Mrs. Mallard's Freedom

Mrs. Mallard is overjoyed by her newfound freedom. Chopin uses a lot of imagery to describe the excitement running through her mind and body, “ but she felt it, creeping out the sky, reaching toward her through the sounds, the scents, the color that filled the air” “she was drinking in a very elixir of life through that open window” and vibrant and powerful words to describe the liveliness of Louise’s emotions. Mrs Mallard succumbs in the idea of freedom as she think in the live ahead of her with optimism, phrases such as There would be no one to live for in those coming years; she would live for herself” “Sprint days, and summer days and all sorts of day that would be her own.” just reaffirm her vision of self-determination and control of
her own life.

While there are certain references to the idea of marriage as a constraining bond, there are also several instances pointing to the love they felt mutually. It is clear that her husband loves her when Chopin describes “the face that had never looked save with love upon her.” And in some way, she feels the same way when her feeling of love in return is described as “ she would weep again when she saw the kind, tender hands folded in death.” As ambiguous as it looks, the feelings from Mrs. Mallard toward her husband are a mixture of freedom acceptance, relief, excitement, and love.