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American Literature
The story of an hour
Kate Chopin
The storm
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Kate Chopin
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Author
Born
Birthplace
Works
Died
8 February 1851
St. Louis, Missouri
The Awakening, The story of an hour, The storm,….
22 August 1904 (cerebral hemorrhage)
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Name at birth: Katherine O`Flaherty
Born in St. Louis, she moved to New Orleans after marrying Oscar Chopin in 1870. And they moved to his family`s plantation in the Natchitoches Parish of northwestern Louisiana. Oscar died in 1882 and Kate suddenly became a young widow with six children. She turned to writing and published her first poem in 1889.
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Works
The Awakening, considered Chopin`s masterpiece, was subject to harsh criticism at the time for its frank approach to sexual themes. Chopin`s short stories of Cajun and Creole life are collected in Bayou Folk (1894) and A Night in Acadie (1897), and include "The Story of an Hour“ (1894) and "The Storm”(1898).
The story of an hour



Kate Chopin
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The story of an hour
Plot summary
Analysis
Symbols
Characters
Theme
Content
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Plot summary

"The Story of an Hour" is the story of an hour in the life of Mrs. Louise Mallard, a young woman who has heart trouble. Her younger sister Josephine and Richard – Mr. Mallard’s friend have come to her after hearing of a railroad disaster that has resulted in the death of Mr. Mallard. Both are concerned that the news will make Mrs. Mallard ill and Josephine takes great care to tell her the news as cautiously as she is able.
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Plot summary
Mrs. Mallard reacts to the news with "sudden, wild abandonment" and locks herself in her bedroom. In the solitude of her room Mrs. Mallard understands the fundamental change taking place in her life. She sits in a chair, no longer crying,.... She says three times only one word: Free! Free! Free! But finally, Mr. Mallard comes back in the surprise of everyone, especially Mrs. Mallard. And she dies of heart disease – of joy that kills.
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Characters
Described as young woman with a fair,
calm face.
- Mrs. Mallard endured because of her inability to maintain her independence, or to express what she desired. In essence,
she was controlled by
her husband in almost
every respect.
Mr. Mallard
Brently Mallard, Mrs. Mallard`s husband, is assumed dead after a railroad disaster. When he reappears at the front door, the shock causes Mrs. Mallard`s death.
Josephine
Josephine tells Mrs. Mallard about her husband`s death and implores Louise to let
her into the room after she has shut herself inside. Josephine,
a woman who embodies the feminine ideal, assumes that Louise is suffering terribly from the news, not knowing her sister
is actually overjoyed
with the prospect of
being a widow.
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Themes
The forbidden joy of independence
The inherent oppressiveness of marriage
Weeping

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Symbols

Heart trouble

The open window
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Questions

Why does Mrs. Mallard die of the joy that kills?
Give some reasons why when hearing the death of her husband, Mrs. Mallard is unhappy at first and over-joys after that.

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Answer
1. Mrs. Mallard dies "of joy that kills“. These words carry the absolutely opposite meaning, than they read. We understand, that the doctors are wrong, thinking that she dies from happiness of seeing her husband again. She chooses rather to die than to live again under her husband`s will, especially after experiencing freedom, even just for one hour. This hour in a comfortable armchair in front of the open window made her feel happy and free, made her to understand the sense of her being, and it was the only real hour of her life.
Thank You !
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