In the Victorian era males were dominant while women were subservient and passive. Kate Chopin creates a character that is the typical eighteenth century …show more content…
Mallard is viewed as a housewife desperate for freedom, and her husband’s death set her free from him and all his obligations. She’s now free from house duties and waiting hand and foot for her, she can now do what ever makes her happy. From the text it’s obvious that Mrs. Mallard is very unhappy as a housewife and seeks to find her own identity. She wanted to make decisions for herself and no longer wanted to obey her husband. Mrs. Mallard had no identity of her own and belonged to her husband; she was identified as Mrs. Mallard wife of Mr. Mallard and forced to submit to her oppressor in this case her husband.
Mrs. Mallard realizes she never really loved her husband, and doesn’t feel guilty because he is dead now. Finally she can break free of being a submissive wife, and stop holding back from living life how she wants. At this point readers can see how women during this time period live in a male dominated culture. “The Story of an Hour” was written during the Victorian era and during this time period women had no rights. Wives were expected to be passive and tend to their husband’s needs and household