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“... on waking, she felt like a queen”. The average woman would seemingly be devastated if she was to spend fourteen years of her life waiting on a man who in the end presumably went off to be with another woman. But, Louisa is not the average woman. She did not spend her fourteen years dreaming of being wrapped in the arms of her fiance or raising their offspring. She spent her fourteen years of solitude and privacy living her life. And, living at as she saw fit. For the time period in which she lived in Louisa Ellis had an exceptional circumstance. She lived her life from a young age to her approximate her thirties all by herself. While her peers married, mothered and worked in the house at young ages well into ages past their primes. Here is a woman whom has been fortunate enough to have fourteen…
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Kate Chopin’s non-fiction work “The Story of An Hour” gives a detailed account of what Mrs. Mallard feels after heartbreak. Mrs. Mallard is inflicted with heart trouble as her husband dies. She feels there are freedoms and opportunities for her to take advantage of along with the grievance of her husband’s death. These complex issues are accounted for in her brief characterization of her last hour of life. Ironically her husband did not pass away, but she still creates a tragic ending.…
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own life. Louise who had been living a life for her husband, not for herself “seems to live a…
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The story takes place at a time when women were exploited, considered inferior to men. Women belonged at home, as an aide to her husband. Divorces were unheard of and flown upon. The opposite of society norm, Mrs. Mallard no longer wants to be tied down to her husband and marriage and we see it directly from the context of the story. Mrs. Mallard knows her place in society and would she suppose to do. Hearing the news at first, “she wept at once,” which is what we would expect a widow to do. But in her room, “there was something coming to her,” she whispers “"Free, free, free!" Louise is conflicted between her duty as a wife and her true feelings. As she absorbs the news she rationalizes that no one has a right “to impose a private will upon a fellow-creature”. She comes to conclusion she deserves to be free from social restrains of her marriage and she welcomes the change. Louise Mallard is looking forward to her future years, “that would belong to her absolutely.” She is finally free and happy. So being in this state of euphoria over her newfound freedom, we can…
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Published in 1894, “The Story of an Hour,” has endured longer than the title would indicate and is a declaration of the support of independence for women from its author Kate Chopin. Having read this story before in other courses, and having spoken at length about how Chopin was in support of the idea of woman’s suffrage even before the suffrage movement caught hold, this story leaves a lasting impression and resonates deeper with me every time I read it. Chopin uses her work to illuminate the joy of independence and the oppression that marriage can bring. Whether intentional or unintentional, her message is not only meant for women but, extends to men as well. It is a timeless theme that anyone can learn from in every age. By her use of various literary elements such as, structure, and style, and the use of rhetorical devises such as pathos Chopin creates a work that provokes deeper though and asks a reader to delve into the emotional struggle of her character Mrs. Louise…
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Carol is a ‘working class’ single mother, she works hard to ‘keep us (Carol and her son, Victor) afloat’ after her ex husband ‘shot through’ a few years ago. He left debts that Carol had to pay off, leaving her working everyday ‘in someone else’s grotty shower’ not only to support herself and Victor but also to pay off the debts and send Victor to school. The mistress of the house is condescending. This is ironic because she has book written by ‘the likes of Germaine Greer’ and other feminists. It would be assumed that she is a feminist from looking at her bookshelf, however the way she treats Carol with ‘patronizing notes on floral paper’ it becomes unthinkable. The mistress accuses Carol of stealing ‘five-hundred-dollar earrings’ which Victor and Carol know is not true, because she ‘would only open a draw to put a clean knife or fork away’. Carol is suffering in this household because she must uphold her reputation and not kick up a fuss, so she shows that she is better than the mistress by leaving her final paycheck and the key to the house on a the bench. Carol is trapped by Victor, because she has such high hopes for him and his career in Law that she works everyday ‘on her knees’ to earn money so he can learn what she didn’t have the chance to. It is known that Carol…
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Directly presuming Mrs. Mallards knowledge of her husband's death she states,”She did not hear the story as many women heard the same, with a paralyzed inability to accept its significance” (Chopin, par 3). This quote from Mrs. Mallard exhibits her mixed emotions causing her to become conflicted between grieving for him or viewing the scenario in the optimistic manner as she is now free. As Mrs. Mallard continues to pace her room contemplating the situation, Chopin uses the inviting view of the world from the open window to quell Mrs. Mallard’s physical exhaustion; therefore, she realized the blue skies and trees were now solely reserved for her. Accordingly, the following symbolic scene suspended Mrs. Mallard in a deep thought to finally reflect on her position as she is no longer married. Her discovery concluded that she escaped the blanket of her husband's persistent will which furthermore compelled her to freely assert herself in this new world. Chopin affirms this as Mrs. Mallard, now known as Louise whispers,”Free! Body and soul free!” (Chopin par…
