The Story of an Hour of Kate Chopin - Essay Example

Why, exactly, does Mrs. Mallard die in Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour”? What makes this short story so effective? Kate Chopin’s short story “The Story of an Hour” describes an hour in the home of Mrs. Mallard and how she responds to the news of her husband’s death. When analyzing the story we have to take into consideration the time when the story was published. In 1894 women did not have the freedom to express their ideas and accepted their wife roles as societal norm. From the perspective of the time Kate Chopin’s story manifested the long sought women’s liberation (Chopin 2009). In this paper I will try to explain that the reason why Mrs. Mallard dies in “The Story of an Hour” is out of the transitory happiness she experiences at the thought that her husband was killed in a railway accident. At the beginning of the story the readers are mislead to believe that Mrs. Mallard “was afflicted with a heart trouble” (Chopin 2009). Within the context of the whole story “heart trouble” has a double meaning. The author here tries to hint that the heart trouble might not be the heart disease that Mrs. Mallard is thought to suffer from. Besides the literal meaning, heart troubles are also connected to the feelings and inner spirituality of people. The use of the passive voice “was afflicted” speaks about the impossibility of Mrs. Mallard to act as she wishes. And because of her faint heart Josephine – her sister and Richards – a close family friend, reveal her “gently” the heart-breaking news of her husband’s death. They way in which her sister delivers her the news is in “broken sentences”. Broken sentences contrast with the fear of her family to break her heart. The use of oxymoron – “revealed in half concealing” suggests that the revelation of the death of her husband, conceals Mrs. Mallard’s inner feelings. Someone else’s feelings are also concealed in this paragraph. Mrs. Mallard’s husband’s friend Richards is depicted as impatient. Unclear clues are scattered throughout the paragraph. Richards assures himself of the truth, he hastens to Mrs. Mallard’s home and uses “less careful, less tender” language to bear her the “sad message”. There is an opposition here. “Less careful” might mean that Richards is both clumsy and rough man, but it can mean that he also conceals his feelings for Mrs. Mallard, as she is already married. By being less tender he will show to Mrs. Mallard that he has a strong personality and emotions to her. The “sad message” is employed ironically here. It is both ironic and sarcastic that sad message can bring happiness to two people – liberating physically Mrs. Mallard and emotionally – Richards. Chopin made use of unique literary techniques which revealed her themes of freedom and women’s spirituality. The use of imagery or parallel sentence structures vividly contrasts with Chopin’s ability for narrative control, narrative stance or modes of disclosure. Kate Chopin had to disguise reality, because such was the historical moment she lived in. However, here and there in the text we can openly disclose the unveiled truth behind Mrs. Mallard’s hidden actions. “She did not hear the story as many women have heard the same, with a paralyzed inability to accept its significance (Chopin 2009).” Mrs. Mallard did not hear the story. Moreoever she was not even paralyzed. At first, the readers believe that she has not heard the news because they were so shocking for her. Then we are amazed how fast the “storm of grief” has passed. The initial emotional reaction of Mrs. Mallard shows a deep revelation about how this event can afflict her future life. First, the news about her husband’s death is devastating. Then, the open window – a symbol of freedom is in dissonance with the “physical exhaustion” of her body. The picturesque setting that is described helps the reader to realize that Mrs. Mallard might not be so sad and unhappy of news. The color contrasts employed – “new spring life”, “blue sky” have positive and reassuring influence. Life can change for the better and new opportunities can come to you. The “comfortable, roomy armchair” is a symbol of freedom, security and consolation. The facial features speak that she “was young”, however the line on her face indicate hidden “repression”. For the first time we are introduced to the possibility that Mrs. Mallard had an unhappy marriage. In 1890s when the short story was written women were not allowed to divorce and it was a social norm to stay married, even if this caused discontented feelings in the partners. Mrs. Mallard is characterized as strong and intelligent. “There was something coming to her and she was waiting for it, fearfully. What was it? She did not know; it was too subtle and elusive to name. But she felt it, creeping out of the sky, reaching toward her through the sounds, the scents, the color that filled the air (Chopin 2009).” Reading the story for the first time, we think that the external something that is coming is her own death. However at second glance we see that this is her freedom and the realization that she is at least free at her will. This can be interpreted as awareness that she is not so unhappy at her husbands sudden death at all. All her life she has been living for her husband. May now that he is gone she can think for herself. In the next paragraph we face the real message. Recognizing her freedom Mrs. Mallard is afraid to allow herself to be happy. She is striving “to beat it back at her will”. Chopin beautifully reflects the powerless position of women and how Mrs. Mallard’s marital responsibilities constructed her as “a product” of the social and economic circumstances of the late 19th century. She wants to be independent, and the only way for that is to be a widow. Mrs. Mallard realizes that society controls her actions and thoughts and she is “abandoned”. To seek freedom is inappropriate, she is a married woman. She is abandoned in the imaginary imprisonment that society doomed her at. She is not permitted