Theme of Marriage in The Story of an Hour Essay Example

“The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin tells of a woman who finds out about her husband’s death and is then thrust into a whirlwind of emotions which all abruptly ends with her death as she is told that her husband is actually alive. While on the surface this story seems to be about an unfaithful woman in an unhappy marriage, it would seem more likely that the message being presented is that marriage itself is the issue. Marriage can be too binding and oppressing, and Kate Chopin perfectly encapsulates this in “The Story of an Hour” through her use of specific word choice and the various actions of the characters. 

At the very beginning of the story we are introduced to the main character as “Mrs. Mallard” and for the remainder of the story she is only referred to by this name. Only later, through her sister calling her, do we learn that her first name is Louise. While this may seem like a minor detail, the emphasis on her last name as the way to call her signifies that her entirety is defined by her marriage. Her individuality and independence is immediately stripped from her, as the narrator refers to her by her husband’s last name, because it automatically ties her to her husband and makes it sound as though her marriage is what defines her as a person. It is also important to note that we are not told much about Mrs. Mallard besides the fact that her husband is Brently Mallard and he is now dead. This is once again emphasizing the fact that Louise’s identity is defined by her marriage to Mr. Mallard because we do not get to know Louise, the main character, that well, besides the fact that she is married. 

As Louise finds out about her husband’s death and runs off to her room to process the emotions alone, she suddenly begins repeatedly shouting “free, free, free!”. Upon first reading this, it would seem like Louise is celebrating her freedom from her toxic marriage and from the restraints of her abusive husband. At this moment, Louise is actually celebrating her new found freedom from marriage itself and her independence. She is excited to finally be able to “live for herself” after having to live for her husband for so many years. This furthers the proof that marriage can be too oppressing because this woman, who loved her husband and he loved her, is ecstatic at the idea of him being dead because it means she will no longer have to be married and will be able to explore her own interests and her own individuality.  The fact that death is necessary in order for Louise to escape the confines of marriage is proof enough that marriage can be draining.

From the information provided so far, it can still be concluded that Mrs. Mallard was simply unfaithful, or that Mr. Mallard was abusive or unloving. Despite these assumptions, Louise explicitly states, in the middle of her celebration, that she knows that she “would weep again” upon seeing her dead husband at his funeral. She also explains that he has “kind, tender hands” and a face that “had never looked save with love upon her.” It is clear that Mr. and Mrs. Mallard are very much in love and did not wish death upon one another. Instead, it seems the responsibilities of marriage were too much to handle for Louise and she was simply happy that she was free from the confines of marriage. 

It is very easy to read a story or hear about a situation and automatically assume the worst of people. If you take some time to read between the lines and put yourself in other people’s shoes, then you will be able to see that people’s intentions are not always as they seem. Kate Chopin shows this with marriage and relationships and makes it known that, while it may be right for some people, marriage can be a little too oppressive and binding for others.