Professor Paul Moffett
English 1080
January 20, 2017
English 1080 Students
264
In “The story of an hour” by Kate Chopin, Mrs. Mallard’s afflicted “heart trouble” is not only literal in nature but also symbolic of her struggles as a woman and a wife during repressive times.
The author depicts Mrs. Mallard’s as having a frail heart that may have trouble receiving bad news. Her sister Josephine the bearer of bad news broke the news “in broken sentences; veiled hints that reveals in half concealing” in attempt to soften the blow. As the story progresses, Mrs. Mallard’s literal heart affliction evolves into a symbolic psychological struggle with being married. Mrs. Mallard longed to be free from marriage. Looking to the window