Louise Mallard's Death In The Story Of An Hour By Kate Chopin

Kate Chopin's thousand-word short story, “The Story of an Hour,” has understandably become a favorite selection for collections of short stories as well as for anthologies of American literature. Few other stories say so much in so few words. There has been, moreover, virtual critical agreement on what the story says: its heroine dies, ironically and tragically, just as she has been freed from a constricting

The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin is an immaculate illustration of how a short story can have the ability to make a considerable impact on an entire nation. Chopin manipulates her writing effectively with her outstanding applications of certain literary techniques. Moreover, these techniques such as pathos, irony and symbolism, amplify the intensity and overall impact women oppression had on Chopin and many other women during the late nineteenth century. In addition, the story overshadows the protagonist, Mrs. Mallard, and her persevering fight to overcome the mournful news regarding the death of her husband. She was informed about her husband's death by her sister Josephine, who told her in a rather gentle fashion which ultimately caused Mrs. Mallard to go to the hospital with an unfortunate affliction of heart trouble. Initially, Mrs. Mallard rhapsodically struggled in trying to cope with this news as it left her in a paralyzed state of sorrow but she then realized that she gained a great deal of freedom due to to her husband's death. Furthermore, Chopin leaves out many details within her text, which obligates the reader to fill in the gaps within Chopin’s iceberg imagery like writing and gain a perception of women’s mistreatment during the mid 1800’s.

The differences in Josephine and Mrs. Mallard are evident in their reactions to the news of Mr. Mallard's death. Josephine cannot find a ray of hope in Mr. Mallard's death. She is overwhelmed with sadness. She is very careful how she tells Mrs. Mallard of her husband's death. Josephine uses broken sentences and veiled hints when telling Mrs. Mallard of Mr. Mallard's death. Josephine knows that Mrs. Mallard depends on her husband for everything. However, Mrs. Mallard's reaction to the news is very different. Mrs. Mallard loves her husband. She is saddened by the news, but she is able to see into the future. She is able to see a future with color and brightness. Mrs. Mallard feels set free from bondage. She no longer sees a world of restrictions but a world of opportunity and adventure. Her husband's death brings revival to her soul. Chopin says, Mrs. Mallard is "drinking in a very elixir of life through that open window." The news of Mr. Mallard's death is tragic but brings very different reactions from Josephine and Mrs. Mallard.

At the beginning of Kate Chopin’s short story, “The Story of an Hour” the young, yet physically frail protagonist, Mrs. Mallard, is tactfully informed of her husband’s recent demise. Immediately after receiving the grim news, she makes it perfectly clear how she feels about the circumstances. Mrs. Mallard “…wept at once, with sudden, wild abandonment, in her sister’s arms” and subsequently isolated herself inside of the privacy of her bedroom. Reflecting on the events alone, she displays a welling of despair; however Mrs. Mallard notices that, unlike her husband, the world outside of her bedroom window appears vivid and alive. When cogitating about her external observations, and dissolving her finite trepidation, Mrs. Mallard comes an epiphany:

Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour” represents a primitive perspective of marriage by presenting the reader with a woman that is thrilled that her husband passed away. This is conveyed through the language used to describe Louise’s emotions as she shifts between numbness and euphoria at her instant individuality. The narrator relates what she sees in simple text, but when her emotions are described, the words are bright and potent. This implies that Louise has an unaffiliated life that is numb to the outside world and her alone time is invaluable to her. The environment surrounding her is only minimally described, but the narrator describes the image in her head as an oasis. The view outside of her room is paradisiacal like her mind, but

In Kate Chopin’s 1894 short story The Story of an Hour, a woman processes the announcement of her husband’s death. The story revolves around Louise Mallard, a young, pretty woman who has just received word that her husband, Brently Mallard, died in a train accident. Upon receiving the news from her sister Josephine, Louise immediately bursts into tears, an emotional display that, once spent, prompts her to retreat to her bedroom. After a time, Louise repeats her emotional outburst—this time with excitement at the idea she will be able to live her own life. However, Louise’s joy is cut short when her husband, having been nowhere near the accident, arrives home. Her disappointment is so profound she dies.

