Freedom In Kate Chopin's The Story Of An Hour

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In her short work “The Story of an Hour,” Kate Chopin alludes to the lack of freedom women had in her lifetime, particularly those who were married. The tale cleverly employs a theme of liberation through the use of metaphors, symbols, and careful language. Chopin herself grew up in a home with and was raised by three independent women who were all widows. In the story, this autonomy projected onto a female whose husband is recently deceased is used to contrast the apparent shackles of married life for a woman in this time. Further, it argues Chopin’s view that no person’s will should be bent to fit another’s desires under any circumstances. The story immediately opens up with an incredibly layered sentence, “Knowing that Mrs. Mallard was afflicted with a heart trouble, great care was taken to break to her as …show more content…

However, when she descends the stairs with her sister and discovers that her husband is still alive it kills her. She could not handle losing everything she thought she had just gained. Louise only just realized all that she could do with her new life and had previously shuddered at the thought of living a long life with Brently. Now that she had a taste of freedom, she could not go back to the life she lived before and the crushing disappointment kills her. Chopin uses “The Story of an Hour” to demonstrate her belief not only in the shackles of marriage in that time, but also the cruelty of warping someone to suit your needs. When Mrs. Mallard’s husband dies she is overcome with joy rather than grief and is instilled with a sense of freedom. However, when all that seemed too good to be true is taken from her she cannot handle it and dies under the weight of this discouragement. Chopin’s theme of liberation achieved through her clever use of language drives home her idea that people should be more independent and less constrained by

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