'The Story of an Hour' as a Feminist Text Essay

Kate Chopin is a famous author of feminist stories and novels in the western world and 'A story of an hour' is a good example of a feminist text. In 'A Story of an Hour', Chopin creates a character that she uses to address many concerns surrounding the theme of feminism. She expresses a woman's unique identity that is different from her husband and identifies the right of a woman to delight in her interests. Even though some aspects of the story are controversial and ironic, for example, Mrs. Mallard feels excited after learning about her husband's death, readers emphasize with her feelings.

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The story focuses on female oppression in the marriages of the 19th century. The author is addressing a society where men own their women and control everything in marriage. She reveals this through a deep examination of the protagonist's thoughts on her husband's death as well as the story's descriptive events. One indication of oppression appears at the beginning where the protagonist is named "Mrs. Mallard. Her first name is revealed later in the story while her husband is given the first name at the start. She is only referred to as the wife of Brently Mallard. She is only addressed by her name only when she becomes "free! Body and soul free" (16).

The story portrays women's lack of freedom. When Mrs. Mallard hears the news of the tragic death, she gets emotional for a while but she is swept with joy upon realizing her freedom. " But she saw beyond that bitter moment a long procession of years to come that would belong to her absolutely"(Chopin 14). The author is describing the freedom she attains and how she anticipates years ahead. "There would be no one to live for during those coming years; she would live for herself. 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"(14). The quote portrays a feminist theory that women were oppressed. She was bending her will in pleasing her husband who had total control in the relationship. She did not want to submit to the oppressor (her husband) but rather wanted her independence.

Mrs. Mallard realizes how much she did not love the husband and did not feel the need to feel guilty. She breaks away from the role of a perfect wife forced on her and stops holding back. The story shows how she develops her own identity. The author introduces her as Mrs. Mallard; she has no identity of her own, rather she is a woman who belongs to Mr. Mallard. She realizes how free she is after her husband's death and her emotions shift from grief to a realization of her freedom. It is after these thoughts that her sister calls her Louise; signifying that she is now equal to men.

'The Story of An Hour,' is an example of how women can change thoughts without limitations. Mrs. Mallard thinking changed after her husband's death. In the story, "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" (19). Her husband's death restored life in her future; she could now live for herself.

After probing the story, I have captured several insights. The most important lesson is you need to live your own life-the reason why Mrs. Mallard lived for only an hour. "Being afflicted with heart trouble, great care was taken to break the tragic news". Emphasizing that the story's events happen in an hour, the author explains how things can be taken from us unexpectedly.

Work cited

Chopin, Kate. The Story of an Hour: Short Story. Toronto, Ontario: HarperPerennial Classics, 2014. Internet resource.