Theme Of Illusion In The Story Of The Hour

In Kate Chopin’s story “The story of the Hour” the author speaks about the illusion of freedom. The story reveals the challenges that Mrs. Mallard had to face with the undertaking of creating a new life, recuperating from being ill, and the emotional turmoil of her husband’s death. The initial grief of loss was replaced by elation that the marriage was over and the character was free. Despite the situation that leaves her uncertain of the newly found independence there was a sense of hope. This hope and the illusion was shattered by the husbands return and the death of the character. The story’s character, Mrs. Mallard had slowly come to realization that she can start a new life after the death of her husband. In the beginning of the story Mrs. Mallard is told by her sister that her husband had been killed in a “railroad disaster”. She was devastated and fell into a state of depression, until she finally accepts that his death is an opportunity for her to finally have a life of her own. “Stood there,

Mallard shows from the story that the death of her husband had taken a toll on her emotional state of mind. “With a paralyzed inability to accept its significance”, Mrs. Mallard wept, heartbroken as she threw herself into her sister arms. After Josephine informs Mrs. Mallards about the death of her husband she locks herself in her room. “Quite motionless, except when a sob came up into her throat and shook her, as a child who cried itself to sleep continues to sob in its dreams”. Mrs. Mallard sits with “her head thrown back upon the cushion of the chair”, she still upset over the fact that she had lost her husband. “Abandoned herself a little word escaped”, “free, free, free”, Mrs. Mallard was trying to quit making herself sad. “The look of terror had followed”, she did not want to accept the fact that she was happy for not feeling guilty. “Free! Body and soul free”, Mrs. Mallard was happy about the death of her husband and accepts that he was