takes a big turn. Mrs. Mallard is happy and looking on the bright side of things for the next part of her life. She and her sister make their way downstairs to meet the grieving friend of Mr. Mallard who had been waiting downstairs for them to return. While coming down the stairs, someone is opening the front door. To the astonishment of Mr. Mallards friend and Josephine, who were the only ones in view of the front door while Mrs. Mallard lagged, saw something so miraculous. It was Mr. Mallard! As I mentioned, earlier in the story the only word they had on Mr. Mallards death was that of a telegram. No real news of who had died in the accident had been proved yet. No one could believe what they saw. Knowing that Mrs. Mallard had a heart condition, they quickly struggled to get Mr. Mallard out of view of Mrs. Mallard and let him know that they had told Mrs. Mallard that he was dead. It was already too late though. Mrs. Mallard saw him and with her condition, she immediately died. Her heart could not handle the emotion rise of the change in such dramatic events. At first it was difficult to understand what exactly had happened. Mrs. Mallard had a heart condition