The Importance of Freedom in Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour” Essay

Kate Chopins The Story of an Hour grabs its readers from the start and creates an unexpected twist at the end of the short story. Louise Mallard is effrontery the news that her husband has died in a terrible train accident. To her surprise, he arrives home and did not even know there had been one (Chopin, 607). Upon the death of Louise who formerly believes she was a widow only to find that her husband is still alive, the confusion begins. The death of Louise is questioned by many critics as a state of shock, depression, and sadness. However, Mark Cunninghams criticism of Kate Chopins The Story of an Hour states that her death was instead a discovery of freedom from the physical strains of her marriage with her husband and societal views on women. Cunningham argues that at the sight of her living husband, Louises death lies elsewhere in the joy (Cunningham, 49), that she had finally escaped her marriage and the burdens it placed on her life. Cunningham also states that its come-at -able that Louise didnt actually even externalize her husband but that it doesnt necessarily matter. Lastly, Cunningham argues that not only does she escape the strains of the marriage, but Louise also escapes societys natural and degrading views on women and the place they hold in society. In best judgment, Cunningham does an exquisite job at defining the meaning of the significance of Louises death. However, I will argue that Louise Mallards sight of her husband is important to study because it emphasizes her desperate escape from her physically dangerous marriage, which also ineluctably to be considered. I think emphasis should be placed on the idea of symbolism and the role it played in explaining Louises freedom from her marriage. It could be beneficial to ... ...opin, 607). Finally, Cunningham stated that its not important whether or not Louise saw her husband before she died. But, I think its important to address that she did see her husband, because this symbolizes her fi nal stretch to freedom. Cunninghams criticism was certainly successful in creating an understanding of why Chopin wrote the short story in the nineteenth century. Women were in a very tough place in society, but for some like Louise Mallard, there may have been other factors that made freedom such a desirable hope. Works CitedChopin, Kate. The Story of an Hour. The Norton Introduction to Literature. 10th ed. Eds. Alison Booth & Kelly J. Mays. New York W.W. Norton, 2010. 607-608.Cunningham, M. The autonomous female self and the death of Louise Mallard in Kate Chopins Story of an Hour. English Language Notes. 42.1 (2004) 48-55.