Marquez 1

Adamaris Marquez

Introduction to Literature

Dr. Paul Bowers

October 12, 2022

Conflict in Chopin’s ‘The Story of An Hour’

In Kate Chopin’s ‘The Story of an Hour’ the main character, Louise Mallard, dies from

joy after hearing the news of her husband, Brently’s, death. Strange as it may be, it is a great way

to introduce the conflict that occurs in this story. Much like in her novel ‘The Awakening’

Chopin describes the pressure placed upon women to meet the expectations of a wife. In ‘The

Story of an Hour’ Mallard loves her husband, so one would be surprised to think she would cheer

after her husband’s death. However, we tend to forget that women now are allowed to be more

than just a wife, mother, and homemaker.

Women in the 1890’s were nothing if not property to the men they married. This would

explain why Louise exclaimed “Free! Body and soul free!” after getting over the initial shock of

her husband’s death. She was no longer worried about the misery she saw ahead. With Brently’s

death came a new life where she would not be expected to cater to his every need nor would she

have to bear his children and take care of them while Brently was at work. Her body was once

again hers.

Although, it is not explicit that Louise Mallard’s joy is opposed by societal expectations,

the simple 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”
 Marquez 2

(Chopin 584) tells the reader how Chopin viewed society’s behavior towards women. In the eyes

of the people Louise Mallard is describing, women were meant to be owned and nothing more.

Despite the love she felt for her husband, she feared of having a long life before Brently had

died. She felt her soul belonged to him and that she would not get it back until he died.

I was upset to read about Brently being alive and that it was Louise who died but at the

same time, her death only makes sense to me. Had she not died, her hope of a life for herself

would have taken her place. Unlike today where you could leave your spouse after realizing you

hate them; you would not be able to divorce them in the 1890’s. Louise Mallard would have had

to remain married to Brently and would have had to slowly fade away as she cared for him

because her peers would never allow her to leave.