The Life of a Victorian Housewife in The Story of an Hour

The period between 1837 and 1901, also known as the Victorian era, was a difficult, oppressive and inconvenient time for women. It was a period in which a large portion of society held to the belief that women were inferior to and should remain dependent upon husbands and all other male figures. Women were to marry, care for children and tend to the home. With little responsibilities, surfaced little independent progression within a woman’s lifetime. Louise Mallard’s atypical transformation from wife to individual woman in The Story of An Hour By Kate Chopin illustrates the loss of but wanting of self-worth and identity which women experienced as oppressed Victorian wives. Kate Chopin’s The Story of an Hour reinstates the female identity through the female character’s struggle with strict societal structures and traditions. As seen through the life of the protagonist, Louise Mallard, women struggle immensely to form a connection with the outside world, a domain that is often completely shadowed and closed off by their husbands.

Women in Victorian society experienced psychological oppression from their husbands, which interfered with their ability to develop themselves as individual people. Louise Mallard contemplated her new life shortly after she was informed of her husband’s death. The loss of Mr. Mallard symbolizes the slaughter of the traditional and socially acceptable way of life, for Louise views marriage as in keeping with society’s belief that men “have a right to impose a private will upon a fellow creature.” (Chopin). the institution of marriage was not a knot tied between man and woman, but rather more as a leash attached to the woman, to be guided by the man. Mrs. Mallard is her social identity, used as a mask to conceal her true identity from everyone including herself. Mrs. Mallard, though at a loss for words upon hearing of her husband's death, soon grasped the state of her new reality. Her life would soon bring about a completely new identity, in which she would fulfill her own personal duties and think for herself for the first time. Wives of this day and age are kept in the dark, away from a light that has the ability to bring out independent ideas and measures, and they are expected to happily obey these truths. However, a life lived in invisible shackles has no potential for happiness, only dreams and hopes which will never be realized. Betty Friedman, who coined the term ‘The Feminine Mystique’, explores the unhappiness of women, and describes women’s unhappiness as “the problem that has no name.”(Friedman); “When the doctors came they said she had died of heart disease--of the joy that kills” (Chopin). For Louise and many other women at the time, the joy that kills is the falsified joy portrayed in everyday life; joy to serve, joy to clean, joy to marry. When Louise recognizes that there is now room for self-fulfillment and independence now that her husband is gone, she experiences true joy and exhilaration for the first time in her life, which is soon cut short by the arrival of her husband. Upon the arrival of Mr. Mallard, the joy that kills is once again her reality, which ultimately causes her fragile heart to give out, as she will never be able to live a life which will bring her true joy.

The desire for self-worth and individuality overpowers her loyalty and faithfulness to the one who has stripped her of it, Mr. Mallard. Louise’s first taste of self-discovery causes a permanent and everlasting change in her character which she has always longed for. Louise’s emotions quickly transform from being completely shattered, to meditative, to ecstatic. As she reflects upon her intense feelings, Louise realizes, “What could love... count for in the face of possession of self-assertion which she suddenly recognized as the strongest impulse of her being!” (Chopin). Her realization quickly exterminates any aspirations she has left to cling onto her socially acceptable life. This indestructible declaration is the only thing in sight for Louise- she would finally live for no one else but herself. Louise recognizes a happier life full of opportunity, and she no longer settles for anything less; “There was a feverish triumph in her eyes, and she carried herself unwittingly like a goddess of Victory” (Chopin). When Louise breaks free from the hold of her marriage, she is reborn in the sense that she now has the ability to lead a new life, a life of independence; Louise suddenly becomes the ruler of her own thoughts, emotions, and actions. As victorian era feminist philosopher, lucy stone, once stated: “It is time we gave man faith in woman -- and, still more, woman faith in herself” (stone). As Louise finds her own faith, she also finds the life which she is meant to live. Although this life is so abnormal for a woman of her time, it is by human nature that a woman could recognize that she lives to be free, not enslaved.

Louise’s hope for a new life is overpowering, however the current implications of her life as a woman will not allow this. What Louise does not reflect on is that her old life is still every woman’s reality. While in her room, Louise hears her sister Josephine pleading for entrance to her room, “Louise, open the door! You will make yourself ill!”(Chopin 797). Her sisters' concern is a warning to Louise that the realizations made within her room will not link her new aspirations with anything other than misery. This part of the story is a reminder that society is unbreakable. The culture recognizes women as weak creatures which will do themselves harm if they even attempt to do any simple task without male assistance. When Louise sees her husband as she paces down the stairs, Josephine’s voice fills with great passion and excitement, “It was Brently Mallard who entered, a little travel-stained, composedly carrying his grip-sack and umbrella. He had been far from the accident, and did not even know there had been one. He stood amazed at Josephine’s piercing cry.”(Chopin) Louise dies immediately upon the unexpected return of her husband, which exemplifies the forcefulness of her emotions and hope for her future. His reappearance into Louise’s life ensures that she can never live in the way she so desires. She would be forced to continue living her life as Mrs.Mallard, even after she discovers her true self, which she would have had to remain concealed. In the end, her judgment kills both wife and woman.

The Story of an Hour brings to light the unfortunate life of the oppressed, hopeful and desperate Victorian housewife, as well as reflects upon the deprivation of identity which they faced within their closed-minded society. As Mrs.Mallard transforms into Louise, and discovers her own personal identity, she represents the female population’s ability to hope for a brighter, more freeing world outside the home. With the intense transformation from wife to woman, Louise Mallard ultimately destroys both her private and public identity, to escape the world of oppression which she had risen above for only mere minutes. To be a feminist in times of oppression meant immediate social alienation, however, a life is nothing if the life is not free.