Story Of An Hour Literary Analysis

"Whatever have been the cares of the day, greet your husband with a smile when he returns. Make your personal appearance just as beautiful as possible. Let him enter rooms so attractive and sunny that all the recollections of his home, when away from the same, shall attract him back” (Author an Online source). In the 19th century when “The Story of an Hour” by, Kate Chopin was written, woman had very limited rights and say in how they lived their lives. They were treated as property and were instructed by their husband how best to live their lives. Louise Mallard was a young women with heart troubles who was married to Brently Mallard. Louise was informed that her husband had been in a train wreck which ultimately ended up killing him…or so we are perceived to

Louise realizes she is free now that her husband is dead and she is excited for her new found freedom. She recognizes that this monstrous thoughts of freedom are wrong and she would never be able to share with anyone the way actually feels about her husbands death. Although it never comes out and says in the story that she isn’t allowed to talk about wanting to be free, it is obvious because of her situation. She would have to take into consideration how people would react if she were to share and express how she really felt about the death of her husband. She would have to worry about how people would treat her. Men would look at her like she was a waste and women would treat her like she was crazy for disobeying and thinking so negatively about her husbands tragic death. “She did not stop to ask if it were or were not a monstrous joy that held her” (100). She knew what she was feeling was wrong. Louise knew that feeling excited about the death of her husband was awful, but the joy she was feeling in that moment was so intense, so strong, it was impossible to not feel happy about being