Reading the two works written by Kate Chopin, Story of an Hour and Desiree's Baby, one could definitely see similarities and differences between the main characters of each piece. The two women in the stories seem to have a problem with their relationship with men. The relationships they have rob them of a piece of who they are. However, both end up being freed from their fettered lifestyles, though it happens differently for both women. They are two women who are struggling to find themselves and deal with their lives either with or without their husbands.
             In Story of an Hour, the main character, Mrs. Mallard, is faced with the death of her husband. Surprisingly enough, however, after her moment of grief, the widow seems rather excited. Now, this is not to say that she didn't have feelings for him. She must have loved him, but wasn't in love with him. It was common knowledge that Kate Chopin's generation didn't believe love was needed in a marriage. The fact that the story was written in 1894 shows that Chopin was not afraid of recognizing the fact that it was a male-dominated society. The fact that there are no children mentioned in the story also reiterates the fact that marriages were more about monetary comfort and social status than it was about love and family. Also, at the beginning of the book, she is referred to as "Mrs. Mallard", however, after her husband dies, more towards the end, she's called by her first name, Louise. This also shows how a woman would, in a way, lose her identity when she married someone. She would no longer be called by her first name; it would be Mrs. ____. When a woman gives up so much to be with her husband, someone that she doesn't truly love, it is understandable that she would feel relieved, and almost excited about the prospect of having her life back. Even though Mrs. Mallard hearing of her husband's death in this short story...