Story of an Hour Kate

Story Of an Hour

Kate Chopin's 1894 short story "The Story of an Hour" puts across the case of Louise Mallard, a woman who goes through several phases that can prove to be negative to her health and who surprises through the way that she thinks. Chopin's belief's as an ardent feminist are reflected in this story, especially considering Louise's secret reaction to her husband's death. The theme of the typical immorality of marriage is one of the strongest elements in the short story. Chopin apparently wants to emphasis the fact that marriages were particularly oppressive during the late nineteenth century. From her point-of-view, for a woman, being in a marriage was similar to being in a prison.

Judging from how people behave toward Louise and from the fact that she is apparently very sensitive, one might be inclined to believe that she had been very close to Brently. Moreover, readers can easily be misguided into thinking that she could not survive through finding out that her husband had been killed in a terrible accident. However, reality is very different, as their marriage was based on a strictly patriarchal standard. One of the only things that sprang into Louise's mind at the point when she learnt that her husband was dead was the idea that she was free to do whatever she pleased with her life. Whereas she was previously unable to express herself freely, being a widow presented her with innumerable opportunities, most of them related to the belief that she had the chance to perform activities that a patriarchal society considered to be immoral. It is not necessarily that Louise did not care for Brently, as what mattered for her was the fact that she had been liberated from a marriages where she was perceived to be inferior. She actually loved Brently very much and her first impulse at the news of his death was to cry. Also, she was perfectly aware that she would also cry at his funeral, considering that they loved each-other and that she was accustomed to living next to him. Brently was actually caring and loving toward her and one might believe that Louise's concern about her having been freed is morally wrong. However, a person who is not free is unable to appreciate matters such as love, as he or she is constantly thinking about the moment when he or she will finally be able to do what they want. Louise had nothing against Brently and, in point of fact, expressed an objective position in regard to their relationship. What she wanted to highlight was the fact that marriages in general were wrong because they robbed women of one of their most precious gift -- the chance to follow their ideals. Furthermore, she considers that her marriage was equally oppressive for Brently because he was constantly connected to her and unable to perform certain acts. From Louise's perspective, married people are no longer independent. Her heart trouble might actually be an allusion to the fact that she is unhappy with the fact that she is married.