In the nineteenth century, men and women had distinct and separate gender roles. I believe this past time of specific gender roles in the 1900’s played a major role in the development of Mrs. Mallards character in “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin. In this story, Mrs. Mallard is a dynamic character who shifts from the emotion of shocked and depressed to an emotion of joy and excitement. The different internal struggles, such as whether to be excited for her free future or morn her husband’s death, and emotions shown by Mrs. Mallard’s character represent the binding gender roles of the nineteenth century. 

Kimberly Radek lists in her lecture overview the different stereotypes each gender had. During the nineteenth century men were viewed as powerful, active, independent, and ambitious (Women in the Nineteenth Century), while women were seen as the complete opposite. Women were supposed to be weak, domestic, dependent, and illogical (Women in the Nineteenth Century). Men had the role of working while women were confined inside their own homes to cook and clean. This resembles the two different spheres men and women belonged to, men belonged to the public sphere while women belonged to the private sphere (Women in the Nineteenth Century). In “The Story of an Hour,” Mrs. Mallard is presented as weak, frail, and dependent upon her husband. Having a women being presented this way reflects the societal views of women during that time period of the nineteenth century. Josephine was careful to break the news to Mrs. Mallard about the death of her husband and later in the story Josephine says “Louise, open the door! I beg; open the door- you will make yourself ill” (Chopin 2) reflecting how fragile and helpless she thought Mrs. Mallard would be. Women were seen as so frail and Mrs. Mallard’s character full embodied those ideals.  

The beginning of the story which shows Mrs. Mallard’s upset emotions accurately descripts the gender roles for women in the nineteenth century. It was not until she recognizes her freedom that Mrs. Mallard shatters the idea of a specific gender role. Mrs. Mallard contradicts the social stereotype of a woman in the nineteenth century once she has her awakening, “There would be no one to live for during those coming years; she would live for herself” (Chopin 2).  This shows her first shift in character and opposition to the stereotypical reaction to a loved one’s death. Readers later find out Mrs. Mallard truly never loved her husband, “And yet she had loved him- sometimes. Often she had not” (Chopin 2) which also exemplifies the opposition of a loving wife being dependent upon her husband. Although at first Mrs. Mallard reflected the stereotypical gender role of a woman during the nineteenth century, her character shatters those roles once she realizes her freedom and begins to look forward to the future without a husband. “Free! Body and soul free!” Mrs. Mallard whispers as she begins to have a realization of her new found freedom (Chopin 2). Women during the nineteenth century were believed to have little to non-sexual desire and after marriage a husband had the legal rights to his wife’s body (Women in the Nineteenth Century). So, when Mrs. Mallard exclaims her body is free that directly correlates to the laws over women’s bodies in the nineteenth century. 

Mrs. Mallard’s expression of emotions further explains the story’s historical implication of women’s roles in that time period. Readers first see Mrs. Mallard differentiate herself from other women when “she did not hear the story as many women have heard the same, with paralyzed in ability to accept its significance” (Chopin 1), she willingly accepts the death of her husband without questioning the truth behind the accusation. Jamil Selina in his journal article states that Mrs. Mallards emotions have been suppressed to fit into the mold of hollow conventions and that as she sets aside the world of those social conventions, her emotions lead to her own awakening (Emotions in ‘The Story of an Hour’). This character development was shocking during the time period the story was written because Kate Chopin created a character that had unconventional thoughts about freedom and a personal awakening, as Selina stated. This awakening challenged societal views and went directly against the gender roles men and women were supposed embody. As she has her awakening, Louise Mallard sits and stares out of the window “whose gaze was fixed away off yonder on one of those patches of blue sky. It was not a glance of reflection, but rather indicated a suspension of intelligent thought” (Chopin 1) which symbolizes not just a reflection of the past with her husband, but also her future ahead and how exhilarating the thought of having her own life is. Mrs. Mallard herself also represents two different symbols. First, her heart trouble is a symbol for the troubles within her marriage with her husband, Brently Mallard. Second, at the beginning of the story she symbolizes the ideal woman in the nineteenth century. Her characteristics of weakness and a state of dependence resemble those societal views of women during that time period. 

The ultimate contradiction between Mrs. Mallard and another woman of the nineteenth century is Louise Mallard’s reaction to seeing her husband alive, “When the doctors came they said she had died of heart disease – Of the joy that kills” (Chopin 2). Unlike a 19th century house wife, Louise died from shock and the unbarring thought of her newfound freedom being taken away. She no longer would have been able to be “free” and break the gender roles she was trapped in if her husband was alive, rather than dying of joy she dies of dismay. 

The influence of societal gender roles in the nineteenth century had an enormous impact on Mrs. Mallards character. Through emotion and different internal struggles readers are able to identify the resembling characteristics between Mrs. Mallard and those of women in the nineteenth century. Once she has her awakening, Mrs. Mallard defies all gender roles of that time period and begins to look forward to a life resembling those characteristics of a male such as being dependent, strong, and ambitious (Women in the Nineteenth Century). This was a contradictory view of what a woman should resemble during that time period. 
