The Story of an Hour Group

Question:

smoot
smoot
Student
High School - 11th Grade

What is the theme of The Story of an Hour? What is the main idea?

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Posted by smoot on Saturday July 7, 2007 at 5:43 PM and tagged with the story of an hour, theme.

Answers:


  1. brendawm Teacher
    High School - 9th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    There are two main themes in "The Story of an Hour.” Identity and Selfhood—Chopin examines issues of “female self-discovery and identity” through having her main character demonstrate extreme feelings of grief upon learning of her husband’s death, only to have those feelings immediately replaced by an indescribable feeling she can only describe as "free, free, free!" or as having "abandoned herself."  In essence, she has basically lived through her husband, and now that she thinks he is gone, she realizes with astonishing exhilaration that she is free and her life is her own once again.  Imagine her sense of complete devastation upon his return. The other theme is the Role of Women in Marriage, and Chopin broaches a subject that was not very popular in her time—the right of the husband to dominate the wife in a marriage.  In the story Louise Mallard is elated that she would  no longer have to bend to the will of her husband.

    These are the two main themes briefly summarized, but you may read more at the link below.

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/story-hour/14194

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    Posted by brendawm on Saturday July 7, 2007 at 7:05 PM


  2. bmadnick Teacher
    High School - 11th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    I just want to add to the theme of the role of women in marriage. One thing the author makes clear in this story is that Brently Mallard was not a mean or abusive husband to Louise. As Louise is sitting in the upstairs room alone, she admits that "she would weep again when she saw the kind, tender hands folded in death, the face that had never looked save with love upon her, fixed and gray and dead." It's important to know that her husband had been a kind and loving man and, in spite of this, Louise is happy that she will live the rest of her life without him and now hopes she will have a very long life.

    The author is stressing to us that women had no rights at that time to choose their lives. Louise Mallard is a woman who wanted opportunities that were available only to men. A woman was conditioned to go from her father's home to her husband's, and no thought was given to asking if she wanted to go to college or work. This is why it takes Louise a moment to understand "this thing that was approaching to possess her, and she was striving to beat it back with her will ...". She tries to fight this strange feeling she's having, but she can't, and then the words "free, free, free" pour out.

    Louise Mallard didn't want out of a bad marriage; she did not want to be married. She wanted to make her own decisions and live her life the way she chose.

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/story-hour

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    Posted by bmadnick on Saturday July 7, 2007 at 10:54 PM

  3. housets4lyf
    housets4lyf Student
    High School - 12th Grade

    brendawm, u just sved me from my teacher's wrath.haha thx anyway for the answer

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    Posted by housets4lyf on Wednesday October 7, 2009 at 5:00 AM