Feminist View of Kate Chopin's "The Story of an Hour" #1

Feminism is the belief in gender equality in social, economic, and political matters. Feminism can be found all throughout the world, and it is represented by a variety of organizations dedicated to advancing women's rights and interests. Kate Chopin was one of the first American feminist writers to raise awareness of the issue of women's liberation in society through her writings. Chopin addresses a woman's situation in a patriarchal society from a feminist perspective in her work "The Story of an Hour," which was first released in 1894, and it is feasible to interpret that story as a feminist statement and evaluate it from two aspects. As a result, certain feminist themes in "The Story of an Hour" can be examined from the perspectives of women's inequality in marriage and women's liberation.

Chopin depicted ladies as oppressed and mistreated by society. Ladies were overwhelmed by their husbands, they were constrained to live the life which was controlled by their husbands. While their husbands were independent, ladies were seen as a slave in marriage. Ladies had to do house chores all day, obey their husbands without a complaint.

Mrs. Mallard is depicted as a lady who was not like other women of her time. Her sister Josephine, for instance, belonged to a group of women who were entirely devoted to their spouses; did not even live for themselves. As a result, Josephine could not conceive Louise being relieved that her husband had died. Louise, on the other hand, was "drinking a very elixir of life through that open window" while daydreaming about her unique life. The following is a summary of Mrs. Mallard's reaction to her husband's death. The woman lived in a patriarchal society, which meant that her liberties were disregarded and her presence was neglected. Mrs. Mallard "breathed a short prayer that life might be long" since she has eventually afforded the chance to throw off the constraints of marriage, then choose a fresh start of freedom. This was just yesterday that she shuddered at the prospect of a lengthy life. This indicates a significant difference in Mrs. Mallard's perspective on married and unmarried women. Through one situation, she would quite prefer death, whereas, from the other, she lives life to the fullest. This demonstrates how accurate Howard's portrayal of the tasks and responsibilities of a 19th-century wife is in the example of Mrs. Mallard.

The story's conclusion may potentially be interpreted from a variety of perspectives. The patriarchal advocates would claim that the wife died of joy when she discovered her husband was still alive. They would also point to her heart disease as the source of the family's problems. The lady, on the other hand, died of frustration, according to feminists. Furthermore, her heart illness could be viewed as a contributing factor in her failed marriage. Louise first gained sovereignty and liberty by freeing herself from her oppressive husband, and then she saw him alive. Louise was afraid of losing her individuality once more, and her heart could not bear the agony and despair.