Symbolism In The Story Of An Hour

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Recommended: The role of the nineteenth-century female in literature

When people think of marriage the first though that may come to mind is the concept of love. The idea that a new life will begin for that happy coupe; a life full of love, compassion, affection, and joy. The union or marriage between two people is supposed to signify the commitment of always being there for one another; through the ups and downs. In this piece of literature Kate Chopin contradicts this theory. “The Story of an Hour” proves that is a great piece of literature for its amazing theme, the author’s use of symbolisms, and its use of irony.
To begin with, the protagonist of the story, Mrs. Mallard, helps us understand the life woman had to live in the 1890’s. In those specific years, between the late 1800’s and the early 1900,s woman …show more content…

Mallard realizes the shocking truth of her husband. At the beginning of the story we discover that Mrs. Mallard suffers from a heart condition when Richard and her sister try to deliver the news with caution; in addition, this indicates that Mrs. Mallard is also very fragile. Moreover, these hold ironies because of her unhappiness in her own marriage; the heart meaning her love for her husband, and the trouble indicating her struggle in her marriage. In “The Story of an Hour” Kate Chopin states, “…she had died of heart disease--of the joy that kills.” When Mrs. Mallard heard the news of her husband sudden death we realized that her true feeling were joyful and in a way relieved. Already feeling overwhelmed with her new found freedom, Mrs. Mallard receives another shocking discovery by seeing that her husband was actually alive. This caused her to have a heart attack. When she died her family could’ve presumed she died of happiness for the sudden revelation of her husband return, when in reality her happiness was taken away from her as soon as Mr. Mallard walked through the door. The surprising ending and the irony gave the story a feeling of meaning and understanding of what really was going on in Mrs. Mallards

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