stroy of an hour

A detailed Summary of stroy of an hour

Throughout history the roles of women has changed dramatically. Women have been enslaved, put down and their rights taken away from them. Women have slowly but surly evolved into the individuals ones sees today in public office, law firms or even the five o' clock news. However this evolution did not occur over night, it took time and can be made apparent in places one might not think to look. The roles of women in short stories have changed from a typical voiceless human being to one that dominates a story. In the short story "The Story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin, the character Mrs. Mallard demonstrates a transformation that is necessary for a woman to have.

The character Mrs. Mallard defies the traditional role of women in the 1800's. In the beginning of the short story Mrs. Mallard is depicted as a weak and fragile woman who suffered from heart trouble. When the news of Mrs. Mallard's husband's death was made apparent, Richards, a family friend and Mrs. Mallard's sister were very delicate in the way they broke the news to her. Once the news was broken to her, it seemed as if Mrs. Mallard would act to her husband's death in the traditional way " she wept at once, with sudden, wild abandonment, in her sisters arm"

To some Mrs. Mallards reaction to her husband's death may have seemed distasteful but to others it is seen as a step in the right direction. Mrs. Mallard is not joyful about her husband's death but joyful about the newborn freedom she receives with the news. This is shown by her thoughts later on "she knew that she would weep again when she saw the kind, tender hands folded in death" (11). However in the same paragraph her husband's feelings about her are made obvious with the line "...the face [Mr. Mallard's] that had never looked save with love upon her" (11). One can assume that Mr. Mallard never really expressed his love towards his wife that left her with these feelings inside. Mrs. Mallard's reaction is just a woman freeing herself of the oppression her husband has placed on her.

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Approximate Word count = 854
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English

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