the story of an hour analysis questions answers

Important Questions

Back to: The Story of An Hour by Kate Chopin

Table of Contents

What is the main idea of The Story of an Hour?

The main idea of “The Story of An Hour” is freedom and its importance for an individual. Louise Mallard is happily married and has a very loving husband. However, she does not have freedom which she only gets after she comes to know that her husband is dead. And when he turns out to be alive, she dies of grief.

What is the message of The Story of an Hour?

The message of The Story of an Hour is that freedom is the basic and fundamental right of every individual on earth. Gender should not be a reason to prohibit a person from freedom.

What happens at the end of the story The Story of an Hour?

In the end, the husband comes back home alive. However, his wife dies out of grief and despair.

Why does Mrs Mallard die at the end of the story?

She dies at the end of the story because of the grief of losing freedom which she got some time before. The fear of getting back to restrictions shocks her and she dies.

Why was Mrs. Mallard happy her husband died?

Mrs Mallard was happy because she tasted freedom and liberty for the first time since her marriage. She thought that her married life was enjoyable. However, when she tasted freedom, she found it much better. This is why she was happy at her husband’s death.

Did Mrs Mallard love her husband?

Yes, she loved her husband. She was a loving and caring wife. However, she was also subjected to domestic slavery and restrictions which she finds gone after coming to know about the death of her husband.

What are the major conflicts in The Story of An Hour?

The major conflict is the role of institution of marriage. Mrs. Mallard is not happy with her husband though she pretends to be. She is even not aware of it. Because of marriage, she is subjected to restrictions and domestic slavery. She lacks freedom. She is quite pleased after coming to know that her husband has died. It also shows the condition of woman in the American society at the time the author has written this short story.

What is the irony in the story of an hour?

There are a lot of ironies in the story. First, when Louise’s husband dies, she feels happy instead of sorrowful. And when he comes back alive, she is devasted and dies out of despair instead of getting happy.

What does “The Joy That Kills” mean?

The phrase “The Joy That Kills” means that Mrs. Mallard is not free and thus not happy with her married life. The freedom which she gets for a brief time is lost as soon as her husband comes home.

Why is Mrs. Mallard death an example of situational irony?

Situational Irony occurs when something happens which is totally different from what is expected. Mrs. Mallard is a good example of situational irony because she feels happy and joyful after coming to know that her husband has died (instead of weeping and mourning). However, as soon as he comes back alive, she dies out of sorrow and despair (though she was supposed to be happy).

The Story of An Hour Questions & Answers

Hi Everyone!! This article will share The Story of An Hour Questions & Answers. In my previous posts, I have shared the questions and answers of The Tenant , Huck Meets The Duke and The King , The Luncheon and The Further Vision so, you can check these posts as well.

Word Galaxy

• Afflicted – to cause pain
• Veiled – disguised
• Elixir – a mythical concoction that can prolong life indefinitely
• Importunities – desire, wish

Question 1: Who are Josephine and Richard? Describe how each of them demonstrates concern for Mrs Mallard?

Answer: Josephine is Mrs Mallard’s sister and Richard is her husband’s friend. They both knew that Mrs Mallard was afflicted with a heart trouble so they took care in breaking the news of her husband’s accidental death to her. Mr Richard even went ahead to confirm the correctness of the news by a second telegram and only then went ahead to reveal it.

Question 2: How did Mrs Mallard react to the news of her husband’s death?

Answer: Mrs Mallard did not hear the news as many women would have heard the same, with a paralyzed inability to accept its significance. She wept at once, with sudden, wild abandonment, in her sister’s arms. When the storm of grief had spent itself, she went to her room alone.

Question 3: How did Mrs Mallard view her marriage? Justify it with references from the text.

Answer: Mrs Mallard views her marriage as an oppressive one. Although it had signs of kindness it was inherently oppressive. We can say this as she is aware that she would weep at the sight of her husband’s dead body but at the same time she opens her arms to welcome the independence she feels by uttering the words free! free! free!

