Her hour

“The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin is a short story written in the 1800’s that describes the roller coaster of reactions and emotions the main character, Louise Mallard, endures after hearing the news that her husband is believed to have been killed in an accident. Although Mrs. Mallard may be criticized for what seems to be ‘heartless’ at first, the story illustrates exactly how different a woman felt in the 1800’s compared to how a woman would feel today if the accident occurred.
The story begins when Mrs. Mallard is told her husband is believed to have died after a railroad accident after Richards, a family friend, hears of the news in the local newspaper office. With Louise, having a weak heart with suffering from a heart disease, Josephine, Louise’s sister, and Richards try to break the news as gently as possible. Mrs. Mallard locks herself in her room immediately after hearing the news to grieve the loss of her husband; however, once she’s alone in the room, she begins to feel an unexpected sense of happiness and a freedom she has never felt before. Although she’s alone, Louise begins to realize that she is now an independent woman. Even though these are her private thoughts, she at first tries to hold back the joy she feels, and according to Chopin, she tries to “beat it back with her will.” (404) Finally accepting the joy and happiness, she feels like she must let herself go to it as the word “free” (404) is murmured from her lips. Terrified her sister is making herself ill, Josephine begs Louise to open the door to the bedroom at once. Louise was far from making herself ill; she was soaking up the happiness and thoughts of being on her own. She finally worked up to the courage to open the door and clasped at her sister’s waist, together they went downstairs where Richards was waiting for them. Suddenly the sound of a latchkey is heard and the front door opens where Brently Mallard enters. Seconds later, doctors say Louise died of a joy that kills.
The power of freedom is a major matter in the short story, “The Story of an Hour”. Published in the late 1800’s, this story is a reflection to that era when women were known to have very little freedom compared to women and their rights they have today. Women stayed at home during this time while the men were the ones who went and worked. The woman’s identity was directly associated to their husbands’ and his property. When a husband died, only then was an opportunity for the wife to inherit his possessions and property. Today, a woman has no trouble living her life single if she has the desire too and has the same opportunities a man would have when buying her own property. The audience is told Louise loved her husband but the feeling of freedom was a much stronger desire. According to Chopin, “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” (405) In the story, the word ‘free’ is one of the few words that Louise actually speaks out loud which shows the audience how much she cherishes and appreciates this new independence and how unhappy she truly was beforehand. She knows now that she can finally live for herself and that she would no longer have to follow the rules of her husband. “There would be no one to live for during those coming years; she would live for herself. There would be no powerful will bending her in a that blind persistence with which men and women believe they have a right to impose a private will upon a fellow creature.” (405) Brently’s death gave Louise a glance of a new life she could live alone, and when that new life is suddenly taken away, the shock and disappointment is what killed her. “A joy that kills” (405) is what some would say ironic, as Louise might have felt both happy and sad at her husband’s sudden return. She would be regaining her husband but losing all of the freedom she once believed to have gained in just short seconds. This line shows the audience that Louise's heart condition is more of a figure of speech rather than an actual heart disease; it’s a physical and emotional trouble within her body, mind, and relationship to her husband, Brently.
From my experience after reading “The Story of an Hour”, it may leave the reader slightly confused and may even leave them question the authors purpose, nevertheless, once learning the background of the story, I’m sure this story will leave the audience with full appreciation of the era we live in today.

Works Citied
Chopin, Kate. (2014) “The Story of an Hour.” The Prentice Hall Guide for College Writers. Ed. Stephen Reid. Boston: Pearson. 403-40. Print.