In her short story "The Story of an Hour", Kate Chopin explores the idea of a married woman's being told and believing, for just an hour, that her husband has died. When the news of her husband's sudden death is broken to Mrs. Mallard, she is sad and shocked at first. However (and to her own surprise) Mrs. Mallard's grief does not last long. She soon starts to make plans for her own life, without her husband, and is surprisingly happy doing so. This story emphasizes that women were supposed to be happily married, but the responsibilities of marriage do not always make women happy.

             This story, especially the twist at the end when Mrs. Mallard dies instead of her husband, was very ironic and interesting. As Kate Chopin states, of Mrs. Mallard's initial reaction to the news of her husband's death:.

             She did not hear the story as many women have heard .

             the same, with a paralyzed inability to accept its .

             significance. She wept at once, with sudden wild .

             abandonment in her sister's arms. When the storm of .

             grief had spent itself she went away to her room .

             alone. She would have no one follow her. .

             But then, instead of breaking down into extreme sadness and grief, Mrs. Mallard instead starts to see some benefits from being a widow. It is easy to identify with and understand the idea of her freedom suddenly, unexpectedly being granted, after she has been so restricted by marriage. For example, she will have more independence and she will be able to do more of what she likes, without the responsibilities of marriage. then finding at the end of that hour that he is still alive. .

             After absorbing the first shock of the news of her husband's death, Mrs. Mallard begins to make plans for a new, freer, life on her own, which, to her surprise, she finds herself anticipating with happiness: ""Free! Body and soul free!" she kept whispering (Chopin, "The Story of an Hour").