In the short story “A Story of An Hour” by Kate Chopin, the whole range of emotions are felt by the main charter Louise Mallard. Upon learning of her husband’s death she is immediately overcome by sadness.
However, once she is alone she allows herself to experience her feelings of joy at the prospect of being free from “repression.” She is no more able to staff off the feeling that was approaching her than trying to stop the waves from hitting the shore. Basically stated we are powerless over our feelings.
First, one can state that no matter how hard we try we cannot keep a feeling from coming over us. Louise’s feelings come from deep within her soul. Physical exhaustion followed her first storm of grief. At first, she did not know what was coming to her.
She could not even give it a name. When she started to recognize it, she was trying to beat it back with sheer willpower. Only to find that willpower is no match for the total encompassing of feelings.
Once she had abandoned herself the word “free” had escaped from her lips. She did not deliberately want it but it had come anyway. Unmistakably, a joy overtook her. Not that she would not be sad again, but for now she was like a bird let out of the cage.
Mrs. Mallard was a good example of Shakespeare’s line “To Thine own self be true.” She did not allow guilt to rear its ugly head but instead just felt her feelings. She allowed no one to witness her assertion. But, it was the strongest impulse of her being.
As she was projecting spring and summer days to come, a feeling that her life would be her own again gave her contentment that she had not felt in a long time. No one actually knew what Mrs. Mallard had experienced behind her closed door.
Although, the human heart was meant to deal with that much pain, joy, and disappointment in one day never mind one hour. To her sister (Josephine) it would appear that she died of joy when she saw her spouse was not dead.
The truth was buried with Louise. Tragically, what seemed to be great joy was a grief felt for her freedom that had been so short lived.
Concluding, the roller coaster of emotions was too extreme for Louise’s fragile heart to bear, leaving her no choice but to die with her secret. It’s a fact that people are governed by their emotions.
Trying to control them has never been something that the human race has been able to accomplish. God gave us a free-will. Therefore, we are not powerless over our actions, however, feelings sneak into our soul without being asked.