Question 4: Describe what Mrs Mallard saw and experienced as she sank in the armchair by the open window.

Answer: She could see in the open square before her house the tops of trees, all quivering with the new spring life. In the street below a peddler was crying his wares. The notes of a distant song which someone was singing reached her faintly, countless sparrows were twittering in the eaves. Patches of blue sky showed here and there through the clouds that met and piled one above the other. She sat with her head thrown back upon the cushion of the chair, quite motionless, except when a sob came up her throat and shook her. There was a dull stare in her eyes, whose gaze was fixed away in the sky. In the bitter moment she could feel a long procession of years to come that would belong to her absolutely. And she opened and spread her arms out to them in welcome.

Question 5: She breathed a quick prayer that life might be long. It was only yesterday she had thought with a shudder that life might be long—Explain these lines.

Answer: These lines appear close to the end of the story just before Louise could leave her bedroom to go back downstairs. Before Mr Brently’s death Louise viewed her life with nervousness and anxiety trying to recollect the dull years of dependence and oppression. Now however she feels free and independent and that her life is worth living. She once hoped that her married life be short, but now she prays for a long, happy life. Other than showing how Louise feels about her independence, these lines also highlight the unexpectedness of Louise’s reaction. Rather than dread a life to be lived alone without a partner by her side, she rejoices the solitude and anticipates the future eagerly. When he husband Mr. Brently returns, she dies, unable to face the return of the life that she’d dreaded so much.

Question 6: Choose the correct option:

(a) from what ailment does mrs mallard suffer.

i. detached retinas ii. kidney failure iii. heart trouble iv. H1N1

(b) What might Mrs Mallard’s ailment symbolize?

i. her unhappiness and troubling emotions. ii. her inability to see things as they are. iii. a raging desire for food. iv. her inability to filter out less important things in life.

(c) Who breaks the news of Mr Mallard’s death?

i. Roberts ii. Friar John iii. Richards iv. Josephine

(d) What is significant about the story’s setting?

i. It takes place in a large house. ii. The story is set in a time period that afforded women very few rights. iii. The setting makes no difference. iv. The story encompasses one hour.

(e) How could we best characterize Brently Mallard

i. He is a typical husband in the late 19 th century. ii. He is a lazy husband. iii. He likes his job. iv. He set up the train wreck story. So, these were The Story of an Hour Questions & Answers.

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The Story of an Hour

Kate chopin.

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Questions & Answers

How does Mrs. Mallard die?

Mrs. Mallard dies at the end of the story after her husband, whom she believed was dead, returns home completely unharmed. The doctors attribute her death to her heart condition, and while this may be the literal cause, the sudden loss of her newfound freedom also figuratively contributes to her demise. The grief she feels as she sees the possibility of a joyful future disappear in an instant is enough to break her heart and kill her.

What does the open window symbolize?

The open window in Louise’s room symbolizes the endless possibilities that exist for her once her husband is gone. She sees a vibrant and lively world outside, and the energy of this environment reaches in through the window and enlivens her. The frame of the window acts as a metaphorical lens through which she can see the brightness that her future holds. When she walks away from the window and the “elixir of life” that it brings to her at the end of the story, her life of freedom disappears as well.

What do Josephine and Richards represent?

Josephine and Richards represent the traditional attitudes and behaviors of their patriarchal culture, and their presence works to create a contrast with Louise’s emerging sense of self-determination. They both try to shield Louise from the impact of Brently’s death, an approach which comes from a place of concern but also reflects the assumption that women are weak and overemotional. Josephine’s call for Louise to leave her room symbolizes the social pressure that seeks to keep women submissive, and the fact that Richards shields Brently from his wife rather than helping her speaks to the dispensability of women.

What does “a joy that kills” mean?