to escape physically from society, but she can escape emotionally, because she is free of the control imposed by others and by her husband. That is why “a little whispered word escaped from her slightly parted lips (Chopin 2009). Inside herself, she can not allow it to shout, her lips are sealed. The little word is repeated three times “free, free, free”. We can notice the contrast between “little” and “free”. The author attempts to belittle the meaning of “freedom”, because society will not grant her fully the freedom. May be she will be obliged to remarry? With bated breath Mrs. Mallard can not believe what is happening. She tries to convince herself that this is true. By repeating the word she is making is seem more realistic. The emotional elation is an unison with the sensuality which is transferred to her body – “her pulses beat fast”, her blood is “warmed” and every inch of her body “relaxed”. Once again we are introduced by negative sentence. “She did not stop to ask if it were or were not a monstrous joy (Chopin 2009).” The reader is confused and may be judges her for the joy at the death of her husband. However, the oxymoron “monstrous joy” discloses that Mrs. Mallard is a kind and honest person and the joy she feels is genuine, but incompatible with her inner sense of attitude. However, "she knew that she would weep again when she saw the kind, tender hands folded in death (Chopin 2009)”. His suggest that society expects from her to behave like that – to mourn and to weep and she would do it, because this would be considered her natural reaction. Mrs. Mallard already sees "a long procession of years that would belong to her absolutely (Chopin 2009). Here the author openly expresses the reason why Mrs. Mallard feels this way about her husbands death. "There would be no powerful will bending hers in that blind persistence with which men and women believe they have a right to impose a private will upon a fellow-creature (Chopin 2009)”. These descriptions explain what the domestic life of Mrs. Mallards was like. She was unhappy in her marriage. She followed the desires of her husband who controlled her, she was not able to give her own opinion or give raise to her own will. And now that she is a widow she can enjoy the freedom to listen to her thoughts and aspirations. Society in the 1890s would not accept a divorced woman, but it will welcome and calm her down as a widow. “Body and soul free! (Chopin 2009)” With the disappearance of her husband’s body, she is physically and spiritually free. Her sister Josephine shows no understanding about the feelings she experiences. Misguided Josephine believes that Mrs. Mallard is hurting herself. Josephine is trapped by the norms of the society and thinks that her sister is making herself ill, because this is what is expected from a widow. On the contrary, Mrs. Mallard is drinking the “very elixir of life”. The elixir is believed to cure all kinds of diseases and from philosophical point of view is related to obtaining the quintessence and principles of life. The elixir is symbol is her final revelation about the freedom she gained at last. Now Mrs. Mallard is expecting "spring days, and summer days, and all sorts of days that would be her own (Chopin 2009). She is awaiting for the joyful moments that are to come. She goes out of the room as a "goddess of Victory". She won in this battle between herself and her husband. She has conquered her right to have her freedom back that that is why she feels victorious. In the last three paragraphs is the final accord of the story. The highest culminating moment is a sequence of ironic events. Mrs. Mallards husband opens the front door “travel-stained”. The suspicion comes here, if he was not on the train, where was he? He enters "composedly carrying his grip-sack and umbrella (Chopin 2009). The manner in which he behaves gives away that he is unaware of what is happening. The usage of the word “grip-sack” describes in detail our first impression about the husband. This is not a briefcase or suitcase. This is a small suitcase which means sudden cause for his absence. “He had been far from the scene of the accident (Chopin 2009). His distance echoes about both the distance he has with his wife in figurative terms and the literary distance that saved his life. In brief and vivid language we are explained the nature of the marriage between Mrs. Mallard and her husband. Presumably, it is implied to the reader that may be he has a lover. Even more ironically comes "Josephines piercing cry". Surprised or enlightened is Josephine? Did she realized the happiness of her sister when Mrs. Mallard “clasped her waist”. Or may be she was really amazed and cried out of excitement. “Richards quick motion to screen him from the view of his wife (Chopin 2009)” tells us a lot about the feelings that Richards has for Mrs. Mallard. Only a glimpse at Mr. Mallard, but quick motion to return his sight at Mrs. Mallard and her reaction. But Richards was too late to see her alive. Mrs. Mallard dies "of joy that kills" The final words put again an oxymoron – killing joy. Joy that Mrs. Mallard felt for few instances, but then was taken away from her, she eventually kills her, because she can not imagine to continue living in lie. She prefers to die instead. This is her ultimate freedom, this expresses her free will and choice. But then who serves the diagnosis of heart disease? Society wants to believe that her faint heart caused her death. In fact society killed her disguising this as heart trouble. Chopin’s story is effective, because of the psychoanalytical devices that the author uses. Set in late 19th century Chopin was restricted to write openly about unhappy marriage and women’s desire to feel free. Thus, she employs various literacy devices to hide the storyline and impresses the reader with vivid adjectives and sophisticated word games. Works Cited: Kate Chopin. The Story of an Hour. Web Kate Chopin International Society, 4.Nov. 2009. Web. 4 Nov. 2009. . 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