Kate Chopin's short story, "The Story of an Hour," effectively illustrates how women in the 19th century felt trapped within the confines of traditional marriage.
             The story's protagonist is Louise Mallard, a young, married woman suffering from "heart trouble." Chopin begins with a bang, informing the reader of the tragic demise of Mrs. Mallard's husband, Brently.
             Immediately after hearing the shocking news, Mrs. Mallard begins to cry and escapes to her room. She does not allow others to follow. In her solitude, she is acutely aware of her surroundings. For this brief moment, we see through her eyes, feel her chest heaving with emotion, and we share in the grief she must surely be feeling for her newly deceased husband. However, Mrs. Mallard's sadness is transformed into a sense of freedom, a feeling that seems to overwhelm her at first. She welcomes this new feeling with joy. No more will she live in her husband's shadow, living her life for him. She remembers Mr. Mallard with fondness, but immediately begins to look forward to her newfound liberation.
             As the reader is starting to cultivate emotions about the character of Mrs. Mallard, either sympathy for her plight or disgust for her lack of grief, Chopin adds a twist. Mrs. Mallard and her sister Josephine are descending the stairs. Mrs. Mallard is lost in a world of hope and dreams, a world without her husband. Suddenly, the front door opens and Mr. Mallard enters, unscathed and very much alive. It turns out he was far from the railroad accident that they believed took his life earlier that day. Chopin does not go into detail about Mrs. Mallard's reaction to seeing her husband, but given her resulting death, we can presume that she was both shocked and dismayed.
             So, what was this "heart trouble" that afflicted Mrs. Mallard? Chopin describes Mrs. Mallard as "young, with a fair, calm face." ...