The Story of an Hour

The Story of an Hour

Introduction

Kate Chopin is one of the most well known short story and novel writers of all times. She is also now considered as the forerunner of all the feminist authors who were present in the twentieth century. She wrote short stories not only for women of her time but also for the children, which were published in the leading magazines of her time like The Youth's Companion, The Century Magazine,  Atlantic Monthly, and Vogue. Within ten years of the death of Chopin, she was recognized as the leading author of her time (www.katechopin.org). "The Story of an Hour" was written on 19th April, 1894. It got published on 6th December, 1894 in Vogue. This is short story that has been written by Kate Chopin. It was first published under the title of "The Dream of an Hour". Later on 5th January, 1985, the story got reprinted in St. Louis Life. "The Story of an Hour" was s piece of controversy in the 1980s, because the main character of the essay, a woman, feels liberated and free when she gets to know the news of the death of her husband. Emily Toth, in "Unveiling Kate Chopin", establishes the fact that the story was allowed to get published only when Kate Chopin let her heroine die at the end of the story, which she did (Emily, 1999).

Discussion

Summary

"The Story of an Hour" revolves around the emotions of women of the late 1800s.  Louise Mallard, who was the wife of Mr. Brently Mallard, is the main character of the story. Chopin describes her as a woman with heart problems. She was a young lady with a calm and fair face. The story describes how Mrs. Mallard endures the news of the death of her husband in a train accident. Her sister broke the news to her in a quite gentle way as she was aware of the heart problems she had. Listening to the news, Louise Mallard gave no immediate reaction; she instead locked herself in her room. Inside the room, instead of mourning over the death of her husband, she  feels excited about it. She takes the death of her husband a chance for her soul to free itself. She was jubilant for the fact that she now will have a free body and a free soul. When she was in the phase of accepting all the determination and excitement of this new life that was waiting for her, she came to know that her husband, Mr. Mallard, had not actually died in the accident. Seeing him, Mrs. Mallard died (www.shmoop.com).

Comparison of the Opposing Point of Views

The short story provides the readers with two conflicting views. The first being the death of Mr. Mallard, is a sad incident. And the second is the thoughts of Mrs. Mallard, the thoughts which tell her that she was a free soul and a free body now.

The sudden death of a husband will be tragic and shocking news for ...