Essay Database

Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour” is the compelling short short story of the loss of love, but in return, the gain of freedom. The main character, Mrs. Mallard, “loses” her husband, but soon realizes that she has acquired a new life for herself. The plot of “The Story of an Hour” centers on Mrs. Mallard and her reaction to the news of her husband’s death. The story itself opens to tell …

…death. In the span of an “hour” Mrs. Mallard seems to live a lifetime. She experiences loss, yet comes to the realization that the loss of her husband will finally allow her to truly live for herself. Mrs. Mallard’s death allows her a graceful exit from her conflict—she does not have to go back to a life of restriction, but breaks the bonds that tied her and escapes to freedom through her death.