ENC 1102: English Composition II

24 February 2011
Die To Be Free
People sometimes are, not to will to love through marriage, but to put themselves in a
situation of loneliness, desperation, and hopelessness. In The Story of an Hour, by Kate Chopin
(1851-1904), it is illustrated through irony how marriage can sometimes signify nothing but
despair and imprisonment, whereas self love and freedom will only be encountered with a
spouses death.
The Story of an Hour, published in 1894, takes place in the house of Louise and Brently
Mallard, where Louise experiences the worst tragedy that any wife could ever imagine. Louise
(Mrs. Mallard), who is the main character of the story, is among Josephine (her sister) and
Richard (her husbands friend) at her house in a usual day, when she finds out about some news
that literally leads her to death.
First of all, it is very important to point out that in the story Mrs. Mallard suffers from
heart trouble. Because of her health condition, she is given the news of the accident and her
husbands death as gently as possible (par. 1) so that she does not suffer from a heart attack.
After receiving the news by Josephine, Mrs. Mallard feels devastated by her lost, and her
reaction to this feeling leads her upstairs to her room seeking loneliness. There stood, facing the
open window, a comfortable, roomy armchair. Into this she sank (par. 4). This section of the
story gives a picture of the armchair giving Mrs. Mallard comfortable satisfaction under the
tragic circumstances, facing the open window suggesting a union to the outside world, and/or
life that can be seen from that window, the top trees that were all aquiver with the new spring

life, the delicious breath of rain was on the air, and countless sparrows were twittering in the
eaves (par. 5). Perhaps, this illustration also gives her spiritual relief.
After this point of the story, it is indicated by the author that Mrs. Mallard tastes freedom
with the lines a little whispered word escaped, free, free, free! (par. 11), and Free! Body
and soul free! She kept whispering (par. 16), even though at the beginning she does not know
what she is feeling. First, in her eyes there is a reflection of intelligent thought (par. 8), which
makes a turning point in the story. It becomes clearer that she is not feeling sorrow anymore, and
that another emotion is overtaking her. Also, the line she was striving to beat it back with her
will (par. 10) shows that, as if it were an intruder in her body, she wanted to fight against this
overwhelming freedom. However, the line There would be no powerful will bending hers in
that blind persistence with which men and women believe they have a right to impose a private
will upon a fellow-creature (par. 14) indicates that her marriage is not quite what she wanted it
to be, she is unhappy and obviously prefers her will back, which suggests imprisonment in some
sense. Therefore, she welcomes freedom with open arms.
While accepting freedom, Mrs. Mallard is interrupted by Josephine, who mistakenly
believes that her sister will die if she thinks about her husbands death for too much time, which
lets the irony begin. Josephine says, Louise, open the door! I beg; open the dooryou will
make yourself ill (par. 17). It is obviously observed that Louise is rejoicing with happiness and
free will, rather than suffering. Mrs. Mallard opens the door with triumph in her eyes (par. 20)
to her sister, and together they descend the stairway, where Richard is standing at the bottom,
waiting for them. Meanwhile, Brently Mallard opens the main door composedly carrying his
grip-sack and umbrella (par. 21), line of which transmits serenity to his action, since he is
unaware of the tragic accident and even more unaware of being on the list of casualties. He

stands amazed at Josephines piercing cry; at Richards motion to screen him from the view of
his wife (par. 21). However, Richard is too late; Mrs. Mallard dies when she sees her husband.
The doctors enter the scene and claim her death as heart diseaseof joy that kills (par. 23).
It is understood that Mrs. Mallard dies neither of happiness nor excitement when she sees
her husband, but depression and disgust. She prefers to die rather than to give away the freedom
that once she experienced. The irony is presented as her death after having just a little taste of
freedom, which she completely believes is superior to her marriage. A marriage which has
imprisoned her will and that she tolerates no longer. It is believed that death brings freedom and
relief; therefore, it is ironic that she reaches freedom after all.