The last line of the story ends on an ominous note as Chopin describes Louise’s heart disease as “a joy that kills.” While the characters in the story may believe that the joy of her husband’s return caused her death, readers can infer that the loss of joy is ultimately to blame. Brently’s return means the end of the freedom that she dreamed of, and this loss breaks her heart and kills her. The irony in this double meaning highlights the disconnect between Louise and the world around her.

How old is Mrs. Mallard?

While Chopin does not clearly define how old Louise is, she offers a few key details to suggest that she is a young wife. Chopin describes her early in the story as “young, with a fair, calm face,” and near the end explains that she feared “that life might be long.” This information suggests that Louise and Brently have not been married for a particularly long time and points to just how oppressed she feels in the confines of a relationship. Her dissatisfaction developed not over decades, but likely over a few short years.

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Table of Contents

“The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin – Study Guide

Introduction

“The Story of an Hour” is a short story about a newly married woman in the late 1800s.In ‘The Story of an Hour,’ the protagonist Louise Mallard deals with the news that her husband, Brently Mallard, has died. Josephine informs Louise of the untimely death of her husband in a railroad accident. Louise responds with immediate anguish and retreats to her chamber, where she gradually realises that she is relieved that her husband has passed away. Louise’s newfound sense of independence is a result of her husband’s passing, despite her lack of resentment towards him. This understanding of possibility is the basis of her happiness, and “she prayed quickly for a long life.” Later, she returns downstairs, just to observe Brently’s arrival. The sight of her husband turns her joy into shock, and she dies as a result. Her heart illness is likewise defined as ‘of the joy that kills’ by the doctors in the story.

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The action takes place in an American home during the last decade of the nineteenth century in a single hour. The story follows the traditional unities of time, place, and action. These unities require that the events in a short story occur (1) on a single day and (2) on a single location. (3) as part of a single story thread with no subplots.

The unities were developed by French classical playwrights following Aristotle’s instructions for stage dramas. Many writers began to neglect them over the years, but many playwrights and short story authors continued to employ them.

Author Biography

Kate Chopin (1851-1904) is best known for her more than 100 short pieces and novel The Awakening. One of her frequent themes—issues women’s in a repressive society—made her literary works extremely popular in the late twentieth century. They are still popular today.

Mrs. Mallard sobs uncontrollably before retreating to a room on the second floor. There, she sits down and sobs while staring out a window. It’s springtime. The birds are singing and the trees are bursting with new life. It had been pouring, but suddenly there are glimpses of clear sky.

Mrs. Mallard’s grief is abruptly interrupted by the astonishing realisation that she is now liberated. She is now a woman of independence, free to do as she pleases. Mrs. Mallard initially resists this concept since she appears to feel terrible about it. Then, she gives in and allows it to overtake her. “Free, free, free!” she whispers. ”

Certainly, she will shed tears at the funeral. In contrast, she will experience nothing but delight and contentment in the years to follow, as “no powerful will” will force her to do its bidding. She had obviously adored her husband. Well, sometimes. On previous occasions, she had never loved him. What difference does it make now, she thinks, whether or not she loved her husband? The crucial factor is that she is now independent. Concerned for her sister, Josephine knocks on Mrs. Mallard’s door and begs to be in. But Louise, stating that she is OK, tells her to leave. Mrs. Mallard resumes rejoicing about the glorious future that awaits her, including all the days that will be hers alone. Yesterday, she wanted for a shorter life; today, she wishes for a longer one.

Eventually, she answers the door and follows Josephine downstairs. Mr. Richards waits at the bottom of the stairs while someone unlocks the front door. That would be Brently Mallard. There was a confusion. He was not involved in or even nearby the collision when it occurred. Josephine cackles. Richards quickly positions himself in front of Brently so that Mrs. Mallard cannot see him. However, it’s too late.

Later, doctors find that Mrs. Mallard’s death was caused by “joy that kills,” as her frail heart was unable to resist the shock of seeing her husband alive and well.

