Conflicts In Kate Chopin's The Story Of An Hour

Mrs. Mallard’s conflicts reflects the situations of many women in the 1800 era. Women in the mid 1800’s that were married, lived under the husband's identity, didn’t have much freedom, and felt like they were trapped in a marriage. In a reading called The Story of an Hour, it described a story of a lady named Mrs. Mallard who faced many conflicts within herself due to being invisible in her marriage. Mrs. Mallard could relate to other women in her time because back in the mid-1800s a lot of women felt like they had to stay in their marriage even if they were unhappy. Also, some married women may have felt as if they were trapped in their marriage, living under their husband's identity, as well as not having much freedom. Facing some of the

same secret feelings many of the women in the 1800s felt, Mrs. Mallard was in a marriage but unhappy. Mrs. Mallard loved her husband but it seems as if she no longer cared to be in a marriage. There was no chance that the Mallards would go through with a divorce, due to social status and what society expected of marriages. Just as many women did, despite her unhappiness she remained dedicated to her marriage. Chopin (1894) explained, “She saw beyond the bitter moment a long procession of years to come that would belong to her absolutely. And she opened and spread her arms out to them in welcome” (p. 16). Likewise, in that era, it was a male dominated society. Women was not outspoken and express their feelings to their husband's like today’s society. Women were lost in their husband identity and were living under their husbands’ shadow. For example, when reading the story the first paragraph addressed the character by her last name which is Mrs. Mallard and not her first name Louise. The author didn’t reveal her first name until mid-way of the story, leading me to believe she was living under her husband's identity. It was not until after she thought her husband had died and she “became” a single woman, did Mrs. Mallard name became Louise. Then towards the end of the story the author referred to Louise as Mrs. Mallard because, her husband who we assumed to have died, was exactly still alive. The author made it clear that Mrs. Mallard had no identity of her own by referring her to only her last name while married.

Furthermore, most women did not work; they stayed home, and were housewives that took care of many household duties, like cooking, cleaning, and catering to their family. Women really didn’t have privacy and time for themselves. In the story after her husband died, Mrs. Mallard saw herself now able to do whatever and now will have time for herself now. Chopin(1894) wrote, that Mrs. Mallard felt like she had no one living her life for her anymore and was now able to live herself(p. 16). The reading also stated that Mrs. Mallard found out about the death of her husband, she felt a relief of freedom. To be specific, Mrs. Mallard said “Free! Body and soul free! She kept whispering” (Chopin, 1894, 16). Mrs. Mallard Finally felt she will now have her independence as a woman. Chopin (1894) mentioned, “Her fancy was running riot along those days ahead of her. Spring days, and summer days, and all sorts of days that would be her own” (p. 16). Societal standards of the women were that women had to maintain their roles as first wives, second caring for their family, leaving little time for themselves. For a split seconds Mrs., Mallard escaped the norms of losing her identity but just as the women in the mid 1800s era, when Louise became Mrs. Mallard, she once again followed her set societal

standards.