Among Kate Chopin’s most impressive works is the short story entitled “The Story of an Hour”. This work best displays the importance of literary elements on the overall unified affect. Through the use of irony, symbolism, foreshadowing and paradox, the reader can grasp a better understanding of the main focus of the story. These literary elements are essential in the artistic style of the story.
The story opens with the foreshadowing of the main character, Mrs. Mallard’s, death. The author initially informs the reader of the woman’s heart condition to allow for further developments later in the story. Through the paradox, “the joy that kills”, Chopin alludes that in the end it will be Mrs. Mallard’s joy that is the cause of her demise. Mrs. Mallard’s reaction to the news of her husband’s death gives reason to believe that she had already accepted the “death” of her marriage. The end of their relationship did not come as a shock and she was able to accept its significance, something a devoted wife could not do. This is why Mrs. Mallard was able to instantaneously begin to grieve and to weep with “wild abandonment”. Within minutes, upon entering her room, she was struck by a calming peace, and was overcome by a feeling of control and serenity. The feeling that possessed her is symbolic of the change that she could not contest; the unrelenting factor that fate plays in a person’s destiny. The imagery that aids in the plot and meaning of the story is that of nature. There is a direct correlation between the time of renewal and rebirth in nature and the reawakening of the woman’s freedom. Although the death of a person is typically associated with seasons of death, Brently Mallard’s supposed death takes place in the spring. As she looks out the window, Mrs. Mallard is confronted by the freshly fallen rain, and the newly grown trees, all symbolic of her new-sprung freedom. The clouds, a metaphor for the shadows that hovered over her marriage, begin to part and make way for a fresh beginning. The structural symbols in the Mallard household, are further demonstrations in the struggle between dominance and submissiveness. Contrasting with the outside world, the interior of the house is a prison, meant to keep Mrs. Mallard withdrawn from the world. The doors are also symbols of confinement and limitations.
The Term Paper on Drama Story Death Of A Salesman
Death of a Salesman is a play written by Arthur Miller. Basically, Miller was not a very prolific writer and Death of a Salesman had been his most famous work. At a certain point, this particular play could be regarded as a tragedy although not in the normal sense. What I mean when I said ‘tragedy though not in the normal sense” is that usually we associate tragedy from a person with a very high ...
Behind closed doors, Mrs. Mallard is free to do as she pleases without the judgement and agitation of others. She alone can lock and unlock her door, with this being her only means of controlling her own life. Once open, she unwillingly lets go of her dreams and enters into harsh reality. Yet another example of the symbolism is the layout of the house. There is an elevation difference between the common portion of the house on the lower level and Mrs. Mallard’s bedroom upstairs. From her room she can look out, as if from the clouds and from a place of freedom. Upon leaving her sanctuary, she proceeds to descend the stairs; a journey from her “heaven” into “hell”.
The ironic events that take place throughout the story lead readers to believe that there is something concealed that only they know of. Through the point of view of the narrator, it seems as if there is an inside look into the minds of the main character that the other characters do not have. An instance of dramatic irony is clearly evident in the story.
As Mrs. Mallard’s reaction seems to be normal to the others involved, we know that in fact, she has a much different internal reaction to the news. Behind closed doors, Mrs. Mallard rejoices in her newfound freedom. Contrary to what the others think, she is not mourning the loss of her husband in the typical way a wife would. Another element of irony is Mrs. Mallard’s contemplation of what is to come in her future. Days earlier, she had no aspirations and wanted an end to her unhappiness. What would seem to be an answer to her prayer, and a new beginning, ends in her demise. The events of the conclusion lead the others involved to believe that Mrs. Mallard passed away from joy.
The Essay on Mrs Mallard Husband Death Character
... known to affect health, after all. Chopin uses false hope to truly identify the character of Mrs. Mallard. Where she'd once been dreading ... Mrs. Mallard's sister is a more traditional character for the particular time period in which this story was written. While she and Mrs. Mallard ... for a long life and simply dies right there. Works Cited Day, Funk, and McMahan. Literature and the Writing ...
Only the reader knows the truth in that she in fact died of sorrow. The only salvation she could find was in death.In a critique of her work, Bert Bender described Chopin’s writings as a “lyrical expression of a woman’s shockingly unorthodox feelings about her marriage”. He continued to describe her work in a way that would lead you to believe that the ideas for her works were directly from her own personal experiences. However Chopin’s finest works contest this concept. Chopin’s works may have reflected her own life to an extent. If this were the case, she allowed her stories contradict themselves. There are a few works that show relationships that are not regressive or destructive. Literary techniques are a fundamental factor without which the story would not be intelligible. It would be increasingly more difficult to grasp the meanings behind the thoughts of the characters. The ideas portrayed in “The Story of an Hour” and in the criticism show the effectiveness of literary elements in the unifying experience of a short story.
