Kate Chopin- Story of an Hour

Kate Chopin’s “A Story of an Hour” details the female protagonist Louis Mallard’s grief over the death of her husband while also acknowledging the newfound freedom that came along with his death. Though she longed to have her husband back, his passing filled her with growth and wisdom that she could not turn her back on. Unfortunately, Mrs. Mallard did not experience the happy ending we all hoped for when the reemergence of her assumed-dead husband causes her to die of apparent shock. Ultimately, despite the new confidence and independence she found within herself, she still experienced her demise due to a man. Chopin’s work leaves readers with a melancholy aftertaste and but forces us to confront two conflicting emotions. She channels both strength and vulnerability. She is fearless in approaching the topics of sexuality, marriage, women’s rights and divorce in the context of feminism. The very issues Chopin tackled in her work over 100 years ago have a valid place in society today, marking her as a timeless writer.