Student Question
What clues indicate "The Story of an Hour" is set in the late 1800s?
Quick answer:
The setting of "The Story of an Hour" in the late 1800s is suggested by several clues. References to a peddler in the square and the use of telegrams for news indicate a 19th-century context. Additionally, the term "gripsack," a type of small travel bag popularized around 1875-1880, supports this timeframe. These elements collectively suggest a setting in the late 19th century.
There are few if any details in the story that place it specifically in the late 19th century. But there are nonetheless certain clues that it takes place at some point in the 19th century. For one thing, there's a reference to a peddler in the square below crying his wares. This would've been a frequent sight in the 19th century, both in the United States and in Europe.
Then we're told that news of the railroad disaster was received in the newspaper office by telegram. In the days before radio, TV, and the internet, this is how people received news.
Last but not least, we have the gripsack carried by Brently Mallard as he makes his surprise—and to Louise, unwelcome—return. Gripsacks were little traveling bags that became popular in the late 19th century. Indeed, the word gripsack itself entered common usage around about 1875 to 1880.
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