Horrible Happiness

Horrible Happiness

Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour” describes to us a story of great irony. In the beginning of the story, I pictured an older woman who is saddened by the news of her husband’s death. However, as soon as I read the words, “Free! Body and soul free!” I become aware of the fact that her feelings may have drifted from sorrow to happiness. I detected that Louise now viewed the world with a different outlook, one where she would be her own person. She no longer had to feel restrained and be called just a “wife”. With the news of her husband’s death, Louise had finally felt a sign of relief and she was no longer a prisoner of her husband.

The fact that Louise is experiencing joy over the death of another human being, gave me the idea that she may have been mistreated in the relationship she was once in. Thus, letting me interpret that Mr. Mallard’s death may have occurred for the best. Now, this apparent death brought her new life.