Marriage In Kate Chopin's The Story Of An Hour

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The Story of an Hour Analysis

Kate Chopin narrates about the moment a woman with heart troubles has been informed her husband has passed away in a tragic railroad accident in “The Story Of An Hour”; she uses this story to give perspective into the conflicting mind of a married woman in the 1800’s. In her time period, women didn’t have the same liberties men had, by society they were expected to get married and be dependent on a man, become a house wife, and have their life revolve around their significant other. Chopin uses this story to highlight the conflict in marriage, the pleasure of independence a woman has, what Mrs. Mallard is experiencing through her surroundings, and irony to mirror her marriage.
Kate Chopin comes from a time period …show more content…

Marriage is a form of tradition that is taught at a young age that it’s supposed to be a goal in life, but never explain the responsibilities of it or the sacrifice one has to make. Chopin states “But she saw beyond that 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.”(443) After she comes to peace with the situation she feels she has regained her sense of freedom, she feels in full control of her life again, something she hasn’t experienced in a while; she welcomes this new sense of freedom she’s experiencing. Chopin makes us feel what Mrs. Mallard is experiencing as a married woman, a weight that has been lifted form her shoulders, that she truly empowers her newfound independence. She is perfectly okay with the idea of being alone and living her life as she pleases. Chopin makes this clear again when she states “What could love, the unsolved mystery, count for in face of this possession of self-assertion which she suddenly recognized as the strongest impulse of her being.” (443) She’s referring to her independence as her “strongest impulse of her being”, a powerful feeling, a feeling that nothing else could …show more content…

Love is a powerful feeling like no other; nothing comes close to replacing the feeling of love. Often women marry on this feeling alone, which is a beautiful practice that has existed since the beginning of society. When Mrs. Mallard is told of the news she became “with a paralyzed inability to accept its significance. She wept at once, with sudden, wild abandonment,” (442) This illustrates the love she has for her husband by emphasizing how she can’t believe it’s true and how she now feels abandoned, this is a common reaction for anyone whom has had a loved one pass. While love is a beautiful being, it shouldn’t be the only logic as to why someone should get married. They need to take into consideration their future goals, own dreams, and self-worth before they devote their entire life to someone. Often a woman has to put their life on hold to become a wife, limiting and slowly killing the potential they once possessed. That is why Mrs. Mallard is welcoming to this situation, marriage has held her down for so long and she’s excited at the opportunity to get to redesign her life at her own

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