Kate Chopin's 'Story Of An Hour'

If your significant other died today, how would you react? Would you be filled with extreme devastation or would you be able to carry on with the rest of your life? American author Kate Chopin was best known for writing hundreds of short stories during the 1890s. In her short fiction story, “The Story of an Hour,” Chopin writes about a woman with heart trouble, who receives dreadful news from her peers that her husband was killed in a train accident. She responds in a rather peculiar way which ultimately ends in her own death. Chopin’s “Story of the Hour” is ultimately about the discovery of finding yourself once again after the loss of a loved one based on the irony, characters and symbols used throughout the short story.
The Story of the Hour begins in a very vivid setting where protagonist, Mrs. Mallard who has heart complications is told that her husband, Brently Mallard, has died in a train accident while in the comfort of her home. Although she is stricken with sudden anguish and desertion, she quickly becomes filled with an exhilarating but terrifying feeling of independence. She whispers under her breathe, “free, free, free!” (par. 11) in which throughout the remaining of

the story she feels like she can finally live for herself. The story also has two other characters which foil around Mrs. Mallard and her actions to follow. Her sister Josephine and Richard her husband’s best friend know that Mrs. Mallard has heart complications and inform her of her husband’s death in broken sentences sparring her from becoming overwhelmed in which could cause severe health problems.
When Mrs.

Mallard comes to terms with her sorrow, She begins to speak figuratively. Her change in speech gives symbolism of freedom. Mrs. Mallard begins to imagine herself at her husband’s untimely funeral all while claiming a prosperous future. She states, “beyond the bitter moment a long procession of years to come that would belong to her absolutely” (par. 13).Which is her way of welcoming her future happiness and freedom. She also talked about how she “had loved him---sometimes” (par. 15) but now that she no longer has a partner she doesn’t have to worry about showing love for anyone but herself. Mrs. Mallard goes on to continue this same pattern of the things she doesn’t have to do anymore now that her husband is dead and how her independence is good for her “well-being” (par.

15)
By the end of this short story, Irony strikes the very protagonist Mrs. Mallard. It’s quite disturbing how quickly the story takes another tragic turn. After discovering her contentment and freedom, both Mrs. Mallard, her sister Josephine, and Richard are surprised by the opening of the front door in which Brently Mallard walks in oblivious of the prior tragedy in which they were all affected. Brently Mallard now has to deal with the death of his own wife, Mrs. Mallard in which the doctors say, “she had died of heart disease--- of joy that kills.” (par. 23)
Chopin’s short story was quite a handful, reading the first time around. By the second reading it was clear that this story was ironic revolving around the four characters in the story. Mrs. Mallard’s character also painted a clear picture of how she took the news of her husband’s tragic accident with Chopin using figurative language and symbols to describe her grief and freedom. This short story was filled with drama but was also humbling. It’s not very hard to imagine that there are many people out there in the world who feel trapped in relationships, careers or other areas in their life, Chopin did a great job in a sense of reminding the reader to live for themselves before it’s too late.