

 Throughout history the accepted order has placed man above woman. This often extended beyond the domestic household, into the social and political spectrum. As civilization advanced, so did the demand for equality among women. The pressure of gender equality grew particularly strong in the United States during the late nineteenth century. Women began to stray away from the traditional position of housewife. While many women fulfilled their "responsibilities", a large number of women responded to this attempt to define and limit their own roles with their own literature and work in the feminist movement (The Role of the Wife and Mother). A plethora of literature arose, inspired by the rising shift in female roles. A large figure in this category is Kate Chopin. During the nineteenth century, Chopin became one of the leading commentators on gender role in literature. So many of her heroines preoccupied with the desire to escape the confines of a stifling marriage (Sumer, Sema Zafer 192). Written in 1894, one of the most well recognized works by Chopin is The Story of an Hour. In The Story of an Hour, the thoughts centered on liberty and eagerness for self sufficiency of the main character, Mrs. Mallard, reflected the progressive mindset of women in the late nineteenth century. 

From the beginning, Mrs. Mallard displays unique characteristics that reflect individualism. Upon hearing the death of her husband "She wept at once, with sudden, wild abandonment, in her sister's arms." (The Department of English 223). The way Mrs. Mallard reacts to new is different and untraditional (Sumer, Sema Zafer 193). She does not act as most women would in a similar situation because the grief was short and intense. Due to the reliance on a husband during this time period, most women would grieve for long periods of time, as they lost the only person they were expected to care for, unless of course they had children or another male figure in the family. Mrs. Mallard, however, made quick work of grieving, and chose instead to sit and reflect. At this point in the story, emotions slowly shifted from grief to hope.   A new feeling came to Mrs. Mallard, "There was something coming to her and she was waiting for it, fearfully. What was it? She did not know;" (The Department of English 223). The intense feeling continued to unsettle her, and finally she released it in the whispered words of "free,free,free" (The Department of English 223). This major turning point in the story signifies the generation of new opportunity for women. New opportunities in education, employment and social protest caused many women to question the role society cast for them (Lives of Women). The outlook began to change for Mrs. Mallard, as it changed for many women in the latter part of the nineteenth century. A wider array of options for women led to a more independent lifestyle, as females were less tied down by the male authority figure. Mrs. Mallard realizes that she is no longer trapped by the burden of marriage and that the world has opened up for her. Mrs. Mallard  "begins to look forward to the rest of her life when just the day before she shuddered at the thought of it" (Sumer, Sema Zafer 194) . At this point in the story, Mrs. Mallard transforms from a recessive spouse to a confident women of the world.

Chopin provides excellent insight into the new found independence of Mrs. Mallard with "There would be no one to live for during those coming years; she would live for herself." (The Department of English 224). In some ways, Mrs. Mallard had pushed Mr. Mallard to the back of her mind. She no longer depended upon him to do her thinking and make her decisions for she believes that "There would be no powerful will bending hers in that blind persistence ...  upon a fellow-creature." (The Department of English 224). These thoughts can be described as a sort of reckless abandonment, because Mrs. Mallard is not even thinking about the death of her husband, but she looks towards the future and ignores her past.  This represents some of the ideas of women that were considered hasty or radical during the era of female progression.  The rise of important female figures such as Susan B. Anthony and the Grimke sisters in the United States inspired many women to fight the tradition of low female rank, however the final battle lie within the women. It was an internal self- motivation that spurred women to leave the home and realize their potential in the world. The spark of confidence within females often consumed them, and a series of feminist movements such as those revolving around suffrage and temperance rapidly emerged during the mid nineteenth century. The same conviction took Mrs. Mallard, and she even shunned the love of her husband to allow this new feeling to approach her. She trivialized love, and devalued the remnants of attachment she had left for her husband by asking "What did it matter!" (The Department of English 224). Like Mrs. Mallard, many women abandoned love and instead left to pursue their own desires. Despite the reduction of legal requirements and the lengthening of residence requirements, the divorce rates surged between 1870 and 1920 (The Role of the Wife and Mother). Gaining this fresh "self-assertion" became the "strongest impulse of her being!" (The Department of English 224). 

Mrs. Mallard continued to bask in the new feeling of freedom by relishing the fact that she has life before her that would belong just to her. She looks forward to all the infinite possibilities at her hand, and develops a confidence that allowed her to carry "herself unwittingly like a goddess of Victory." (The Department of English 224).  Now Mrs. Mallard lives like a champion, as if she has won a battle by losing her husband.  Throughout the nineteenth century, women struggled for basic freedoms, the most famous of which was the right to vote. Women used many techniques to gain recognition for their movement. Militant suffragists used tactics such as parades, silent vigils, and hunger strikes (Teaching with Documents: Woman Suffrage and the 19th Amendment). After years of fighting, women finally gained the right to vote when the nineteenth amendment was ratified in 1920.  These women who won their rights through hard work and determination were real life examples of goddesses of Victory.  They struggled, fought, and earned their rights. Following a tumultuous emotional transformation, Mrs. Mallard descends the stairs to see her husband entering the home. Upon his entrance Mrs. Mallard dies "of the joy that kills." (The Department of English 224). With female struggle came sacrifice, as many women jeopardized their dignity by making noise in the forms of rallies and parades in order to win the battle. The female who left the home was considered selfish, and lost the respect of the community because women were supposed to stay in the house to prepare the home for the husband and take care of the children. The death of Mrs. Mallard can be classified as the ultimate sacrifice to escape the struggles of her life.

Mrs. Mallard embodies the progressive women of the nineteenth century for her zealous foresight into the future direction of her newly independent life. The development of the American women during the life of Chopin resembles the dynamic nature of Mrs. Mallard. Mrs. Mallard begins as an insubordinate housewife but emerges as a hopeful, encouraged "New Woman". She, like many women, was tied down by the sanctum of marriage and restricted by the authority of the male figure. However, she fought, and in the end won a taste of victory despite the tragic irony of the conclusion. During the brief time she was alive to embrace her new freedom, Mrs. Mallard seemed prepared to take on a new world, open and available to her like never before. The Story of an Hour characterizes the transformation of the American women in the late 1800's by displaying the common attributes of a motivated, hopeful,  and independent woman.

