Ms. Mallard's Condition In The Story Of An Hour

The leading cause of death in the world today is heart disease. There are no exceptions in “The Story of an Hour”. Death came quickly to Ms. Mallard, she was gone in a matter of pages. Even though Mrs. Mallard dies from a heart condition, Kate Chopin uses "the story of an hour” to cause spouses to evaluate their relationships because she was never really happy and loses her life from emotional trauma rather than physical.

Ms. Mallard dies from a heart condition. Whether it be emotional or physical this fact is clear. Early on we meet the main character and immediately we are told “Mrs. Mallard was afflicted with heart trouble.” (Chopin 48) There’s an earlier period in the character's life that we are not privy to but throughout the text you can piece it together. Ms. Mallards family, mainly her sister tries her best to break the news to her lighty. If at this point Ms. Mallard had any discord with her husband that was known then the news would not have been broken to her so slightly. The doctor himself in the story says that she died of heart disease. The evidence is

clear that she was in fact physically ill, however the question remains why at the moment of her husband's return did she die.

Even though Mrs. Mallard dies from a heart condition, Kate Chopin uses "the story of an hour " to illicit spouses to analyze their relationships. Ms. Mallard was never actually happy in the marriage and did not come to this realization until shortly after his death. She originally does have an emotional response from her husband's death but it is not the one that most new windows have. She immediately accepted the gravity of her new situation. She acted as could be expected, crying in a mad fit. Returning to her chambers alone but then she has an epiphany. Slowly she sees and feels things differently as if she has been rejuvenated.

“She knew that she would weep again when she saw the kind, tender hands folded in death; the face that had never looked save with love upon her, fixed and gray and dead. 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.” (Chopin)

This is a vital quote and a very powerful one.

She loved her husband and respected the man but she realizes that there is much more to happiness and life itself than just getting by. She looks to the future with new life and hope thinking that these things are attainable to her for the first time. As a reader you are never told what her relationship is like so you could ask yourself if what you have done in a relationship could make someone feel suffocated. Even if I was to die today what would those around me feel in their hearts. Would they feel released from bondage, or feel as if a part of them was gone.

Her sister Josephine was the one to break the news to her. Her sister does this in a roundabout way. Not coming out directly but using half sentences and hoping that Ms. Mallard will understand. You can see that she is very concerned how this information will affect her.

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The most important reason Kate Chopin uses "the story of an hour " to elicit spouses to analyze their relationships is because in reality she loses her life from emotional trauma. From the moment that Mrs. Mallard has her tipping point clarity to the time of her death is no more than an hour. We have already established that she has a weak heart and the moment of widow's sorrow has passed. The is transcended by a flood of emotions. She began at sadness, moving on to acceptance and then graduating to absolution. This emotional rollercoaster is something that a philosopher himself could have trouble coming to a conclusion. She is anew, “she was drinking in a very elixir of life through that open window.” Then it is all broken down in an instant, like a building crashing to the ground on opening day. Mr. Mallard comes home to see his wife and she dies. No one else in the story is included in her transformation so they do not know her true mental state. Her freedom was taken from her in an instant, her new life, her reason for existence in that moment was dead, so now was she.

An important part to consider about this story is the fact that Ms. Mallard does care about her husband but feels suffocated by him so she cannot live a fulfilled life. This is where someone can impart there one life in and sympathise with the characters of the story. What is it i'm doing. So it is clear that although Mrs. Mallard dies from a heart condition , Kate Chopin uses "the story of an hour " to elicit spouses to analyze their relationships for two main reasons. First, she was never really happy. But most importantly, in reality she loses her life from emotional trauma.