Amanda M. Baxter
Professor Buchanan
English 1020
October 25, 2014
How Chopin uses the Character Louise Mallard to Portray the Perplexity of her own Life In “The Story of an Hour” Kate Chopin demonstrates the devastating effects of the oppression of women through the heart stopping story of the Louise Mallard. Louise Mallard has a seemingly pleasant life with her husband, Brently. The setting of the home along with Brently Mallards’ “gripsack” suggest they are not in poverty (Chopin 308). The Mallard home has a staircase to an upper level where the master bedroom is located. In the bedroom, there is a fine armchair facing a large open window. Through the window there is a lovely neighborhood adorned with beautiful landscapes. Perhaps the most …show more content…
Although she recognizes her husband’s intentions to not be malicious, she does not agree with the forceful nature of the act of oppressing her will. As soon as Louise realizes her new found liberty she emerges from her room. She descends down the stairs with a new sense of pride and self-possession. It is then, the story takes an ironic twist when Brently Mallard enters the home and Louise falls dead. However, the most ironic bit in the story is the importance men feel they possess. They doctor assumes Louise died because she was so glad her husband was alive. Louise truly died due to the sudden knowledge she was to once again to live for a man and not for herself.
Why was Louise’s freedom so important to her? For the majority of the story Louise Mallard is only referred to as Mrs. Mallard. Chopin is illustrating the ownership Louise felt during her husband’s life. It is not until later in the story after the realization of her freedom that her first name is reveled to the reader. During this time in history, women had very few rights or liberties as a consequence of society’s expectations of women. It is common for men to be more dominant and consequently, women to be submissive. Women were often regarded as possessions during this period of history. In the event of husband’s death, his wife could obtain his property, his business, and his wealth. Louise and other women in this time would rarely, if ever, know freedom. …show more content…
Louise represents the part of Chopin that is joyful of the consequences of her husband’s death. Also, she represents the guilt she felt and the part of her that would have to die if she were ever to be with her husband again. Chopin writes it clearly in her diary:
“If it were possible for my husband and my mother to come back to earth, I feel that I would unhesitatingly give up every thing that has come into my life since they left it and join my existence again with theirs. To do that, I would have to forget the past ten years of my growth—my real growth. (Dimock 70)”.
Chopin illustrates that death is the only thing that can make love irrelevant in the face of freedom (Knights). Chopin and Louise Mallard were both unhappy with aspects of their lives and marriage. This is not an uncommon frustration. They both had tangibly gratifying marriages (Dimock 70). Both women had never realized the things they could aspire to accomplish until their husbands’ deaths. Chopin has Louise die because she represents the growth of Chopin she could not take back to be with her husband, which is what she ultimately realized to be her true
Professor Buchanan
English 1020
October 25, 2014
How Chopin uses the Character Louise Mallard to Portray the Perplexity of her own Life In “The Story of an Hour” Kate Chopin demonstrates the devastating effects of the oppression of women through the heart stopping story of the Louise Mallard. Louise Mallard has a seemingly pleasant life with her husband, Brently. The setting of the home along with Brently Mallards’ “gripsack” suggest they are not in poverty (Chopin 308). The Mallard home has a staircase to an upper level where the master bedroom is located. In the bedroom, there is a fine armchair facing a large open window. Through the window there is a lovely neighborhood adorned with beautiful landscapes. Perhaps the most …show more content…
Although she recognizes her husband’s intentions to not be malicious, she does not agree with the forceful nature of the act of oppressing her will. As soon as Louise realizes her new found liberty she emerges from her room. She descends down the stairs with a new sense of pride and self-possession. It is then, the story takes an ironic twist when Brently Mallard enters the home and Louise falls dead. However, the most ironic bit in the story is the importance men feel they possess. They doctor assumes Louise died because she was so glad her husband was alive. Louise truly died due to the sudden knowledge she was to once again to live for a man and not for herself.
Why was Louise’s freedom so important to her? For the majority of the story Louise Mallard is only referred to as Mrs. Mallard. Chopin is illustrating the ownership Louise felt during her husband’s life. It is not until later in the story after the realization of her freedom that her first name is reveled to the reader. During this time in history, women had very few rights or liberties as a consequence of society’s expectations of women. It is common for men to be more dominant and consequently, women to be submissive. Women were often regarded as possessions during this period of history. In the event of husband’s death, his wife could obtain his property, his business, and his wealth. Louise and other women in this time would rarely, if ever, know freedom. …show more content…
Louise represents the part of Chopin that is joyful of the consequences of her husband’s death. Also, she represents the guilt she felt and the part of her that would have to die if she were ever to be with her husband again. Chopin writes it clearly in her diary:
“If it were possible for my husband and my mother to come back to earth, I feel that I would unhesitatingly give up every thing that has come into my life since they left it and join my existence again with theirs. To do that, I would have to forget the past ten years of my growth—my real growth. (Dimock 70)”.
Chopin illustrates that death is the only thing that can make love irrelevant in the face of freedom (Knights). Chopin and Louise Mallard were both unhappy with aspects of their lives and marriage. This is not an uncommon frustration. They both had tangibly gratifying marriages (Dimock 70). Both women had never realized the things they could aspire to accomplish until their husbands’ deaths. Chopin has Louise die because she represents the growth of Chopin she could not take back to be with her husband, which is what she ultimately realized to be her true