Story Of An Hour Literary Analysis

Society that often holds marriage as a subjugation of freedom - results in oppression from both sides and affects the vulnerability that the body carries. The Story of an Hour, suggests that key structures in society; marriage, and family, result in the loss of freedom and independence. Freedom is an important aspect of life, the effects of it taken away and suddenly given back, is shown heavily in The Story of an Hour. The narrative written by Kate Chopin, illustrates the idea of a woman, whose husband is thought to be dead. Throughout the story, Chopin describes the emotions the protagonist, Louise has surrounding the news of her husband’s death, ranging from despair to the anticipation of something new. With the sudden shock of

The story represents the situation that many women were accustomed to in the 1800’s; a prison for women that were married. In the story, the independence of women was simply seen as an act that was forbidden. When Louise hears the death of her husband, she doesn’t react like many women in her position would, instead, reacting as, “she wept at once, with sudden, wild abandonment.” She imagines crying over the funeral of her husband; although, once that is over, she is euphoric of finally achieving independence from the authority of her husband. At first, she tries to suppress the joy, “beat it back with her will,” which illustrates how the act of having freedom was prohibited for women in the society of the 1800’s. Though, once the joy of being independent can’t be contained anymore, "free, free, free!" escapes her. Louise finally accepts her new freedom as hers, and prays for a long life, “She breathed a quick prayer that life might be long.” When her husband returns, the independence that Louise was finally getting, is taken away. The freedom that once came, was suddenly taken away, causing the sudden death of hers to be from the taste of freedom she was about to gain. With the society norms that were hinted at in The Story of an Hour, the independence of women was simply seen as forbidden pleasure and the containment of women from their husbands was under the society’s