Anyone who receives notice of a loved ones death is never expected to take it lightly. In Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour,” Mrs. Mallard is informed of her husbands “death” as gently as possible, and immediately she understands the enormous significance this loss will have on her life. Unlike many widow’s, her feelings of utter devastation do not last. Mrs. Mallard’s sobs of loss turn to cries of joy after she reflects upon her own character and discovers truths about her marriage.

Throughout the short story, Kate Chopin customs Louise Mallard’s unfilled room, open window and comfy armchair to illustrate symbolism. In the second paragraph, Louise Mallard first learns about her husband passing; it devastates her and she starts to cry in the arms of her sister. Mallard then flees to the tranquility of her room. Unaccompanied in her room, she develops thoughts of what may happen next.

In Kate Chopin’s story, “The Story of An Hour”, tells about a woman named Louise Mallard, whom had heart problems. Her husband had died in a railroad accident, when Louise was told about the death, she was heartbroken. She then realized that she was free from her husband’s control and could do whatever she pleased, It turned out that her husband wasn’t dead. The shock ended up killing her. The Story of An Hour uses different narrative techniques to show Louise’s transformation, the story uses simile, oxymoron, and diction to show how Louise became happier within the hour.

In as much as great care was taken in the manner that she was informed of her husband’s death, it is still the same heart condition that led to her death. The twisted nature of the story is best brought out by the series of events that unfold from the moment Josephine breaks the news to Louise. After a moment in her room, she walks downstairs alongside her sister, only for her husband to walk in. The sight of the person who was presumed dead devastatingly affects her ‘troubled' heart, leading to her death. Precisely, it was stated that “she had died of heart disease--of the joy that kills” (Chopin,

Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour” is a deeply immersive and intriguing story about a woman who rejoices at the freedom that her husband’s apparent death leaves her. The story is highly effective in surprising the reader, as well as succinctly impressing upon the reader its themes and symbols. Chopin’s message to the reader is exceptionally clear: Louise Mallard, along with countless other married women in the 19th century, is restrained in her marriage. Chopin conveys this message through powerful figurative and language and, most importantly, symbolism. Important symbols in “The Story of an Hour” include Mrs. Mallard’s heart, the window, and the house.

“The Story of an Hour”, told by Kate Chopin, is a story about Mrs. Mallard, a woman whose husband is assumed to be dead. Chopin conveys the feelings and thoughts Mrs. Mallard experienced after hearing news of her husband’s passing. Surprisingly, these emotions described were not anguish and grief, but something much different. The senses she felt were primarily feelings of relief, almost to a point of rejoice in the idea that her husband was no longer in her life. Throughout the story, by using a variety of literary elements, Chopin expresses this idea

Louise Mallard is the protagonist of The Story of an Hour. The entire story is about her preservation. Chopin portrays Mrs. Mallard as a woman who is in deep suffering. She is not only suffering from a marriage she is not happy with, but she is also suffering from her medical condition. As if she had not suffered enough, she also puts a threat to her own life. We see this when Josephine is knocking on her door while she refuses to open it (Chopin). What is unknown to Josephine however is that her sister is in fact not suffering but savoring the moment.

In “The Story of an Hour,” Kate Chopin describes to her readers a young woman’s response to her husband’s death, or at least his presumed death. The opinions readers will draw from this story will vary from person to person due to personal experiences. The experience and wisdom that I have gained through the trails and tribulations of my life help me to understand, relate, and even despise Mrs. Mallard’s character. On one hand, I feel pity for Mrs. Mallard. I think she felt trapped in a situation that she found to be inescapable. She felt lonely, restless, and did not know how to help herself. Yet, on the other hand, I do not feel sorry for

In “The Story of an Hour” (1894), Kate Chopin presents a woman in the last hour of her life and the emotional and psychological changes that occur upon hearing of her husbands’ death. Chopin sends the protagonist, Mrs. Mallard, on a roller coaster of emotional up’s and down’s, and self-actualizing psychological hairpin turns, which is all set in motion by the news of her husband’s death. This extreme “joy ride” comes to an abrupt and ultimately final halt for Mrs. Mallard when she sees her husband walk through the door unscathed. Chopin ends her short story ambiguously with the death of Mrs. Mallard, imploring her reader to determine the true cause of her death.