1) In the first paragraph of "The Story of an Hour," Chopin uses the term "heart trouble"

primarily in a medical sense, but over the course of the story, Mrs. Mallard's presumed frailty
seems to be largely a result of psychological repression rather than truly physiological factors.
The story concludes by attributing Mrs. Mallard's death to heart disease, where heart disease is
"the joy that kills." This last phrase is purposefully ironic, as Louise must have felt both joy and
extreme disappointment at Brently's return, regaining her husband and all of the loss of freedom
her marriage entails. The line establishes that Louise's heart condition is more of a metaphor
for her emotional state than a medical reality."

Mrs Mallard’s heart trouble is both symbolic and ironic. It symbolizes the same trouble as the
narrator is having in the Yellow Wallpaper. However, more than anything the pain is comic in
Chopin’s story. Mrs Mallard’s heart cannot hold neither extreme joy and nor pain. However, it is
ironic that she can receive the news of her husband’s death but his return becomes too painful for
her to bear.

the author mentions this trouble right in the first paragraph. This adds to the sarcasm in the story.
Her heart trouble also symbolizes her comic situation. As a wife she is expected to feel deeply
pained at her husband’s death. The sorrow must be enough to break her heart. The irony is that
she receives the news with relief and only acts like she is deeply shocked.

being free from the role of a wife means a new liberty for her. Her heart has been held captive
and now it is ready to breath in freedom
3) This passage deals with Mrs. Mallard's newly found sense of freedom. She feels alive and sees
the things around her for what seems like the first time in forever. Rain has a fresh smell, singing
and sparrows signify a new awareness......... so many things go unnoticed when you fail to pay
attention.

the author has used sensory images to depict how free her soul is feeling. These things have
always been around but she has watched and felt them like a bird watching the outside world
from inside the cage. The sight outside her window appears new because she is seeing it in a new
light.
2) The limitation of the physical settings reflects the limitations imposed upon her. It reflects the
limited life she lives and which she feels relieved from upon receiving the news of her husband’s
death. A room, a staircase and a front door; this is how the author has defined the physical limits
of Mrs Mallard’s daily life. When she receives the news of her husband’s death, it seems like she
can live a new life and that these limits will be removed.

“She could see in the open square before her house the tops of trees that were all aquiver with
the new spring life. The delicious breath of rain was in the air. In the street below a peddler was
crying his wares”.

The one hour’s limit that is at the core of the story is also a limit in itself which denotes that
liberty and joy did not live long for a woman.
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4)It was a decent relationship, but it was a traditional one; he loved her but he was still in control

Mrs Mallard does not hate her husband but in their relationship it seems there is very limited
love and trust between the two.  As a wife she had never felt complete. There were stronger
impulses inside her heart
5) Chopin makes a point of telling that Mrs Mallard has closed her room to people but lets her
window remain open so fresh air and light can come to her life
The implicit idea that she has somehow been living an imprisoned life is reflected at several
points throughout the story. The entire story takes place within the confines of a house – a room,
a staircase and just come extra space. It looks like for the first time she has enjoyed some free air
that flows through her window. She has been sick of being a wife and so all the things appear
new to her from the fresh monsoon wind to the twittering of the sparrows.
6) Josephine and Richard are both representations of a society that exists around Mrs Mallard
and its traditional mind set. They are the people that are there to help Mrs Mallard bear the shock
of her husband’s death.

Josephine is an ironic character On the one hand, the sister is rejoicing at Mrs Mallard’s new
found freedom, on the other she is comically trying to console her as if Mrs Mallard will die of
sorrow.

Richards also has a comical presence in the story. Both Josephine and Richards are following the
customs of their society. Richards slowly reveals the news of her husband’s death to Mrs
Mallard so as not to shock her. Again at the end, he motions to Mr Mallard to hide himself from
his wife’s view but it is too late by then.
7) The author compares her with a goddess of victory because she bore a satisfaction in her
heart that is felt after having found victory. For the first time had she felt such contentment in her
heart. It was like a war had ended in her life
She is feeling victorious because she would not have to act like the wife of a man she only half
loved.
8) Chopin shows how even science has failed before the social traditions and customs. Every
wife is expected to be overjoyed to know that her husband has escaped death. The doctors too
think the same. They too cannot understand what underlies Mrs Mallard’s heart condition. The
author has used the doctors instead of Josephine and Richards to deepen the sarcasm in the story.

It’s like truth dies with her

9) In the nineteenth century, the society was largely patriarchal and the women were expected to
behave like their husband’s shadow and follow their wish and will. When Mrs Mallard gets the
news of her husband’s death, she feels like she has been released from bondage. Society and
people’s attitude towards marriage has changed a lot since then. The situation has changed but
not very much. Except for the women that are well educated and belong to the upper class, those
who are not self-dependent, still lead a similar life as in the nineteenth century.  Marriage is not
bondage anymore because divorces have become common, but the irony related with marriage is
still the same.
10) Mrs Mallard is on a symbolical journey to a different world where her soul can find eternal
peace and liberty For an hour she has transitioned to this world where she finds solace and takes
a fresh breath of freedom.

However, the irony is that for a woman to find such freedom in life was not possible in the 19th
century.