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Imprisonment in The Story of an Hour

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In “The Story of an Hour,” Kate Chopin explores the mind of the protagonist, Louise Mallard, who is a married woman in the nineteenth century. Mallard character is heartbroken and she initially struggles to acknowledge her happiness upon receiving the news of her husband’s death. Mallard sees her husband’s death as her route to freedom as she would not have to live a life on his terms any longer. Her sense of freedom is short-lived since her husband returns alive. Mallard instantly dies of heart attack as, in the end, death remains her only way to freedom. Chopin uses the third person limited omniscient narration style to develop a round and dynamic character in a historical setting so as to highlight her central idea of the story: for nineteenth century women, marriage was often like being in a prison. The narrative point of view of the story is third person limited omniscient where Chopin practices direct presentation to express the setting. The setting has an important influence on the story. Chopin uses props like “telegram” and “railroad” to highlight a historical era which helps reader understand the difference between situations of most women in two separate eras (243). Chopin also narrates movement of the protagonist in her marital home. This movement indicates a concept of domesticity which for her means being in a prison: “whose line bespoke repression” (244). In brief, Chopin utilizes a historical domestic setting in order to showcase the story’s central idea which defines marriage as a prison for most women in the nineteenth century. Chopin shapes Mallard into a well-rounded dynamic character with third person limited omniscient narrative point of view assisted by direct and indirect presentation. During the rising action, it is direct presentation that defines Mallard as a character whose will no longer be broken by her husband: “There will be no powerful will bending hers” (244). Chopin f

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