Themes of “The Story of an Hour”

Women were supposed to do little more than manage house, cook, bear and rear children in the late nineteenth century.

Women still did not have the right to vote in national elections by the end of the century, despite the efforts of women’s rights advocates such as Lucretia Mott, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Susan B. Anthony. Furthermore, companies often discriminated against women by hiring them only for low-wage occupations and paying them less than men for the same labour. The Story of an Hour implies that Mrs. Mallard’s husband, like many husbands of the time, dominated his wife.

Louise Mallard appears to have been a weak-willed woman who restrained her urge to control her fate.

As a result, she was under constant stress during her marriage, which could have caused or contributed to her “heart issue,” as mentioned in the first sentence of the story.

Irony in The Story of an Hour

The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin is a masterwork of the ironic literary device; even the title is ironic given how much unexpectedly occurs in Louise Mallard’s life in just one hour. Other instances of the three forms of irony are provided here:

• Situational irony

This kind of irony is one in which the expectation and the fulfilment are not what are expected, since irony always involves an incongruity. The hour’s turn of events, which imply that Bently Mallard is dead and Mrs. Louise Mallard has completely awakened, may be the most obvious example of situational irony. As Mrs. Mallard descends the stairs from her room, where she had “breathed a quick prayer that life might be long,” she notices her husband as he comes through the door and, with a “piercing cry,” abruptly passes away. In contrast, Bently Mallard continues to live.

• Verbal irony

There is a word incongruity involved in this kind of irony. In other words, verbal irony is when a writer makes a statement that actually implies the opposite of what it seems to convey. The use of “a heart issue” at the start of Chopin’s story is just one of many verbal ironic moments throughout the story. Although it could seem that the phrase refers to a physical disease, Chopin did not mean for “heart” to refer to the bodily organ. The reader later realises that “heart” actually refers to the soul, or the symbolic heart. Mrs. Mallard experiences repression, a spiritual ailment.

• Dramatic Irony

Dramatic irony entails the reader’s views being different from those of a story character . For instance, Mrs. Mallard appears to be so grieved that she wants to be alone when Josephine tries to help her upstairs. But the reader finds out—unbeknownst to Josephine—that Louise Mallard wants to be by herself so she may completely understand her freedom from repression as a Victorian wife:

She was completely still as she sat, her head resting on the chair’s cushion.

She was waiting for something that was coming to her in fear… She was starting to realise what it was that was coming…

During her self-abandonment, a slender word—”free, free, free! “—emerged.

Louise Mallard isn’t sad, as Josephine thinks, but is ecstatic about her newfound independence. Dramatic irony exists since only the reader is aware of this information, although Josephine’s character and subsequently her husband Bently are unaware of her emotions.

The extremely short story’s excellent use of irony is what gives Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour” its potent implications.

What’s in the name ?

The reader does not learn the protagonist’s first name, Louise, until paragraph 16. It’s unclear why the author waited so long to reveal her real name. I feel the author did so to imply that until her husband’s alleged death, the young woman lacked individuality and identity. Before that, she was simply Mrs. Brently Mallard, an afterthought to her husband’s persona. She regains her identity while undergoing her personal renaissance alone in her chamber. At this point, her sister, Josephine, shouts, “Louise, open the door! Mrs. Mallard’s first name, however, is ironic: Louise is the feminine form of the masculine Louis. So, even when Mrs. Mallard reclaims her identity, it is partially a male persona. (Cummings Study Guides, Michael J. Cummings)

Foreshadowing

The first sentence of the story foreshadows the ending—or, at the very least, implies that Mrs. Mallard’s heart condition will influence the story’s destiny. Furthermore, this line lends credibility to the conclusion. Without an early mention of her heart condition, the ending would appear impossible and abnormal.

