The Story of an Hour - by Kate Chopin

The Story of an Hour - by Kate Chopin

Kate Chopin wrote a short story about women's liberation in the 19. century. In "The Story of an Hour" we are introdused to Mrs Mallard who is told that her husband is dead. Mrs Mallard has got heart troubles, and therefore the sad news are brought to her carefully by her sister and her husband's friend Richard. Mrs Mallard reacts with grief and she wants to be alone, so she locks herself into her room. At first, I got the impression that Mrs Mallard was sad because of her husband's death. But as I kept on reading I understood that this wasn't the case at all.

Mrs Mallard is pretending she is mourning over her husband's death. She gives the expression that she wants to be alone with her grief, so she locks herself into her room. But because of the third person limited point of view, we know what is really going on inside Mrs Mallard's mind.

In her room Mrs Mallard sinks into a roomy armchair, and when she looks outside her window she sees "the tops of trees in the open square before her house, and they are all aquiver with the new spring life". "The delicious breath of rain was in the air and countless sparrows were twittering in the eaves". This indicates that Mrs Mallard isn't mourning at all. She senses positive vibrations and starts to taste her freedom. Freedom is an unfamiliar feeling to Mrs Mallard. But suddenly she begins to recognize the feeling and she is repeting the word "free" to herself over and over again.

"The vacant stare and look of terror that had followed it went from her eyes. They stayed keen and bright. Her pulses beat fast, and the coursing blood warmed and relaxed every inch of her body." Her bodylanguage is unconsciously showing that she is changing, and the relief of the escape from her husband is clearly emphasized here.

Mrs Mallard welcomes her freedom, and she feels free because she knows "there would be no one to live for her during these coming years; she would live for herself".

She is changing from a prisoned woman in an unhappy marriage, to a free and independent

person. She finally feels that her "body and soul is free." She starts to fantasize about all the days she has got ahead of her.

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