Kate Chopin wrote a short story called, “Story Of An Hour” and it’s about a woman, Mrs. Mallard who is given the horrifying news that her husband has just died during a train wreck. Devastated by her husband’s unexpected death, she excused herself and immediately rushes to her bedroom where we optically discern a distinctive side of Mrs. Mallard’s behavior. She has taken on a exclusive behavior of lifestyles now, she is upset about her husband’s unexpected death, however; she has something to be ecstatic about it. Since her husband has passed away, is Mrs. Mallard happy because she is now her own person? Or is Mrs. Mallard genuinely upset that her husband has passed?
One major theme in Kate Chopin’s story is freedom. In the story of “Story of an Hour” the scene opens up and we are introduced to Mrs. Mallard who has been apprised that her husband has died in a horrible train wreck. Mrs. Mallard reacts to this information like any other spouse would. Affirmative, she is upset; consequently she exculpates herself and rushes off to her bedroom to be away from everyone who has come to visually perceive her.
While in her room we as the reader visually perceive a very consummately different aspect of Mrs. Mallard. She in some sense is ecstatic; yes she is upset that her husband has died, however she now has this incipient discovered liberation that she did not have afore. “When she abandoned herself a little whispered word escaped her slightly parted lips. She said it over and over under the breath: “free, free, free!” The vacant stare and the look of terror that had followed it went from her eyes. They stayed keen and bright. Her pulses beat fast, and the coursing blood warmed and relaxed every inch of her body“ (Chopin 1).
For the first time you can optically discern that Mrs. Mallard is emerging from her shell, as she is behind closed doors she can authentically express what she is feeling. Mrs. Mallard nevertheless in some sense is cognizant of her place; she is vigilant of that she dared not to express these types of feelings in front of her family and friends. In some way, she kens her place in society and albeit her husband has died, she is still supposed to maintain that stature of a woman in that duration.
Mrs. Mallard is now being reborn. She is now free, liberate from the shadow of her husband. Mrs. Mallard is up in her area, she is standing in front of her window and everything around her is in full bloom, spring has arrived. Winter has now died and spring has currently been born. In some sense the same applies for Mrs. Mallard the winter being her husband has now died and spring brings her incipient discovered liberation has been born. “She could see in the open square before her house the tops of trees that were all aquiver with the new spring life. The delicious breath of rain was in the air. In the street below a peddler was crying his wares. The notes of a distant song which someone was singing reached her faintly, and countless sparrows were twittering in the eaves” (Chopin 1).
The smell of rain is in the air, and that can additionally designate a structure of a renaissance. When I cerebrate of rain and renaissance I cerebrate of a newborn baby being christened. When a child is being christened they’re being born, they are being cleansed. The same applies here for Mrs. Mallard she in some sense is being cleansed, she is now free, free to live her life the way that she gratifies except having to reply to anyone not even her husband. Mrs. Mallard is cognizant of that she now can simply live for herself and no one else. She is cognizant of that she can be her very own person; she does not have to reply to her husband anymore.
“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 1).
Mrs. mallard kens now that she only has to abide herself. She does no longer have to make everyone slaked but herself. She does no longer have to answer to anyone but herself.