Story of an Hour

In “Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin, I sense sadness in Mrs. Mallard at the news of her husbands’ death but I also sense excitement. Josephine, her sister, and her husbands friend Richard, are there to deliver the news that her husband has passed away. These two people thought she needed to be told gently due to the love they thought she had for her husband and her existing heart condition she suffered.
In reality, Mrs. Mallard is although sad; she is exited about her future without her husband. “Free, free, free” and again later, “Free! Body and soul free”, are the words she speaks when alone in her room. She thinks of the years to come without her husband. She is overwhelmed with excitement at the though of independence “she opened and spread her arms out to them in welcome”.
In the first moments alone in her room, she is opening herself up to the thought of life moving on after the passing of her husband. She hears “the notes of a distant song” and the “countless sparrows were twittering in the eves”.
As Josephine peeks through the keyhole, she sees her sister lying there with a blank stare. Her sister says “open the door- you will make yourself ill”, in fear that she is not handling the news well. In reality, she is in a “suspension of intelligent thought” meaning she is planning her future with out her husband. She knows she will grieve the loss of her husband and will spend years alone before she is ready to move on again. “There will be no one to live for during those coming years”.
Josephine and Richard think she is mourning the death of her husband and future. She is sad that he has died but is excited that she will begin to live for herself in the time to come.
The epitome of the story begins when the door opens and her husband walks in. Mrs. Mallard sees it is him and he is still alive. She dies right there on the floor said to have died of heart disease. In reality, she dies at the thought of having to spend more time in her loveless marriage.