Critical Analysis of Mrs. Mallards Emotions in The Story...

Write a critical analysis of any aspect of The Story of an Hour which you found of interest and significance. Kate Chopins `The Story of an Hour is a short yet complex piece describing the feelings of Mrs Mallard. This story is overflowing with symbolism and imagery. The most prominent theme here is the longing for freedom. Chopin focuses on unfolding the emotional state of Mrs Mallard which can be separated into three stages: quickly moving to grief, through a sense of newfound freedom, and finally into the despair of the loss of that freedom. `The Story of an Hour was written in the nineteenth century and during this time highly restrictive gender roles forbade women to live as they saw fit. Kate Chopin presents in her story,†¦show more content†¦When she goes in her room alone, she unveils her true emotions. The setting shows comfort and indicates that she feels safe. The open window symbolises her new beginning and she fills her mind with fantasies of freedom. She would have no one follow her indicates that she had only her room to retreat to and it is from this place that she is able to look out at the world. The metaphor delicious breath of rain, the peddler, a distant song and the sparrows are all symbolical of spring which represents new hope for a better life for Mrs Mallard. Mrs Mallards awkward attitude after learning of her husbands death establishes an irony- somebody who is really happy in marriage will not enjoy nature in peace and have mixed emotions; the person will feel genuine grief upon hearing of the death of her husband. Here, Mrs Mallards reaction portrays the extent to which her thirst for freedom was strong. Kate Chopin allows us to visualise the moment that Mrs Mallard is able to shed the bondage of marriage: free, free, free!. She feels liberated through her husbands death. Much emphasis is laid on her joy upon finding freedom- there would be no one to live for. The author also points out that she knew that she would weep again.....folded in death. This only highlights the fact that it is not an expression of love but seems more like a duty thatShow MoreRelatedLiterary Perspectives1379 Words   |  6 Pagesconfines of the text itself. Poetry, in particular, as well as drama and fiction lend themselves well as genres to the â€Å"close reading† involved in the formalist technique. Formalists might approach Kate Chopin’s â€Å" The Story of an Hour†(15) by analyzing the ironic ending of the story. Mrs. Mallard suddenly dies of a heart attack, not because her husband has died in a horrific train crash but because she has learned that he is very much alive. The disparate nature between what is expected to transpireRead MoreThe Story of an Hour† by Kate Chopin Essay1528 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"The Story of an Hour† by Kate Chopin â€Å"The Story of an Hour† by Kate Chopin is very intriguing, not only because of the emotional change Louise Mallard goes through the hour after her husband’s tragic death but also the way Chopin uses irony in the story. During this analysis of â€Å"The Story of an Hour† we will discuss the summary, plot, setting, tone, theme, point of view, emotions of Louise Mallard and other characters involved in the story. Chopin’s story uses the feelings of a married womanRead MoreLiterary Criticism of Kate Chopins The Story of an Hour1338 Words   |  5 PagesLiterary Criticism and the Story of an Hour Literary criticism gives the reader the tools to see literature in new ways. Each type focuses on different components of the story and asks the reader to examine a given text for ques. When an analysis is performed in a given critical style, a whole new perspective of the text becomes available. Kate Chopins The Story of an Hour is an account of a marriage in the late 19th century. Mrs. Louise Mallard is identified by her marriage and she allows herselfRead MoreThe Story Of An Hour By Kate Chopin1542 Words   |  7 PagesIn the short story, â€Å"Story of an Hour†, Kate Chopin writes about a woman with heart trouble, Mrs. Mallard, who, in finding out about the death of her husband, Mr. Mallard, experiences some initial feelings of sadness which quickly transition into the exhilarating discovery of the idea of a newfound freedom lying in front of her. When it is later revealed that her husband is not actually dead, she realizes she will not get to taste that freedom. The devastation kills her. What Mrs. Mallard goes throughRead MoreResearch Paper on Kate Chopin and Her Works2380 Words   |  10 Pagesher novel, The Awakening, published in 1899. After its publication, The Awakening created such uproar that its author was alienated from certain social circles in St. Louis. The novel also contributed to rejections of Chopins later stories including, The Story of An Hour and The Storm. The heavy criticism that she endured for the novel hindered her writing. The male dominated world was simply not ready for such an honest exploration of female independence, a frank cataloguing of a womans desiresRead MoreChopin VS Thurber and Relationships2545 Words   |  11 PagesIn the stories â€Å"The Secret Life of Walter Mitty† by James Thurber (Clugston, sec. h1.1) and â€Å"The Story of an Hour† by Kate Chopin (Clugston, sec. h2.1) escapism is a similar theme with in both these stories, yet there is a slight variance in how each of these authors p lace these characters into their escape from reality, relationships, and everyday chaos. In each of these stories the author shows the characters escaping the realities of the relationship, one through Walter Mitts’ daydreams, and theRead MoreNineteenth Century Gender Roles Exposed in The Necklace and The Story of an Hour2020 Words   |  9 PagesThe Necklace and The story of an hour represents gender roles as defined by the nineteenth century society guidelines . The The Story of an Hour was set in the late nineteenth century in the home of Louise Mallard.(Kate Chopin).It was written on April 19, 1894,by Kate Chopin. The theme Many also focus on women revolt against conformity, often against gender conformity or against social norms that limit omens possibilities in life. (Emmert, Scott ) The story was first titled The