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Both Kincaid and Chopin wrote from their own experiences to portray a theme of feminism and women breaking away from stereotypes from their time periods. The Story of an Hour is the storyof a womans excitement for freedom from her husbands control. This story criticizes the sacrifices made by women to pleasethe stereotypes society had set, and that it attacks marriages where one personcontrols the relationship. Mrs. Mallards death at the end ofthe story is said to be brought on by the pain Mrs. Mallard felt when the shelost the joy and individuality she gained from her husbands death and not from happiness and relief of seeing her husband alive. Mrs. Mallards excitement for freedom illustrates how women of the timefelt about their male-dominated society. The women were ready to break free andexperience a more equalized society.…
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In The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin, the idea that independence is something that many humans want to accomplish and maintain in their life is expressed. The reason for this is that achieving a life that is established purely on self-determination is a natural instinct for humans. Kate Chopin expresses this idea in The Story of an Hour through characterization, but more clearly through Louise Mallard. Mrs. Millard had just heard the news that a railroad accident has killed her husband by her sister Josephine and her husband’s friend Richards. She wept and stormed into her room after hearing the terrible news. There she sat in a chair and looked out the window. That was the moment were she had an epiphany that revealed that she had now gained independence.…
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Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour”, was published over a century ago in 1894, but even with its age the story manages to be relevant in modern times. Upon first glance the short story is fleeting at only two pages in length and lasts for only an hour and due to this it could be seen as simple. This short story tells the tale of Louise Mallard, who has heart issues, learns from her sister Josephine that her husband, Brently Mallard was killed in train accident. Upon hearing this terrible news, she immediately started to cry before retreating to her room. In her room Louise Mallard goes through a profound awakening. Sometime later, Josephine goes and gets Louise from her room and upon going down the stairs; Louise is shocked to see her reportedly dead husband coming into their home. Mrs. Mallard suddenly dies, which doctors attributed to her heart troubles. Although at first this story seems simple, but surprisingly “The Story of an Hour” is a deep and symbolic story, full of irony and feminist themes of freedom and self awareness.…
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Kate Chopin's '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.…
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Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour” is a cry for help from oppression. Sure women did not have to work, but eventually staying home, and slaving around all day got old. One might read this short story and think women had no problem with being oppressed because for example, at the end, doctors say Louise died from “joy that kills”, this last line is actually seen as ironic. “Physically, her heart was weak, and emotionally, it had no room for anyone else” (Berkove). By the time Mr. Mallard had come rolling in alive, Louise had made up her mind that, “she would live for…
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Traditionally, women have always appeared to be the less dominant sex; subjected to roles such as nurturers and bearers of children and the ever popular, housewives. Sadly, although Kate Chopin wrote “The Story of an Hour” during a time when women’s rights were almost nonexistent, not much has changed. Still, there are significant similarities in the roles of married women in the 1900’s compared to roles of married women in this century. In “The Story of an Hour”, Chopin takes the opportunity to subtly create a powerful statement regarding humanity and women’s rights. Through her crafty and meticulous usage of symbolism and irony, Chopin sheds light on how a woman’s role in marriage is relatable to a life of servitude as opposed to a loving relationship.…
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In terms of dramatic conflict, I interpret the final line of the story to mean that her knowing her husband was dead shocked her to…
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The film depicts widows being oppressed in a number of ways. As soon as a woman’s husband dies she was given three extremely limited and oppressive options; she could marry her husband’s younger brother, she could burn to death alongside her husband’s remains, or she could live in self-denial with other widows. If they choose life then their hair is shaved off, they must dress in all white saris instead of the vibrant colors of other “clean” women, they are not allowed to wear jewelry, and they are forced to live a life of solitude in a widow house secluded from the rest of the community.…
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