The Story of an Hour - Analysis

"The Story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin was a very feminist influenced story. The story began with the introduction of Mrs. Mallard as a very unstable woman who had heart issues (Chopin 554). Her husband had just died in a train accident, and her sister was the one to tell her the news. As soon as she heard, she wept profusely in her room (Chopin 554). She spent a great deal of time sitting, slumped in her chair thinking back on the fact that she was alone (Chopin 554). Suddenly, a thought rushed into her head, and she realized she was free. She muttered under her breath "free, free, free!" (Chopin 554). She realize that she was no longer under the control of her husband. She did acknowledge that she would be sad again when she was forced to see his dead body at his grave, but she knew that she would spend the rest of her life in happiness (Chopin 555). Mrs. Mallard wouldn't ever have a man to control her. The story ended with Mrs. Mallard opening the front door, to reveal her husband, unharmed from the accident that he was not even near (Chopin 555). She then died from what the doctor claimed to be "the joy that kills" (Chopin 555).

This story is a true reflection of women's rights during the time period. Even though is was perceived that Mrs. Mallard died from the joy she felt from seeing her husband again, there is another take on the event. She actually died from the shock of seeing her husband again, but not in happiness. She was so ecstatic that she would be able to be a free and powerful woman, and the thought of her husband being back in her life caused her to die. Since she was a powerful woman, she would rather die than give up her freedom as a woman. Chopin translated her ideas as a feminist into her story "The Story of an Hour."


Chopin, Kate. "The Story of an Hour." Comp. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm, Ph.D. and Douglas Fisher, Ph.D. Glencoe Literature. American Literature ed. Columbus: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2009. 551- 555. Print.