The Struggle For Independence In The Story Of An Hour By Kate Chopin

In the “Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin, the character of Mrs. Mallard is a victim of a male dominated patriarchal society. In the19th century during the patriarchal period, men suppressed women 's rights and identity by imposing private will upon them (Jamil, 216). Women in the 19th century were expected to lead their lives by society 's and their husband’s expectations. At the beginning of the story, Mrs. Mallard is overcome with grief due to the loss of her husband. It was natural that she would be upset with the death of her husband, but the story made her seem weak, and had both her sister and her husband’s friend be there to break the news to her. Mrs. Mallard also has heart problems in the story, which can make the reader see her as a weak person from the very beginning. In “The Story of an Hour”, Kate Chopin reveals that women in her stories are longing for independence, and wavering between the duties of being married and the freedom associated with self reliance. …show more content…
Mallard appears as a weak person when she retreats to her room alone to grieve about her husband’s death. It follows her as she flees to her bedroom and stares out the window into the nature. She is silent between heart-wrenching sobs until she starts to whisper “free, free, free” (Chopin, 60). This marks her realization that she has no one to live for and no one to please. She is free to follow her own dreams that were overlooked during her youth as she assumed the role of wife and housekeeper. She begins to rejoice in the new kind of life she will lead, without having to tend to her husband’s desires when suddenly her husband walks in the front door unharmed and confused. Mrs. Mallard’s conflicting heart illness was ultimately her demise but it was truly due to “a joy that kills” (Chopin,