Mallard's Abuse

Mark Twain, in 1888, stated that “both marriage and death ought to be welcome: the one promises happiness, doubtless the other assures it.” Under the law during this time period, marriage was a completely different institution than what It is considered today. To have a marriage with some of the same controlling aspects during this day and age would be considered abuse. In Kate Chopin’s The Story of an Hour, Chopin preserves an inside look into marriage during her days by presenting her readers with the Mallard family. In her presentation, Chopin displays the Mallard’s type of relationship along with their social interactions and feelings towards each other.

Mrs. Mallard, once married to Brently Mallard, no longer lived for herself, she lived

Mallard, however, has no clue that his wife feels this way about his actions “he was not unkind intentionally”. If anything she was uncomfortable with talking to her husband about how she felt due to society’s influence in shaping their marriage and each party’s role within the marriage. Early on, Mrs. Mallard seemed unsatisfied with her part in the marriage, “with a face whose lines bespoke repression” (Chopin 15), her physical appearance even gave way to her dissatisfaction. Contrary to modern times, divorce was not an option, the only way out of a marriage, that allowed the wife to have a life of her own, was for the husband to make her a widow. When Mrs. Mallard spoke the words “free, free, free” she indeed felt liberated, as if she had been given a new breath of life. She could now “live for herself” (Chopin16) and not be confined to her home and controlled by her husband no matter if the intention were kind or cruel. Finally, Mrs. Mallard would be free to make her own decisions and the thought of that was a pure excitement for

Mallard, even in her new found love for life, knew that she would miss her husband. She had even wept in “wild abandonment” when she found out the news at first. The Mallards were not a perfect match for each other, “she had loved him… often she had not” (Chopin16) she had only loved him sometimes. Mr. Mallard had loved her and was very good to his wife, he had only “looked at her with love in his eyes”, but unfortunately Mrs. Mallard never felt exactly the same way. Nonetheless, she had still cared for him and did her duty. She knew deep inside that she would “weep when she saw those hands folded in death” at the funeral. Mr. Mallard had only been what her life had been revolving around all this time; it would only be human nature to miss someone when they pass on, even when that person was someone who pushed their authority and will upon you, just like in Mrs. Mallard’s