Forsaking of Will the Central

¶ … Forsaking of Will

The central conflict within Kate Chopin's "The Story of an Hour" predominantly takes place within the mind, and soul, of the protagonist, Mrs. Mallard. External events and circumstances affect Mrs. Mallard's perceptions and feelings, of course, but the bulk of the narrative is a definite internal experience for this wife and sister who has been oppressed and confined to the will of another, her husband, for far too long. When Mrs. Mallard is erroneously told that her husband has died in an accident, she gets her first, fleeting sensation of freedom from his oppression, before she dramatically dies (due to a poor heart condition) at the site of his returning home alive. The central conflict is Mrs. Mallard's subjugation to her husband's will, and the lack of freedom it gives her. A close examination of the "The Story of an Hour" reveals that Mrs. Mallard did the best she could to withstand her husband's oppression, particularly in light of her physical condition.

Mrs. Mallard's lack of freedom due to the controlling presence of her husband was an occurrence that was fairly common at the time of Chopin's composition of this story at the turn of the 19th century, when women did not even have the right to vote (Stanton & Anthony 1992, 282-283). Women's rights were actively being contested by activists such as Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and among their many concerns was the lack of freedom from both a legal and literal standpoint that women regularly incurred due to the obstinacy of men. The following quotation from the "Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions" emphasizes that the contemporary solution of divorce was highly unlikely and unprofitable during the time Chopin wrote "The Story of an Hour."

The history of mankind is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations on the part of man toward woman, having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over her… He has so framed the laws of divorce, as to what shall be the proper causes of divorce; in case of separation, to whom the guardianship of the children shall be given; as to be wholly regardless of the happiness of women -- the law, in all cases, going upon the false supposition of the supremacy of man, and giving all power into his hands (Stanton 1848).

This quotation underscores the fact that divorce could not be a viable solution to Mrs. Mallard's lack of freedom from her husband, since "in all cases" the law gives "all power" to men in these matters. Therefore, what little liberty Mrs. Mallard had -- such as her rights to live in her house, to be provided for monetarily -- all came at the price of being married to her husband. Such a union, unfortunately, granted her these material things, but deprived her of her own personal liberty. Furthermore, this quotation alludes to the fact that the cause of Mrs. Mallard's oppression is the social system (backed by a legal system) dominated by men.

Due to the timeframe in which this story was written, Mrs. Mallard had very few means of recourse with which to counteract the insufferable nature of her husband. If divorce were not an option, then what else might be -- save for death. Preferably, of course, that death would be her husband's, which is what Mrs. Mallard was wrongfully told had happened and which was responsible for her first and few glimpses of freedom. That he would eventually cease his oppression is not a viable alternative for Mrs. Mallard, as the following quotation suggests.

There would be no one to live for during those coming years; she would live for herself. There would be no powerful will bending hers in that blind persistence with which men and women believe they have a right to impose a private will upon a fellow-creature. A kind or a cruel intention make the act seem no less a crime as she looked upon it in that brief moment of illumination (Chopin 1896).

This quotation illustrates one of the saddest aspects of Mrs. Mallard's situation, and that of women who were regularly subservient to men who were their husbands or otherwise. The "intention" or reason for the subjugation of a woman, could actually be kind. Mrs. Mallard's husband could have thought he was doing her a great kind kindness by "bending" her will to his. This quotation demonstrates the fact that even if Brent Mallard was on his best behavior, he still had a negative, oppressive effect upon his wife. With little legal recourse, Chopin is alluding to the fact that for many women, death -- of either the husband or the repressed woman -- is the only way out of such a situation.

Unfortunately for Mrs. Mallard, her weak heart was unable to sustain the shock of seeing her husband alive, after she had finally acclimated herself to the notion that she had finally been freed from his oppressive presence and will. She was strong enough to live with her husband's death, yet was not strong enough to live through the surprise of his continued life at the resumption of her former, oppressed state. The irony of her strength that failed her is pointed out in the closing words of "The Story of an Hour," in which Chopin writes "When the doctors came they said she had died of heart disease -- of the joy that kills" (Chopin 1896). The irony of this statement and of this situation, of course, is that joy is supposed to be one of the best aspects of life, and is certainly not supposed to kill. However, this quotation actually alludes to the fact that the doctors believe that Mrs. Mallard was so overjoyed at the presence of her husband, alive and whole, that it was too much to take and her heart gave out. The true irony of this sentence, in fact, is that Mrs. Mallard's reaction to the presence of her husband was the exact opposite. She was more than likely so horrified and distraught at the possibility of resuming her previously oppressed life (one that "only yesterday she had thought with a shudder" that it might be long) (Chopin 1896) that, after just being exposed to a few fantastic moments of freedom, her heart and should could not take such a dramatic reversal of fortune and gave out. The fact that she had shuddered at the possibility of a long life with her husband alludes to the fact that Mrs. Mallard very well could have been better off dead than remaining imprisoned to his will, particularly.