Critical Response to The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin

“The Story of an Hour” or “The Dream on an Hour” is an American literature written by Kate Chopin in 1948. This story is about a woman named Louise, who endures the tragic death of her recent late husband, Brently. Louise’s life turns for the worst after this incident. She feels trapped and confined within her mind, body and soul. Louise is waiting for this feeling to slowly, but surely creep away. Our souls can feel tucked away in our own body while trying to deal with such news. Regardless of the situation, we need to be and feel content with our mind, body and souls. Our emotional and mental health need to feel free, not caged and confined. Therefore, Louise needs to feel the same way to ensure she will fully cope with this.

Louise Mallard and her husband Brently Mallard is a married couple, living their lives as it comes. Years pass by, Mrs. Mallard’s husband, Brently, had a tragic death of being killed. Mrs. Mallard does not know of this yet because she has a few heart problems. Two of her sisters decided to break the news to her. The immediate family and friends gathered nearby which was a reasonable time for the news to be said. Finally, Louise’s sisters got the courage to tell the tragic news to Mrs. Mallard, the new widow. Of course, Louise was in a state of pure shock and sadness. Immediately, Louise cried and cried her newly formed sorrows of her deceased husband. She wanted to be alone and distance from everyone and everything. She secluded herself and hid herself in her room. As she approached her room and closed the door behind herself, she sat in her comfy armchair, as the open-window breeze comes into the room. There she sat onto the chair with a sad and already exhausted expression on her face. She continued to cry and cry her grief away as the nostalgia of her deceased husband fills her mind. She knows many difficult days are ahead trying to cope with this sudden tragedy of her loved one.

Dealing with grief differs from person to person. One can feel caged, possessed, or lost without their loved one. Maybe Louise did not always love Brently. Maybe they always weren’t on good terms with each other. However, they were each other’s puzzle piece. Now that Brently is gone, Louise’s puzzle piece is missing, as she feels the same way; mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. She already feels caged within ...herself. She feels like she is trapped and stuck in a never ending hole of darkness in her body and soul. The need to be free is yet to come.

Louise dreams a sad, yet joyful dream in her sleep. As she is sleeping, she sobs and continues to do so throughout her sleep. In her dream, Louise sees an image of herself when she was young and carefree, with no worry in the world. She also sees a dull stare from an unknown image in the distance coming through the blue sky. As Louie and the image come closer to each other, she quietly whispers, “Free, free, free!”. Louise felt overwhelmed and afraid of what is to come. It was her deceased husband, Brently, all grey and dead. Joy overflowed Louise’s emotions. She opened her arms and waited for Brently to be welcomed into her arms. Louise continues to whisper, “Free! Body and soul! Free!”. However, it is just a dream. She realizes that there are many years to come ahead of her now that Brently will not be here with her anymore. With those years to come have to be lived for Louise herself, not anyone else; as the story said, “There would be no one to live for during those coming years; she would live for herself’. After numerous attempts of Louise’s sisters trying to convince her to open the door, Louise made the effort to come out of her room and go downstairs with her family and friends. A few moments later, someone tries to open the door with a key. Everyone stood still and remained quiet, waiting for who is come from the wooden door. Brently Mallard appears through the doors. Fortunately, Brently was alive and not impacted from the accident. Everyone was in shock, all while Josephine screams because Louise collapsed and passed away from her heart disease. Though, Louise passed away in a state of joy. Louise is no longer caged and confined within her body and soul. She is freed, here and the afterlife.

We cope with happiness and grief differently. However, we tend to cope with grief in a particular way. Kate Chopin created an excellent way to incorporate this into her story. We mentally, emotionally, and spiritually cut all ties within ourselves. We tend to feel lost, caged, and confined within our own bodies and souls. Our lungs become our legitimate cages for our souls. Though, we deserve to move on and let us pass this. We won’t live for the deceased; we live for our own selves. Regardless, we still need to feel and be freed, not confined. The storm shall pass, we too shall overcome this. Let us allow ourselves to live and continue using our lives in a cage-less and joyful way. We too deserve happiness and to feel free within ourselves.