Tone In Kate Chopin's The Story Of An Hour

In “The Story of an Hour,'' Kate Chopin utilizes an ironic yet melancholy tone and formal writing style to emphasize her views on the woman’s role during the 1800’s. In this short story, Mrs. Louise Mallard, the main character, embodies a woman trapped inside of a marriage and dies when she realizes she will never be free. Mrs. Mallard’s character is that of a fragile, heart troubled wife, who lives her life unhappily for her husband, Brently Mallard, and not for herself. She finally gets a glimpse of freedom and happiness rather than loneliness when she finds out that her husband was killed in a railroad disaster. The feeling, however doesn’t last for long. The doors of freedom abruptly close with the arrival of her husband who is very much alive and the disappointment of his arrival kills her. Tone is the prevailing attitude as it is perceived by the reader and Kate Chopin uses several ways to bring sadness and shock to the readers of this story. The attitude of sadness comes with the news of her husband’s death. It was Mrs. Mallard’s sister, “Josephine who told her in broken sentences; veiled hints that revealed in half concealing” that her husband died. (307) Josephine was afraid that the news would be too
Alone in her room Mrs. Mallard takes in the news she has just received, she sinks into the “comfortable, roomy armchair” that faces the open window and stares out into the open square. There was something coming to her and she was waiting for it, fearfully. (307) after hearing of her husband’s death, Mrs. Mallard ironically awaken full of life as she embraces the world around her. She imagines her life full of freedom from an unwanted marriage, she has grown out of. “Free, free, free!” “Free! Body and soul free” she kept whispering. She sees her life as being absolutely hers and her new independence as the core of her