The Story of an hour by Kate Chopin
In "The Story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin, Mrs. Mallard's sister is hesitant to tell her that her husband has reportedly been killed in a railroad accident because of Mallard's heart problem. I initially assumed that she would have felt her heart suddenly sink and see no future without the presence of her spouse because when she cuts herself off from her friends and family, we are first given the imagery of an open window with no sign of happiness. However, as the narrative goes on, I see that Mrs. Mallard, instead of being in a state of mourning, made an unexpected turn and now views the world with a sense of youthful curiosity. Given that the text even mentions that Mrs. Mallard would grieve for her husband at his funeral, I don't think she despised her husband and was glad he was dead yet the text still proves that the death meant a new refreshing beginning for her.
To support the idea that she did genuinely grieve--note that before imagery of the open window, and what she sees and hears through that opening in the wall, there is a lot of detail indicating a state of genuine grief, and also helplessness, which, of course, changes during the story (note the contrast in physical description before and after her self-discovery); the narrative indicates that she is in a complex emotional/psychological state throughout the story--both grieving, yet gradually becoming aware of a possibility that takes her beyond that grief to a fuller, more complete state of being...
ReplyDeleteI also believe she had deep grief. Mrs. Mallard as a woman who is in deep suffering. She is not only suffering from a marriage she is not happy with, but she is also suffering from her medical condition. The news that her husband has died in a railroad accident got out meanwhile, her sister is there to help tell her and comfort her with the news.
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