Analysis of The Story of An Hour

zwwx@overseaen.comISSN 1009- -5039htp://ww.overseaen.comOverseas English海外英语Tel:+86- -551- -65690811 65690812Analysis of The Story of An Hour曹玉琴(西华师范大学外国语学院,四川南充637000 )Abstract: By reading the short story The Story of An Hour written by Kate Chopin, we tried to probe the story better by analyz-ing five characters, plots of the story and rhetorical devices, such as irony and symbolism. With originality and profound mean-ings, the novel about the small theme of family life had a wide variety of social signifiance.中图分类号:1106文 献标识码:A文章编号: 1009- 5039(2014)07-0161-021 Introductionble", which was why great care was taken in informing her of her1.1 The writer Kate Chopinwas an appendage to her husband like most women in that patriar-The short story was witten by Kate Chopin (1851- 1904), who chal society at that timne. Her original name as a symbol of individu-was an American author of short stories and novels. She is now con-ality was mentioned only once when she made up her mind to live asidered to have been a forerunner of feminist authors of the 20* cen-new life of her own in her room. W hen her husband was alive, shetury. She wrote many word- famous nolable novels, for example, thought she lived in a meaningles life. Because she was a viva-The Awakening and short stories, for example, The Storm.cious individual and not a common woman like her sister or others.She married Oscar Chopin in 1870, who was a businessman.So when she knew her husband died, something changed.But unfortunately, the man died in 1882 and her mother died inMr. Brently Mallard was the husband of Louise Mallard, who1885, so she was in a state of depression for a long time. She chose was rich and genle. He was asumed dead unil the end of the sto-writing as a way of a source of income to spend her hard times. Itry, when it was revealed that the news of his death was a mistake.was a pity that some of her writings, for example, The Awakening,Josephine was Mrs. Mallard's sister. She informed Mrs. Mal-were too far ahead of their time and therefore not socially em-lard of her husband's death carefully. She was a typical traditionalbraced.tative of traditional women who devoted themselves to their hus-1.2 The plot of the storybands in that patriarchal society.Although the words of the story are just around 1,000 wordsRichards was Mr. Mallard's friend and was the first person to .and there are 20 short paragraphs, they are regarded as one of the hear of his supposed death. He and Josephine told Mrs. Mallard themasterpieces of feminist literature. The story of An Hour was writ- bad news with broken words.ten in 1894, which is about a married beautiful young woman Mrs.The doctor diagnosed what caused the death of Mrs. MallardMallard with a heart trouble. She had complex emotions after her and concluded that she died of over-happiness.sister gently informed her of the horrific news that her husband3 Rhetorical Devicesdied in a railroad accident. At first she felt sorrowful in public, how-ever, she soon thought that the freedom of body and soul was the 3.1 Ironybenefit of his husband' s death, thus she felt an unexpected excite-Irony, in its broadest sense, is a rhetorical device. Trony 0C-ment in her own room. Finally, she died upon seeing her supposed-curs when the readers know more about the plot than the charactersly dead husband' s sudden return. The doctor declared that sheso the things they do and say may take on a diferent meaning. Thedied of the heart attack brought by joy. According to the short sto-ry, we got a glimpse of her tears and joy, gaining and losing free-term may be further defined into several categories, among whichdom, and her death in a limited hour.In this short story, irony is employed many times. Here are2 Characterssome examples. First, Mrs. Mallard showed grief when her sistertold her the bad news cautiously. However, soon she locked herselftion. There are five characters in the story, the couple of Mallard, in her rom alone, IMrs. Mallard's sister, a friend Richards and a doctor.tempted to commit suicide in despair. But the fact was that she feltMrs. Louise Mallard was the protagonist of the story. She livedsomething unknown but exciting to take control of herself, makingin a happy and rich life in a traditional way. She had a gentle richher imagine a brighter future without a husband and experiencinghusband. She was introduced as being "flicted with a heart trou-the hour of feeling free and liberal.Second, R中国煤化rler he made sure itTYHCNMHG收稿日期:2014-01-07修回 日期:2014-01-16本栏目责任编辑:杨菲菲x 电文要文化研感 161