Kate Chopin's short story "The Story of an Hour" explores how marriage can limit one's freedom, especially for women in the 19th century. When Mrs. Mallard learns of her husband's death, she initially feels joyful and free from her marriage. However, when she discovers he is still alive, the shock proves fatal for her weak heart. Through symbols of Mrs. Mallard's heart condition and an open window, as well as her independent nature and disappointment at her husband's return, the story shows how much she valued her freedom and independence outside of her marriage. The theme of marriage restricting one's liberty is conveyed through irony and the characters' differing perspectives on Mrs. Mallard's emotional state.

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George Jenkins
Professor Krista Keyes
English 1020
06/20/16
Word Count: 830
An Analysis of Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour”
Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour” explores the effects marriage has on freedom.
Marriage is meant to be founded on the love and interdependence two people share between one
another. While marriage brings people together, there are always pros and cons to every decision
made. This societal custom often times causes people to give up substantial amounts of their
independence. Women in particular have felt the brunt of this, especially during the time of
traditional house wives when this story is written. In Chopin’s short story, she uses symbolism,
characterization, and irony to convey her theme of the loss of freedom people experience in
marriage.
The opening line of the story says that “Mrs. Mallard was afflicted with heart trouble”
(278). This heart condition is a pressing matter throughout the story. A woman with a weak heart
would not be able to handle devastating news very well. This is why her sister had to “… break
to her as gently as possible the news of her husband’s death” (278). However, this news never
triggers her heart to fail as her family worries, instead she says to herself with rejoice, “Free!
Body and soul free” (279). This freedom is shown as Mrs. Mallard is alone and “…was drinking
in a very elixir of life through that open window” (279). The open window stands as a symbol

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representing her new found freedom. Later, the shock of finding out her husband is alive causes
her death which the doctor accredits to heart disease. The heart condition is physical while
symbolically representing her emotional state towards the marriage, as well as her displeasure of
the freedom marriage has taken from her life.
Mrs. Mallard is not the typical nineteenth century house wife, she is “… young, with a
fair, calm face, whose lines bespoke repression and even a certain strength” (278). Her
independent nature is expressed after learning that her husband, Brently, died as “She saw
beyond that bitter moment a long procession of the years to come that would belong to her
absolutely” (279). Even during a time of mourning, she is already fanaticizing the new life she
can have now that she is not being restricted by marriage. Mrs. Mallard is simply not satisfied
with the marriage to Brently which is shown as the narrator says, “… she had loved him –
sometimes. Often she had not” (279). With the freedom that comes with being a widow, Mrs.
Mallard looks forward to the rest of her life. Thinking of the future, she “… breathed a quick
prayer that life might be long” (279). This woman has suffered through the oppression of her
marriage and is now free, fulfilling the independence she desires. The characterization of Mrs.
Mallard especially enhances the theme throughout the story.
The other characters in the story do not know the feelings of Mrs. Mallard as the reader
does. Situational irony presents itself as she is actually happy rather than heartbroken over her
Brently’s death. When finding out the news, “She did not stop to ask if it were or were not a
monstrous joy that held her” (279). Everyone would expect a wife to be devastated to learn such
news yet this brought her joy. The ending of the story says, “When the doctor came they said she
had died of heart disease – of joy that kills” (280). The other characters believe that Mrs. Mallard
has died because the shock of seeing her husband alive brought too much happiness for her heart

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to handle. The reader knows this is not the case. She died due to the disappointed and sorrowed
shock she received to see him alive. All the thoughts of freedom and of a long happy
independent life were destroyed. The unorthodox responses Mrs. Mallard has to both learning
her of husband’s death and him being alive shows the reader how valuable her freedom is to her.
The irony solidifies the message of how marriage causes people to lose their freedom.
The story expresses the theme of the loss of freedom people experience in marriage. The
theme is developed during the work with the usage of symbolism, characterization, and irony.
The symbol of heart trouble plays a key role in showing the importance of freedom Mrs. Mallard
values in life. Throughout the story her character is developed to show a desire for freedom in
addition to her dismal attitude towards the marriage. Mrs. Mallard’s unorthodox responses to her
husband’s death and later him actually being alive helps the reader understand that Brently’s
death provided hope for a brighter, more independent future. This man’s death actually granted
her the freedom she once had prior to marrying him. Though this work was written over a
hundred years ago, the theme of marriage causing the loss of freedom is relevant to this day. This
story speaks for the importance of spouses giving each other the room to be free and follow
individual dreams while still maintaining a loving, healthy relationship.

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Work Cited
Chopin, Kate. “The Story of an Hour.” The Norton Introduction to Literature. Mays, Kelly. The
Norton Introduction to Literature Portable. 11th ed. 277. Print.