Written by Kate Chopin, “The Story of an Hour” depicts the emotions of a young woman, Mrs. Mallard, who has just known that her husband died. Although the heroine shows appropriate, expected emotions at the beginning of the narrative, it became evident that her sentiment is more complex. Concentrating on the heroine’s thoughts and describing sounds and the atmosphere, the author conveys the sophisticated and multifaceted female issue relating to women’s rights and feelings.
To outline the main subjects and themes, some details should be mentioned. First, bringing some information to the fore, the author outlines the heroine’s intentions. The reader sees the world through Mrs. Mallard’s eyes, and it is mentioned that an armchair is “comfortable”, and there is a spring life outside the window (Chopin 4). She drew attention to “patches of blue sky” and singing sparrows (Chopin 5). Despite the fact that the reader has not yet found the heroine’s genuine feelings, Chopin indicates that the story is not about sorrow and leads to the central theme relating to feminism.
The primary agenda of the story is the female issue and women’s experience, which becomes evident when Mrs. Mallard understands that she is highly pleased with her husband’s death. Although she, as a widow, should die of grief, she is happy. The heroine loved him, but she thinks with joy about the coming years without Mr. Mallard. Moreover, when she finds out that he is alive, she dies.
Dreaming of her future, she pronounces the word “free”, which leads to the associations between women’s and slaves’ positions (Chopin 11). This nexus actualizes the feminist agenda and makes the woman as an individual character the main subject of the narration. Thus, it could be said that Chopin’s heroine is a human who can act unpredictably, and does not behave like a widow, which is expected of her.
To conclude, the main character of “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin is a strong woman, who, in her soul, has discovered the protest and dissatisfaction with the position of a wife. Moreover, minor narrative details highlight and make evident her inappropriate feelings. Thus, a sharp change in the heroine’s consciousness actualizes the female issue that becomes the central theme of the story.
Works Cited
Chopin, Kate. The Story of an Hour. Holt McDougal, 1894. Web.