The Story Of An Hour Free Essay Example

tasks as quiet members of the household.

  In the story, the ensuing conduct of the woman in reaction to her husband’s death brings forth the apparently welcome idea of freedom and release from marital bondage, and the promise of a life unrestricted.III. CharactersThere are four characters in the story—Mrs. Mallard, her sister Josephine, her husband’s friend Richards, and the husband himself, Brently Mallard—but the focus remains on Mrs. Mallard.

  She is described as young, with a fair yet lined face, and is known to have heart trouble.  This depiction is common of women at the time, and alludes to a life of submission and monotony.  Her uncharacteristic behavior is the basis for the theme, reveals the kind of life she had, and the one she would like to have.  Her heart ailment is the reason behind her default facade, but is tested by the range of emotions she had to go through, and is the cause of her own death.  This condition could not handle the extremes of joy at being free, and joy at finding her husband alive.  The final blow could also be read as punishment for desiring to be free, if the mores of the times are to be considered.

IV. PlotThe movement of the story, in its simplicity, can be interpreted superficially as but human reactions to bad news, notwithstanding the unexpected behavior of Mrs. Mallard.  But further reading will reveal how the author brilliantly set up the plot in the classic suspense style, with very few clues as to what may come in the end.  The detail of Mrs.

Mallard’s heart trouble is subtly mentioned, yet figures prominently in the story. 

Much is spent describing the transformation of the character from a woman in mourning to a “goddess of Victory”, that the reader would fully understand where each emotion is coming from as well as a revelation of the character’s life.  The arrival of the husband is the catalyst that questions Mrs. Mallard’s choice—which ultimately discards her fleeting triumph, and rejoices in the normality of being a wife.