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“Perhaps it is better to wake up after all, even to suffer, rather than to remain a dupe to illusions all one’s life.”
-Kate Chopin
‘The Story of an Hour’ is one of those pieces of literature that make you feel a little too much in very little time. It is quite literally the story of one hour in which a woman is surprised at her reaction to the demise of her husband.
It is the story of how this woman feels deep sorrow but also a sense of freedom when she hears the news of her husband’s death. She feels hopeful and almost zealous of all the possibilities that lie ahead of her.
Introduction
Name of the Story - The Story of an Hour
Writer’s Name - Kate Chopin
Genre - Fiction
Language - English
Synopsis - Spoiler Alert!
Mrs. Louise Mallard, who has trouble with her heart, has to be given the news of her husband’s demise. On hearing the news of her husband’s death, Mrs Mallard is surprised at her own reaction.
But what happens when the news proves to be untrue and her husband walks in the door without as much as a scratch on him?
About the Writer
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Born Katherine O’Flaherty on the 8th of February, 1850, Kate Chopin was an American Feminist author and writer of many short stories and novels. She is considered to be one of the fore-runners of the Feminist movement in America through her writing.
Some of her notable works include; ‘At Fault’, ‘The Awakening’. ‘The Storm’ and ‘At the Cadian Ball’. The characters in her stories and novels are usually residents of Louisiana. Most of her work was highly appreciated posthumously. She died on August 22nd, 1904.
About the Story
Mrs. Louise Mallard is a patient of heart disease and is to be told that her husband, Brentley Mallard has died in a railroad accident. Louise’s sister Josephine breaks the news to her that Richards, Brentley’s friend has seen his name at the top of the list of the deceased at the news office himself.
Louise sobs for a while with her sister and then goes back to her room where she locks herself in. She looks outside her window and sees the lush green trees, the clear blue sky and the beautiful spring season in full bloom and it makes her rather hopeful.
She tries hard to suppress this inappropriate feeling but at last gives in. She cannot help but scream the words “Free. free, free”.
Josephine outside her sister’s door thinking she's going to make herself ill completely oblivious to the fact that her sister lies inside more relieved than grieved. Louise thinks about her marriage and her husband who was a kind man and looked at her with nothing but love.
She thinks how it will make her sad and she will weep when she sees her husband’s body but overall she is hopeful and rather excited for the future. A future that will be hers and only hers.
As she comes out of the room and down the stairs with her sister, they see the latch to the door turn and Brentley enters, unharmed and unaware of the accident.
Richards tries to come in between as to prevent Louise from the shock but before he does that Louise collapses. She dies of the shock and doctors say that it was the joy that killed her.
Themes Involved
One of the major themes in the story is that of the forbidden joy of independence. Louise is a woman in a world where she has always been associated with a man for her identity and her livelihood.
The death of her husband opens several doors for her to finally live for herself. Louise is excited for a future where she wouldn’t be bound in the shackles of her marriage.
The second theme in the story is that of the inherent oppressiveness of marriage. The writer suggests that all marriages, even the happy and successful ones are inherently oppressive.
Louise readily admits that her husband was kind and loving and she shows no signs of malice towards him, but at the same time, her proclamation of being free suggests that she did feel caged in the marriage.
Famous Quotes
“But now there was a dull stare in her eyes, whose gaze was fixed away from yonder on one of those patches of blue sky. It was not a glance of reflection but rather indicated a suspension of intelligent thought.”
“She breathed a quick prayer that life might be long. It was only yesterday she had thought with a shudder that life might be long.”
“When the doctors came they said she had died of heart disease- of joy that kills.”
The Bottom Line
‘The Story of an Hour’ is an extremely short and yet emphatic story. It is one of literary pieces that stay with you. It makes you think and feel for this woman whose joy of having a life free of marriage lasts literally for a few minutes and how the “joy” of seeing her husband return from god knows where, unharmed and seemingly oblivious, kills her.
My ratings for the story - 5 on 5
You can read the story at - The Story of an Hour
Written By - Sakshi Singh
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