Story of an Hour

“The Story of An Hour” In the story “The Story of An Hour” by Kate Chopin the dominant theme is that women can not live their life to the fullest while married. Throughout the story this idea is reinforced by the use of symbolism, foreshadowing, and a dynamic character, Louise Mallard. When Louise is informed of her husbands death her immediate emotion is sadness. But not long after, that changes drastically. She becomes freed, and feels like her life is just now beginning. This is implied many ways during the story. One of the major literary elements that support the theme of this story is symbolism. This is used many, many times after Louise finds out that her husband is dead.
She could see in the open square before her house the tops of trees that were all aquiver with the new spring life. The delicious breath of rain was in the air, In the street below a peddler was crying his wares. The notes of a distant song which some one was singing reached her faintly, and countless sparrows were twittering in the eaves. (115, 5)
By saying these things, it is very evident that she feels like this is a new beginning for her in life. Also another very important case of symbolism is when she says, “She said it over and over under her breath: “”Free, free, free!”” (116, 3) She felt very tied down during the marriage and now it’s over. Not only is Louise not devastated, she is very happy by the recent happenings. At first, when Louise finds out about her husbands death, she is very sad. She is in fact speechless. But then when she sits and actually thinks about it, she is very happy. This makes it evident that she is indeed a dynamic character. If someone is happily married and their spouse died, they would not react like Louise does. They would be morn for a long period of time. She does not. She actually rejoices and thinks of the possibilities she has now they her husband is gone. In the beginning of the story Louise feels sorrow, but then as the story progresses, she says, “Free! Body and soul free!” (116, 6) All this helps support the fact that she doesn’t feel like she can live her own life during marriage. The first line immediately states “Knowing that Mrs. Mallard was afflicted with a heart trouble, great care was taken to break to her as gently as possible the news of her husband’s death” (115, 1), this is a huge case of foreshadowing of later events. This isn’t really referenced anymore until the end of the story. When Louise walks down the stairs and sees her husband is not dead, she herself dies. The point of her husband being abusive, or anything of the sort is never brought up. This shows how thoroughly unhappy she must have been in her marriage. Her husband will never know that she indeed died of disappointment of his well being, because when the doctors get to the home they say, “she had died of heart disease” (117, 5.) So the foreshadowing brings up the question, Can someone really die of a major disappointment? Not only does Louise Mallard not want to be married anymore, she is happy when they marriage ends due to her husbands death. This is not a typical reaction you would see from a woman in a time like this, however there are many signs that prove this is how she feels. The story begins with her heart problems, and ends with them too. The outcome of this story will never really be known by her husband, but it is known by the reader. She died of disappointment when she finds out her husband is dead. This is truly story of a sad woman.