Story Of An Hour Feminist Essay

Throughout the text “The Story of an Hour” the protagonist expresses herself with signs that could both support and go against the feminist theory. In the introductory paragraphs we are presented with a woman; Mrs. Mallard. Whom is presented as an emotional figure, and illustrated as weaker than most. Evidence that supports this in the story, is when Mr Mallard went to her room alone to continue her grief and as she enters her room she goes to the chair and the narrator exclaims that , “Into this she sank, pressed down by a physical exhaustion that haunted her body and seemed to reach into her soul.” This excites the fact that Not only was she emotional but her intense emotions also caused her physical exhaustion. It goes even further to say that the weakness even …show more content…
The feminist theory comes in practice within the second portion of the story; while Mr Mallard is grieving her husband’s death she begins to realize her life has been comprised within her husband hands, and now she it was time for her to put it within her own hands. Furthermore, she realizes that her marriage has been hindering her freedom, and had caused her to live her life through limitations. Hence she begins to seek out how she could live life according to her wish. “There would be no powerful will bending hers in that blind persistence with which men and women believe they have a right to impose a private will upon a fellow-creature.” This quote shows the feminist theory, in that it illustrates how woman were oppressed and identifies the patriarchal ideology. She was bending her will and freedom to a man that held all of the control in the relationship. Marriage, in this story, appears to be the male having complete control over the woman. Evidence from the story furthermore suggest that Mrs, Mallard felt like she was unable to give out her opinion, which could be true, based on the fact that during this period of time questioning your