The Death of Louise Mallard and Female Identity in The...

In Chopin’s thousand work short story The Story of an Hour, the protagonist Louise Mallard is afflicted with heart trouble but learns that her husband has died in a railroad accident. Upon her husband’s death, Mrs. Mallard catches a glimpse of what independence feels like, but it is quickly taken away from once her husband returns unharmed. Chopin’s feminist ideals form the basis of this story where she explores female identity in a patriarchal society. For women of her time, marriage could be likened to prison where only death could set their â€Å"body and soul free† (Chopin 237). Considering the status of women in the late nineteenth century, Louise Mallard is a sympathetic character; she represents the oppression of women and the†¦show more content†¦Critics praised her brilliance, but they were â€Å"horrified by the heroine’s self-indulgence, and the author’s objective treatment of it, and they admonished her to go back to the description of ‘sweet and lovable characters’† in one of her previous works (Seyersted 5). This criticism left her particularly distressed, which may be a factor in why Louise Mallard does not get the chance to indulge in her newfound independence. One can assume that though Chopin is an all-out feminist, she was still somewhat controlled by patriarchy, and this control spills over into this short story. For instance, a typical trope of the turn of the century is that women were weaker both physically and mentally. Feminists might object to where Chopin writes, â€Å"She was beginning to recognize this thing that was approaching her, and she was striving to beat it back with her will – as powerless as her two white slender hands would have been† (Chopin 236). This is because, according to these feminists, Chopin perpetuates the idea that women are the weaker sex by presenting Mrs. Mallard as hesitant to accept and unable to conceive this newfound freedom she faces in this scene (Larson 96). Making this more disturbing for feminists is that this stereotypical vision of women ofShow MoreRelatedLiterary Criticism of Kate Chopins The Story of an Hour1338 Words   |  5 PagesLiterary Criticism and the Story of an Hour Literary criticism gives the reader the tools to see literature in new ways. Each type focuses on different components of the story and asks the reader to examine a given text for ques. When an analysis is performed in a given critical style, a whole new perspective of the text becomes available. Kate Chopins The Story of an Hour is an account of a marriage in the late 19th century. Mrs. Louise Mallard is identified by her marriage and she allows herselfRead MoreKate CHopins Story of an Hour Essay1271 Words   |  6 Pages In Kate Chopins Story of an Hour the author portrays patriarchal oppression in the institution of marriage by telling the story of one fateful hour in the life of a married woman. Analyzing the work through feminist criticism, one can see the implications of masculine discourse. Mrs. Mallards medical diagnosis is an example of the male-dominated society in which she lives. 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However, the first time someone feels relief or happiness at the news of his or her spouse’s death is suddenly viewed as inappropriate, so it must be kept on the inside. The problem is that the reason behind the happiness is often forgotten to be analyzed. What was happeni ng behind closed doors? What was the marriage representing? Mrs. MallardRead MoreThe Story of an Hour1203 Words   |  5 PagesAlternate ending to â€Å"The Story of an Hour† â€Å"Someone was opening the front door with a latchkey, it was Brently Mallard who entered, a little travel stained, composedly carrying his grip-sack and umbrella. He had been far from the scene of the accident, and did not even know there had been one. He stood amazed at Josephine s piercing cry; at Richards quick motion to screen him from the view of his wife† (Chopin, 16). 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She experiences a complete joy over the death of her husband and dies from the shock of discoveringRead MoreKate Chopin s An Hour1323 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"protection† under an onerous marriage. In The Story of an Hour, through peculiar sentence structure, feministic themes, and irony, Kate Chopin portrays the resentment of women towards the oppressive institution of marriage through Mrs. Mallard’s joviality for her newly discovered freedom- a product of her husband’s assumed passing. Body Paragraph #1- Literary Device: Sentence Structure Kate Chopin commences the short story with â€Å"Knowing that Mrs. Mallard was afflicted with a heart trouble, great care