The short story “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin, the character treat the female protagonist as if she were a fragile feather. Understanding Mrs. Mallard has a heart condition, her sister Josephine breaks the news of her husband’s death to her delicately. Josephine and the doctors believed hearing about the death would bring upon traumatic depression and stop Mrs. Mallard’s heart from working. This society full of masculinity believes women, such as Louise Mallard, are incapable of being dependent and thinking for themselves.
Richard, a family friend, believes it would be logical for Josephine to deliver the news of her husband’s death. “A feminist critic might cringe when reading this sentence because it implies that Josephine is chosen …show more content…
Mallard is really feeling. When she goes up the stairs to lock herself in her room, she begins to understand she is not truly sad. The female role in this era is to grieve, Mrs. Mallard begins to feel guilty when she realizes she is no longer grieving. “creeping out of the sky, reaching towards her” (Chopin 22) . Mrs. Mallard fails to see this is her inner soul striving to possess her. It takes the death of her husband to finally reach this new self-recognition: “Free, free, free!” (Chopin 23). Being a loyal housewife to her husband resulted in her being one of the many blind oppressed women in the late 1800s. These women were unable to dress how they wanted, have a job, or vote in elections. As a woman in this oppressed era, she as a wife held up to her sole purpose in life, which was to serve her husband. A woman serving her husband includes a small insignificant life of cooking, cleaning, and watching the children. Some women never have the privilege of seeing the light of day and the beautiful outside world. Therefore, serving her husband did not allow her to reach her full potential, “And yet she had loved him-sometimes” (Chopin 23). Chopin continues the story by stating Mrs. Mallard accepts that she will still mourn at her husband’s funeral. Yet, to refute this, she claims that the remaining years her life may contain frightens her, but now she will “spread her arms out to them in welcome” (Chopin 23). Mrs. Mallard decides she will not live for anyone but herself for the rest of her years. She may even begin a new era of living for women, fighting back against the containment of an unappreciated
Richard, a family friend, believes it would be logical for Josephine to deliver the news of her husband’s death. “A feminist critic might cringe when reading this sentence because it implies that Josephine is chosen …show more content…
Mallard is really feeling. When she goes up the stairs to lock herself in her room, she begins to understand she is not truly sad. The female role in this era is to grieve, Mrs. Mallard begins to feel guilty when she realizes she is no longer grieving. “creeping out of the sky, reaching towards her” (Chopin 22) . Mrs. Mallard fails to see this is her inner soul striving to possess her. It takes the death of her husband to finally reach this new self-recognition: “Free, free, free!” (Chopin 23). Being a loyal housewife to her husband resulted in her being one of the many blind oppressed women in the late 1800s. These women were unable to dress how they wanted, have a job, or vote in elections. As a woman in this oppressed era, she as a wife held up to her sole purpose in life, which was to serve her husband. A woman serving her husband includes a small insignificant life of cooking, cleaning, and watching the children. Some women never have the privilege of seeing the light of day and the beautiful outside world. Therefore, serving her husband did not allow her to reach her full potential, “And yet she had loved him-sometimes” (Chopin 23). Chopin continues the story by stating Mrs. Mallard accepts that she will still mourn at her husband’s funeral. Yet, to refute this, she claims that the remaining years her life may contain frightens her, but now she will “spread her arms out to them in welcome” (Chopin 23). Mrs. Mallard decides she will not live for anyone but herself for the rest of her years. She may even begin a new era of living for women, fighting back against the containment of an unappreciated