The Quest For Freedom In The Story Of An Hour By Kate Chopin

Freedom â€Å"Free! Body and soul free!†(paragraph 14) says Louise, a character in â€Å"The Story of an Hour† by Kate Chopin. Louise continues to repeat this phrase as she believes that her husband is now dead. She is a free woman who may now partake in whatever her heart desires. Usually when a woman becomes a widow she is filled with grief and sadness. Yet, Louise demonstrates otherwise. She is hit with a great amount of freedom rather than the common loneliness a widow experiences. In death, a person’s mind, body, and soul is set free; similar to what Mrs. Mallard briefly experiences. Later on in the story, when Mrs. Mallard sees that her husband is still alive, she is so shocked that she dies from this discovery. In the short story, â€Å"The Story†¦show more content†¦Louise sinking into the armchair allows her to finally relax. Both her mind and soul disconnects from reality as she takes in this new sense of freedom and independence. It is very evident t hat Louise was mentally enslaved, or trapped by her husband and that she was longing for relief. When Louise receives the news of her husband’s death a sudden relief flowed through her body. Resting in the armchair allowed Louise to let go and discover who she wants to be and how she wants to live her life. Furthermore, Mr. Mallards death symbolizes Mrs. Mallard’s new independence Mr. Mallards death showed how a burden was lift off of Mrs. Mallard’s shoulders. Louise no longer had to stress about being controlled by her husband. She now had her own identity and was the boss of herself. Mrs. Mallard chants, â€Å"free, free, free†(paragraph 10) as she feels something happening in her body. That something, being the feeling of her body coming alive. Chopin says, â€Å"her pulses beat fast, and the coursing blood warmed and relaxed every inch of her body† (paragraph 10). If Mr. Mallard had not died, Louise would not feel so alive. Mr. Mallard’s death symbolizes a new life for Mrs. Mallard. Louise knows that she can now live for herself and not for anyone else, for the rest of her days. Now, Mrs. Mallard has so much more to look forward to, rather than being a housewife. â€Å"The Story of an Hour† was written in the time frameShow MoreRelatedKate Chopin, An American Writer1425 Words   |  6 PagesKate Chopin, an American writer, known for her vivid portrayals of women’s lives during the late 1800s. Her fiction works usually set in Louisiana, which contributed too much of her description of women’s roles. During Chopin’s time, Louisiana was in the midst of reconstruction and was having racial and economic issues. (Skaggs 4) Louisiana is the setting for many of Chopin’s stories, and they depict a realistic picture of Louisiana society. 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