Summary:
Kate Chopin's ideas of feminism were seen in this story through Louise Mallard's reaction after the death of her husband. I will prove that the repression Louise Mallard felt was so intense she would rather die than spend another day in servitude.
The Story of an Hour
Kate Chopin's ideas of feminism were seen in this story through Louise Mallard's reaction after the death of her husband. I will prove that the repression Louise Mallard felt was so intense she would rather die than spend another day in servitude. Also I will cite an example of how the author's feelings of repression were seen through Louise Mallard.
After Louise Mallard received the news of her husbands death from her sister and husband's friend, Richards, a new beginning was about to be embarked upon. She was upset about the news she took herself to her room where she demanded privacy. As Chopin pointed out "She would have no one follow." (138) It was at that moment she sat down to look outside her window and "She could see in the open square before her house the tops of trees that were all aquiver with new spring life." Symbolizing what could be the beginning of personal manumission. As Louise sat there feeling a range of emotions as she looked ahead to what could be a life to live for herself.
This story takes place in the 19th century also known as the Victorian Era. At this time women were to wait on and obey there husbands, take care of the house and rearing of the children. Women were in marriage that were arranged and love wasn't necessarily the driving factor in a marriage. As when Louise questioned the love she felt or didn't feel for her husband the author stated clearly "And yet she had loved him -sometimes. Often she had not." (139) Women were allowed to have no secret thoughts and were placed in ."...very repressive situations." (Milne 1) Also the author makes reference to the hands of Louise Mallard as ."..- powerless as her two white slender hands would have been." Louise was ready to enter upon a world which wasn't accepted socially for the married woman but the single women. As the story begins it introduced Louise as Mrs. Mallard and her unwed sister Josephine by her first name. The author makes this introduction to introduce Louise to the readers as ."..Mrs. Mallard..." (137). Which at the point of marriage the women loose their identities being know only as the Mrs. As Mrs Mallard set forth on her quest for freedom some words escaped her lips "free, free, free!" It was as if she was being released from a life sentence. Which as stated earlier the 19th century was not a time for a woman to be independent or live for herself but the author makes a daring attempt to speak of feminism and the repression that women felt.
Louise yearned for freedom and when she thought she was going to be emancipated a equanimity had taken over Louise Mallard. As did the author believe the same way she stated, "But she saw beyond the bitter moment a long
procession of years to come that would belong to her absolutely. And she opened
and spread her arms out to them in welcome." (138) She would and could be free at last as the author states, "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." ( 138) This was not how women were suppose to feel. Even at this moment Mrs. Mallard did not know how she should react. Which emotion was acceptable. The author puts Mrs. Mallards reaction to the freedom as "A kind intention or a cruel intention made the act seem no less a crime as she looked upon it in that brief moment of illumination." ( 139) What she was feeling was fear from the impeding days of freedom yet excitement with the reality. .". She was drinking in a very elixir of life through that open window." (139)
After that point Mrs. Mallard emerged from the room to greet her sister
where "There was a feverish triumph in her eyes, and she carried herself unwittingly like a goddess of Victory." As she walked down the stairs with her sister, Josephine the end was near unbeknownst to anyone. Richards was at the
nethermost of the staircase at which point "Some one was opening the front door with a latchkey." It was Mr. Mallard who was not killed in the railroad accident and had not heard any of what had happened. Richards tried to shield Mrs.
Mallard from seeing her husband except it was to late. Once Mrs. Mallard laid eyes on whom she believed to be her late husband she collapsed and died. When the doctor had seen Mrs. Mallard he said " she died of heart disease-of joy that kills." (139) It was assumed that she was so happy her husband was alive and she died from the shock. When in contrast it was her husband being alive and the thought of giving up her new found freedom and becoming repressed as the author points out, "She was young, with a fair, calm face, whose lines bespoke repression and even a certain strength."( 138) The thought of being confined to a life of servitude once she had even a minute of freedom is what killed her.
Born Katherine O'Flaherty the author had ideas of freedom. Not common for this time Kate Chopin ventured out ......"walking unaccompanied through the city." * A lot of Chopin's novels dealt with controversial issues about women. She was a woman who I believe would have appreciated all of the freedoms as women we take for granted.
Works Citied
Charters, Ann & Samuel. Literature and its Writers.Bedford/St Martins, 2004
Katherine Chopin. Contemporary Authors.1-16 Author Resource Page. Literature
