The stroy of an hour analysis

The Story of an Hour

Context

Date : 1894

Author : Kate Chopin, American (Louisiana) short story writer, predecessor of 20th c. feminist litterature

TAP : T > Short, fictional story

A > General, adults+teens, educated middle-class women (when published)

P > Entertain, inform, explore position of women in society + marriage

Summary

The Story of an Hour recounts the epiphany of Louise Mallard following her husband's alleged death. While initially she is grief-stricken, she realises over the course of the hour that she is now free from the constraints of her marriage and becomes completely engrossed with excitement (hence her epiphany). At the very end of the text Louise finds out that her husband is actually alive and dies on the spot from the shock of losing all the freedom she just acquired.

Covers one hour of louise’s life

Structure

L. 1-2 : Mrs Mallard is introduced > she is fragile (“a heart trouble”), there is the a supposition that her husband’s death will affect her a lot

L. 2-8 : News of death is broken

L. 9-43 : Louise Mallard’s reaction to news

L. 44-53 : Epiphany > realisation she is free

L. 54-66 : Sister calls (outside world), Louise leaves the room

L. 67-End : Louise dies of shock

Themes

Feeling trapped in marriage - Love - Sadness - Relief - Repression - Traditions - Expectations within society - Women’s place in society

Language

Language is used to show the happiness of being free. Description of new openings (like open window, blue patches of sky…).

Positive language to talk about spring

Symbolisms for the liberation from stifling and oppressive marriage.

Epiphanic language as she is filled with happiness with the news of husband’s death

Use if direct speech to emphasise L’s thoughts

Use of punctuation to pause and build tension, leaving the author or reader time to reflect

Concise writing, giving lots of info (beginning and ending) for clear context and abrupt, ironic ending

Emotive language at times

Literary devices

Pathetic fallacy (l.17)

Metaphors (l.11)(l.57)(l.59)

Sensory details (sibialnce l.18)

IRONY (twist at the end l.73) (l.60-61)

Personnification (of the epiphany l.29-30)

Simile (l.23-24)

Oxymoron (“monstrous

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