What did it matter!” shows that although Mrs. Mallard was married, she had not always loved her husband (8). Mrs. Mallard valued her new freedom over her relationship she had with her husband enough to exclaim “What did it matter!” while she was thinking about her deceased husband and her future life (8). This makes the reader assume that Mrs. Mallard felt as if she was bound to something while her husband was still alive. The bondage is broken since her husband’s “death”, and she can now rejoice over her prolonged freedom. This next quote, “There would be no one to live for during those coming years; she would live for herself.
The story of an Hour Critical Analysis through a Psychological Perspective using both Freud and Lacan’s theory approach. In the beginning of the story, the Chopin informs the audience of Mrs. Mallard serious heart condition. Her friends and family were worried how to break the news to her of her husband’s death. After giving it much thought Mrs. Mallard was given the news as gently as possible of her husband’s death. We think that the form of the “Imaginary” mentioned in Lacan’s psychoanalytic theory of Mrs. Mallards family and friends “imagining” that the devastated new of Mr. Mallard’s death would cause her a heart attack, however later on in the story it was mentioned that she was in fact relieved to know she was a free woman of her marriage.
In “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin, after hearing the news of her husband’s death, Mrs. Mallard’s emotions did not portray sadness or despair instead she was relieved and rejoiced. Even though Mrs. Mallard admits that her husband was kind and loving, she feels joy after hearing the news of her husband’s death that she will no longer be known as Mrs. Mallard. Although it was acknowledged in the story that Louise Mallard loved Bentley Mallard, we can tell by the statement “had never looked save with love upon her,” (Chopin, 1894), the favor was not returned. The main theme we see in this story is the oppression of marriage. Death of her husband shows that Mrs. Mallard finally has freedom.
1. The initial impression that was developed through reading this work was that Mrs. Mallard was indeed sorrowful at the news of her husband 's death, but that sorrow was quickly diminished with a calming sense of freedom. As the story continues, I believed that Mrs. Mallard would, in fact, get to live a life of freedom from her husband. The irony of this story is that in the end, her life is quickly cut short by the reveal that Mr. Mallard is still alive, sending Mrs. Mallard to death due to, as the text states, "heart disease." 2.
Further, situational irony is present through the reaction that Louise Mallard has after learning about her husband’s death. Upon first learning of her husband’s death she is very devastated and distraught. As soon as she is alone in the bathroom however, it is clear to the readers she is not as upset. In fact she is slightly relieved in that “she saw beyond that bitter moment a long procession of years to come that would belong to her absolutely. And she opened and spread her arms out to them in welcome” (235).
Self-Identity and Freedom The story of an hour by Kate Chopin introduces us to Mrs. Mallard as she reacts to her husband’s death. In this short story, Chopin portrays the complexity of Mrs. Mallard’s emotions as she is saddened yet joyful of her loss. Kate Chopin’s story argues that an individual discovers their self-identity only after being freed from confinement. The story also argues that freedom is a very powerful force that affects the mental or emotional state of a person. Chopin argues that only through death can one be finally freed.
When someone close to you dies it usually takes a couple weeks to get back on your feet and just forget about the one you love. But, in this case this was not happing to Mrs. Mallard While she was sitting in the chair she had “something coming to her and she was waiting for it, fearfully” (Chopin 15). Now her chest was beating violent outburst and she could not keep the feeling in her no more. When she finally abandoned the feeling she said in a whisper “free, free, free” (Chopin 15). She had so much joy that her husband is dead because she did not have to work so much around the house.
Kate Chopin is the author of the most popular short story "The Story of an Hour". Chopin paints a bleak picture of marriage in this story. It is a short story focusing on a young married woman of the late nineteenth century as she reacts to the news that her husband has died in a train accident. The story was written in a time period when women did not really have right to express their feeling and desire. Women were supposed to stay home and take care of the family whereas the husbands went out to work.
In the short story, Mrs. Mallard suddenly finds herself a widow and grief quickly erupts within her. Later in the story a mysterious sensation fills and enlightens her, she soon realizes that the feeling that overtook her was freedom. That all stops when she comes to see Mr. Mallard is alive and well, and Mrs. Mallard dies. Mrs. Mallard’s emotions of impotence, jubilation, and dread convey the message that women of 19th-century marriages were mistreated. Louise Mallard would devote her time to Brentley Mallard’s needs.
The Story of an Hour" is a short story in which Kate Chopin provides an often unheard-of viewpoint of marriage. Mrs. Mallard, who is the main character, experiences the satisfaction of independence instead of the desolation of loneliness after she learns about her husband 's death. Later, when Mrs. Mallard learns that Brently, who is her husband, is still living, she realized that all hope of independence is gone. The breath-taking disappointment kills Mrs. Mallard by giving her a heart attack. Published in the late eighteen hundreds, the oppressive nature of marriage in "The Story of an Hour" may also be a reflection of, even though not specific to, that time period.