“The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin uses the traumatic event of Mr. Mallard’s death to put Mrs. Mallard into a situation where her true feelings are revealed. When Mrs. Mallard is presented with the news of her husband 's death the reader is provided with a sense of how their marriage truly was, by the actions of Mrs. Mallard shortly afterward.
Throughout the story, the nature of the Mallard’s unconventional marriage becomes much more apparent. Mrs. Mallard is described as already having heart ache even before she was told of the death of her husband; this showing that her current state of life is not something that she enjoys. Once the initial shock of the hearing that her husband died had passed she was soon able to realize the new beginning …show more content…
Mallard feels about her marriage through the quick change in emotions that Mrs. Mallard endures. After being told that her husband had died she took a walk to a chair that was placed in front of a window that she was able to stare out of while she thought about her situation. While staring out the window she could see how it was a beautiful spring day, and she noticed all the “new spring life” (Chopin 5). The rest of the world was enjoying new life while she was there mourning over her husband 's death. She began to think that maybe this wasn’t the worst thing ever and that it might provide her with a new path in life. She was concentrating on the “patches of blue sky” that was among the clouds (Chopin 7). The patches of blue sky represented the positives, that would come out of this terrible event. She was focused on these positives because she knew that this was the only way that she was going to get better. Mrs. Mallard begins fighting the idea of a new life “striving to beat it back with her will” (Chopin 9). She had been controlled and held back by her husband for so long that even when she got the chance to start something new she was very hesitant feeling that it wasn’t the right thing to do. Thinking back on her marriage and her husband she thought that “she had love him-sometimes” (Chopin 4). This reveals that their marriage had never been the greatest and that she didn’t always feel the closest to Mr. Mallard. Since she never had a …show more content…
Mallard had determined that there was not only a benefit to her husband 's death but that her life would become much more enjoyable there was no doubt that she had moved on. No longer would she ever have to appease someone wants, “she would live for herself” (Chopin 13). She would become the independent women that she had always wanted to be but was never able to. This was a very pleasing thought to her as she thought of the “long procession of years to come that would belong to her absolutely” (Chopin 12). In a short time Mrs. Mallard had become a completely new woman with a new outlook on life. Nothing could ruin this moment for her, at least she thought. When she walked out of the room and began talking to her sister and her husband’s friend who had broken the news to her, Mr. Mallard walked in the front door. Seeing her husband was something that she truly could not have prepared for. When the doctors arrived they said she had died of heart disease, “of joy that kills” (Chopin 21). Everything that Mrs. Mallard had escaped and was now looking forward to doing with her new life was suddenly ripped away from her just by that door opening and getting a glimpse of her husband.
By analyzing the response and change in attitude of Mrs. Mallard from the beginning of the story to the end it can be seen that the Mallard’s marriage was one that had been taking a toll on Mrs. Mallard for an extended period of time. She was never granted any freedom and was always being held
Throughout the story, the nature of the Mallard’s unconventional marriage becomes much more apparent. Mrs. Mallard is described as already having heart ache even before she was told of the death of her husband; this showing that her current state of life is not something that she enjoys. Once the initial shock of the hearing that her husband died had passed she was soon able to realize the new beginning …show more content…
Mallard feels about her marriage through the quick change in emotions that Mrs. Mallard endures. After being told that her husband had died she took a walk to a chair that was placed in front of a window that she was able to stare out of while she thought about her situation. While staring out the window she could see how it was a beautiful spring day, and she noticed all the “new spring life” (Chopin 5). The rest of the world was enjoying new life while she was there mourning over her husband 's death. She began to think that maybe this wasn’t the worst thing ever and that it might provide her with a new path in life. She was concentrating on the “patches of blue sky” that was among the clouds (Chopin 7). The patches of blue sky represented the positives, that would come out of this terrible event. She was focused on these positives because she knew that this was the only way that she was going to get better. Mrs. Mallard begins fighting the idea of a new life “striving to beat it back with her will” (Chopin 9). She had been controlled and held back by her husband for so long that even when she got the chance to start something new she was very hesitant feeling that it wasn’t the right thing to do. Thinking back on her marriage and her husband she thought that “she had love him-sometimes” (Chopin 4). This reveals that their marriage had never been the greatest and that she didn’t always feel the closest to Mr. Mallard. Since she never had a …show more content…
Mallard had determined that there was not only a benefit to her husband 's death but that her life would become much more enjoyable there was no doubt that she had moved on. No longer would she ever have to appease someone wants, “she would live for herself” (Chopin 13). She would become the independent women that she had always wanted to be but was never able to. This was a very pleasing thought to her as she thought of the “long procession of years to come that would belong to her absolutely” (Chopin 12). In a short time Mrs. Mallard had become a completely new woman with a new outlook on life. Nothing could ruin this moment for her, at least she thought. When she walked out of the room and began talking to her sister and her husband’s friend who had broken the news to her, Mr. Mallard walked in the front door. Seeing her husband was something that she truly could not have prepared for. When the doctors arrived they said she had died of heart disease, “of joy that kills” (Chopin 21). Everything that Mrs. Mallard had escaped and was now looking forward to doing with her new life was suddenly ripped away from her just by that door opening and getting a glimpse of her husband.
By analyzing the response and change in attitude of Mrs. Mallard from the beginning of the story to the end it can be seen that the Mallard’s marriage was one that had been taking a toll on Mrs. Mallard for an extended period of time. She was never granted any freedom and was always being held