Story of an Hour

"Story of an Hour" seems to hint at the thought that, during this time period, a woman married a man, not because she was deeply in love, but because it was the respectable thing to do. Louise seems trapped in her marriage, unable to do what she truly loves and desires. To please society, she becomes a wife, a role with countless limitations. After Louise learns of her husbands death, she weeps, then goes to her room. The open window greets her, subtly drawing her near, asking her to gaze upon the world that lies beyond her life of confinement. This open window symbolizes her newly found sense of freedom, which allows her to go beyond the limitations that hindered her while Brently was alive. Louise begins to observe the cheerful activities that are happening outside, making it evident that the death of her husband is now sparking flames of joy that begin to grow inside of her. She observes her surroundings positively, sensing the "…delicious breath of rain.." (p.193) that is in the air and even picks up on the faint sound of music that is coming from a person singing in the distance. She notices the blue sky behind clumps of clouds, suggesting that she now sees the freedom that was once hidden behind the constrictions of her marriage that had bound her. With flames burning rapidly inside of her now, she proceeds downstairs with a new found love for life, carrying herself "…like a goddess of Victory" ( p. 194). When she sees Brently walk through the door, the fire in her soul is instantly extinguished, and so is her life. The cosmic irony is that Louise gains great happiness when she learns of her husbands death because she finally has control of her life, then she dies from the heart ache she gains from learning that he is alive and that her freedom is once again gone.