The Story of an Hour: My Evaluation

The Story of an Hour: My Evaluation
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The Story of an Hour: My Evaluation
Introduction
“The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin, set in the 19th century, explores the emotional roller coaster a young married woman with a heart condition endures in a one hour time period after learning that her husband had allegedly died in a train wreck. Louise Mallard, initially saddened by the news of her husband’s death, suddenly feels an overwhelming sense of relief and happiness. Her happiness is quickly crushed when her husband arrives home alive, sending her into such a shock that her heart fails and she dies.
Nothing is as precious as one 's freedom, dreams, or aspirations. Some will live life to be happy, while others will life for what is socially or morally correct. No matter how someone decides to live their life, only they are in charge of the outcome.
Characters
Louise Mallard’s initial reaction upon hearing the news of her husband’s death left her grief stricken and inconsolable. Her reaction to the news was one that any normal person would have except it is characterized by the happiness that overwhelms her as the story grows. Although she is upset about losing her husband, she feels as if a huge weight has been lifted off of her shoulders. As she experiences this astonishing emotional breakthrough, she starts to imagine a new life without her husband, filled with independence and freedom. Finally, she was lifted from the oppressive life she had once lived that was full of limitations and expectations that were forced on women by society.
During this era, the main role of a woman was that of a caretaker, mother and wife. Perceived as weak and emotional and uneducated, women still had not received the right to vote in national elections, and employers generally discriminated against women by hiring them for tedious jobs and paying them less than men for the same work. Women were dominated by men and forced to live a life dictated by them.
Theme
In, “The Story of an Hour”, independence, self- identity, and freedom is not something Louise Mallard was familiar with. After receiving the news of her husband’s death, she wanted to be alone. While isolated in her room, she begins to experience a rush of emotions that she has never felt before, a feeling that enlivens and excites her. Even though these are her private thoughts, she tries to stop these feelings. When she finally acknowledged her feelings, she was overcome with joy and repeated the word “free” as if she were still in disbelief. Louise admitted that her husband was kind and loving, and no malice was suggested in her reaction to his death. Marriage in general, to some women, can be viewed as a form of oppression and loss of self, thus robbing one of their freedom and independence.
Irony
Using a single hour to reveal a series of twists and irony that lead to an unexpected ending; this short story reveals the allusion, the unexpected joy, and the reality of what has really happened to Mr. Mallard. After Louise Mallard received news of her husband’s death by her sister, she was unexpectedly excited for the future, and started to plan for the beginning of her new life. These circumstances might lead the reader to believe that her husband 's death would cause her great pain, ironically, when she hears the news, she feels a great sense of relief. That relief soon ended as she was faced with the harsh reality that she was misinformed and her husband was in fact, still alive. Stunned at the presence of her husband standing in her doorway, she falls to the ground and dies. “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” (Chopin, 1894). Louise’s death was ironic knowing that her enjoyment of her husband’s death leads to the fatal reaction to him being alive. “When the doctors came they said she had died of heart disease--of the joy that kills” (Chopin, 1894). The irony is seeing him alive, this killing her happiness, and the shock of his presence ultimately killing her.
Conclusion
This story represents a woman’s loss of self-worth in a repressed marriage, the discovery of finding independence, and the irony of that freedom after learning of her husband’s death. Louise Mallard was never happy with her marriage, and death comes as good news to her. The death of her husband marks the end of her unhappiness and the awakening of her soul. Life can change and perceptions can be altered in an instant. Louise proved this, as she truly only got to experience life the way she envisioned, for an hour.

References
Axelrod R.B. & Cooper, C.R.(2012).The St. Martin’s Guide to Writing (9th Ed.). Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin’s.
Article Myriad http://www.articlemyriad.com/literary-analysis-story-hour-chopin/

References
Chopin, K. (1894). The St. Martin’s Guide to Writing (9th ed.). Boston, MA: Bedford/St.Martin’s.

Article Myriad http://www.articlemyriad.com/literary-analysis-story-hour-chopin/

References: Chopin, K. (1894). The St. Martin’s Guide to Writing (9th ed.). Boston, MA: Bedford/St.Martin’s. Article Myriad http://www.articlemyriad.com/literary-analysis-story-hour-chopin/