"The Story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin

Even though "The Story of an Hour" is a very short story, it leaves a profound impression upon the readers.


Love and Hatred in "The Story of an Hour"
Upon hearing the news of her husband's death, Louise is overwhelmed by "the storm of grief" and weeps in her sister's arms. This first reaction of hers shows that she did love her husband very much. However, when she is alone in her room, she does not recollect memories of her husband but ponders over the meaning of her husband's death ("It was not a glance of reflection, but rather indicated a suspension of intelligent thought.").

What she discovers is that she is free (" 'Free! Body and Soul free!' "). She is free from the duties of a wife and the oppression from her husband. Of course, the narrator never says that her husband abused her physically. In fact, her husband actually loved Louise very much (“…had never looked save with love upon her”)

“And yet she had loved him—sometimes. Often she had not.” It would be too farfetched to say that the emotion she describes here is hatred; what she felt is closer to a sense of defiance. She is defying her traditional role as a wife and a woman.

This defiance was shared by many other women who lived during the time this story was written. Jane Eyre was probably written long before this story was, but it also shows defiance against the traditional role of women. Jane Eyre is far from what the society at the time considered "feminine." She is educated, strong, and independent. I wish Louise and other women at the time were like Jane Eyre.