Katherine O’Flaherty was born in Missouri in August 1904. Kate was a renowned novelist and short story writer whose works reflected the status of the society during her time (Chaeyoung, 59). In The Story of the Hour, Kate weaves a tale of a woman who is mistakenly told that her partner had perished in an accident. Interestingly, the woman is euphoric at the thought of her husband’s death and feels physically and psychologically free. However, her joy was curtailed when her husband comes home one hour later alive and well. In fact, he had not even heard of the accident that supposedly killed him (Chaeyoung, 59). Unfortunately, his arrival shocks his wife, who had a heart condition, and she dies of myocardial infarction.
Indeed, this story demonstrates why Kate Chopin is regarded as a feminist and a champion of women’s issues in the nineteenth century. During her time, women’s rights were severely restricted in most spheres of life. This story demonstrates that even marriage was perceived as a form of prison by women in the nineteenth century (Chaeyoung, 59). During the Victorian Era, marriage was considered as an achievement; however, women were discouraged from actively seeking mates. Women were expected to marry with the primary objective of having children and starting families, and it was unimaginable for women to desire physical fulfilment (Chaeyoung, 59). Dating before marriage was also tortuous as there were numerous conditions that were put in place to guarantee the piety and chastity of women. For example, a single girl could not converse freely with a gentleman unless there was a chaperone present. Furthermore, an agreement between a potential suitor and a girl’s father was all that was needed for a marriage to take place. In most instances, the input of the lady and her female relatives was not significant (Chaeyoung, 59).
This historical background was most likely responsible for the marriage between Mister and Mrs. Mallard. From the story, it is evident that Mrs. Mallard has not been happy in her marriage. In fact, she disliked her husband (Chaeyoung, 59). Moreover, the thought of her husband’s death excited and thrilled her. It is, however, possible that her husband was controlling given her fantasies of freedom. In the time she lived in though, divorce was relatively rare, especially that initiated by the wife and it is possible that she had no other respite except for the death of her husband. So desperate is her wish to leave the marriage that she dies of a heart attack when she realises that her husband was not dead (Chaeyoung, 59).
Since the Victorian Era, women’s rights have significantly increased. First, women have a say in their marriages from the selection of a partner to household roles (Chaeyoung, 59). However, some men still feel that women are inferior to them and feel justified to control their activities while in relationships. Today, such activities are widely regarded as forms of abuse and are discussed in the public domain (Chaeyoung, 59). Nevertheless, some women feel that society sees failed marriages as a reflection of them as people and may not leave abusive relationships unless by death. Just like Mrs. Mallard, it is only through death that some women leave abusive relationships. Newspapers are awash with stories of women who have been murdered by, often, their abusive partners. In spite of the fact that women have come a long way since the nineteenth century with regards to individual rights, some women still suffer in silence within their marriages (Chaeyoung, 59).
Works Cited
Chaeyoung, Lee. "Finding the Self: Tragic Self-Discovery in Kate Chopin’s fiction." The PPE Review (2015): 59.
