Imagine a world where women are chattel, unable to possess their own property,
serve as guardians for their children, make decisions for themselves, or even own the
clothes they wear. This is the reality for women living prior to the ratification of the 19th
Amendment in 1920. Even with this success, the decades-long struggle of activists
bent on changing the condition of women living in America is not over. Author Kate
Chopin addresses tackles the issue of women’s rights in her short story, “The Story of
an Hour.” First published in 1894 in Vogue magazine, Chopin’s story shows that
women denied the rights of self-realization or fulfillment are doomed to exist as a
shadow rather than living a full, productive, happy life. In “The Story of an Hour” Mrs.
Mallard, who suffers from heart disease, is gently told about informed of the death of her
husband. After the initial shock and sadness, Mrs. Mallard insists on time alone to
grieve. However, upon further reflection, she realizes that her husband’s death means
provides her with an opportunity to live a full life. Chopin’s story, written primarily for
women, helps to expose the detrimental effect of refusing to allow women the right to
personal fulfillment. Building upon the work of suffragettes, Chopin shows
demonstrates that women’s independence, and the basic right of women to have an
identity separate from that of her spouse, is a pivotal issue in the health and well-being
of women. Chopin uses structure, diction, and metaphor to show the need of women to
have an autonomous fully-realized identity.
Chopin’s formative years and subsequent marriage and widowhood make her a
worthy advocate of women’s rights . . . .
Using a chronological narrative, Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour” captures and
mirrors a woman’s life from birth to death . . . .