Essay on Social Commentary in Chopins The Story of an Hour

Social Commentary in Chopins The Story of an Hour IN The Story of an Hour, Kate Chopin tells the tale of a woman who learns of her husbands untimely death, seeks solitude in which she proceeds to reflect upon this incident and its implications, has a life-altering/-giving epiphany, and proceeds to have all of the fresh hope and elation that had accompanied this experience dashed when her supposedly dead husband appears alive and well at her door, thereby inducing her sudden death. Read in isolation, it seems as if this is merely a detailed account of one womans reaction to the death of her husband and, on a basic and concrete level, it is. However, to grasp Chopins intended themes and to gain a true appreciation and†¦show more content†¦The remainder of the paragraph proceeds to depict how, due to his wifes heart condition, the news of Brently Mallards death has to be broken to her with great care and as gently as possible. This portion serves to denote societys pervading stereotype of women as frail and overly emotional, a s well as exceptionally dependent upon their husbands existence for their well-being. Chopins opening paragraph, which immediately begins to make the reader aware of societys perception of women, effectively offers numerous details that reflect the central ideas of the main theme and ultimately establishes the foundation upon which the social critique that follows is built. As we proceed through the story, we are continually presented with instances that further exemplify the unhealthy perception of women held by society that Chopin is determined to illuminate and denounce. For example, when Josephine is forced to tell Mrs. Mallard that her husband has died she goes about doing so in broken sentences, giving veiled hints that reveal in half concealing, rather than telling her outright. This reinforces the idea that women were too frail to be spoken to in a direct and truthful manner, and is quite effective in that it has a woman (Josephine) exemplifying the stereotype. This exchange also reflectsShow MoreRelatedAn Examination Of How Kate Chopin s Work1298 Words   |  6 PagesENGL 1102 – Comp/Lit Essay 2 (Mulry) Sellers, James R – 920022413 Due Date: April 20, 2015 An Examination of How Kate Chopin’s Works Taken Together Contribute to our Understanding of Her Time and the Place of Women in Society Looking at themes present in his short stories and novels, Kate Chopin presents examples of female strength and an assertive rebellion to the social norms during the late 1800s. 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