Introduction
“The Story of an Hour” is a famous and exciting short story by Kate Chopin. This literary piece describes the thoughts and feelings of Louise Mallard, who is told that her husband, Brently Mallard, tragically died in a railroad accident.
Main body
The author fails to present much information about Mallard’s previous life, but it is possible to make guesses about their relationship. Mrs. Mallard is initially covered by a “storm of grief” and wants to be alone, but she starts experiencing joy later (Chopin 1). This description allows for supposing that their marriage was not happy. The news of her husband’s death provided the protagonist with feelings of relief and freedom because she kept calling her “body and soul free” (Chopin 2). I believe that the apparent contradiction of Mrs. Mallard’s reaction to the tragic news was associated with the fact that she was trapped in the marriage. The leading gap in the story relates to the absence of any details regarding what problems were in the family.
Conclusion
That is why readers could only guess why Mrs. Mallard was unhappy in the marriage. It is evident in the short story that her husband’s death was the good news because “her fancy was running riot along those days ahead of her” (Chopin 2). One should mention that Lousie was happy not because Mr. Mallard died but because she became free and independent. Since the short story was written in the late 19th century when women did not have so many rights as today, an indeterminacy refers to how oppressed Mrs. Mallard felt in society and at home. That is why readers can find an explanation for the protagonists’ thoughts and behavior.
Work Cited
Chopin, Kate. “The Story of an Hour.” 1894. Web.