Feminism In Kate Chopin's The Story Of An Hour

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In “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin, a woman is tantalized by the loss of her husband, as announced by those dearest to her in her time of need. When she finally comes to terms with the fact, she comes to realize that there is some goodness in the bad news, and she begins to find freedom in her new life by herself. Just when she becomes enthusiastic with the idea of living a new life alone, her husband walks in the door, and was apparently nowhere near the accident that supposedly killed him, to which Mrs. Mallard, the woman protagonist in question, can’t handle and has a heart attack. A feminist critical analysis of this story reveals a depiction of a strongly patriarchal society through the author’s use of diction, an idea of oppression as expressed by the tone, as well as the concept of the position of the woman being elevated above that of the man.…show more content…
Mallard’s monologue locked up in her room. Mrs. Mallard had “saw beyond that bitter moment a long procession of years to come that would belong to her absolutely”, and she “opened and spread her arms out to them in welcome.” She had realized that she would be able to do whatever she wanted with her own time from then on, without having obligations to her husband or anyone else. Furthermore, she feels more alive than ever without anyone holding her back. In relation to that thought, she “was drinking in a very elixir of life” as she contemplated the circumstances of her husband’s absence in her life. In other words, she felt that the loss of her husband would actually stimulate her, both mentally and physically. These quotes show that, through the diction the author chose to use, a feminist criticism is portrayed within the mentality Mrs. Mallard pertains to upon the loss of her

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