Study Questions and Answers of The Story of an Hour

Question 1 (a) Referring closely to the short story ” The Story of an Hour”, state Mrs. Mallard’s feelings on hearing the news about her husband’s death. Answer: “The Story of an Hour” is about how people can go through big changes in a short amount of time.

Mrs. Mallard has heart trouble, so everyone is careful around her. When her husband’s friend Richards finds out that Mr. Mallard died in an accident, he tells Mrs. Mallard’s sister Josephine. They both take their time to tell Mrs. Mallard that her husband has died. Mrs. Mallard sobs loudly and wildly in Josephine’s arms, and then she goes to her room and locks the door.

Inside the room, alone, she is afraid of some new knowledge that is coming to her. She thinks about how she will cry when she sees her husband’s dead body. She is kind of looking forward to it.

While Mrs. Mallard’s mind is changing, her sister tries to keep an eye on her. Finally, Mrs. Mallard comes out of her room, feeling better. She and Josephine start to go downstairs. Suddenly, the very “not-dead” Mr. Mallard comes in. When Mrs. Mallard sees him, she has a terrible shock and dies. Question 1(b) What according to you led to Mrs. Mallard’s death? Give reasons to support your answer. Answer: In The Story of an Hour, we learn that Mrs. Mallard had problems with her heart. When his friend Richards and her sister Josephine heard that her husband had died, they did everything they could to tell her in a kind way. She started crying right away and couldn’t stop in her sister’s room.

Then she went to her room to be by herself for a while. She told people not to come into her room. She looked out her window and saw a scene of fresh air and freedom. She could see that the tops of the trees in the open square in front of her house were all shaking with the new life of spring.

She sat with her head resting on the chair’s cushion. She cried a little. Then she thought of something quickly. She was afraid as she waited for it. She didn’t like the new feeling that was taking over her. But she couldn’t stop herself. It was the moment she realised she was free. Body and mind, both, were free. She saw a bright future ahead of her. She told herself she was going to live for herself:

“…she saw beyond that bitter moment a long procession of years to come that would belong to her absolutely.”

It looks like she wasn’t happy being married. Her husband seems very controlling. For her, being free was something to be happy about. She secretly celebrates his death, even though she knew she would cry again when she saw her dead husband’s face, “that had never looked save with love upon her….”

When the dead woman’s husband showed up out of the blue, the doctors said she died of “joy.” But what does her idea of freedom look like? She died when she saw the death of her dream written on the face of her still-living husband. So Mrs. Mallard’s death was caused by her loss of freedom and her broken dreams. Question: (c) Do you think that the short story by Kate Chopin “The Story of an Hour” is symbolic of modern feminism? Give reasons to support your answer. Answer: Most of our feminist writing is either a direct and loud attack on the patriarchal system, in which women are deliberately put below men, or a protest against it. In these kinds of books, the woman often turns out to be a rebel who fights against being used, harassed, and held down in order to find freedom, equality, and her own identity.

Kate Chopin, who wrote “The Story of an Hour,” is not a feminist writer because she wrote before feminism was even a thing. However, her works show that she cared about the situation of women in a society that was dominated by men.

“In “The Story of an Hour,” there are enough hints that Mrs. Mallard is a victim of the social norms and values of the time. She feels trapped, suffocated, and miserable now that she is married. So, when she hears that her husband has died, the first thing she does is cry uncontrollably in her sister’s arms. She goes back to her room, where something happens that she could never have imagined. It’s the feeling of being free from her husband’s hold. The view outside her window reminds her of freedom and freshness:

There was a sweet smell of rain in the air. In the street below, a street vendor was shouting about his goods. Someone was singing a song in the distance, and she could just barely hear it. Many sparrows were twittering in the roof.

Then she thinks about her life in the future. She smiles, but not very well, and thinks, “Free body and soul, free.” She is looking forward to a new life without her husband. She prays quickly that her life would be long. She had just thought, with a shiver, that life might be long yesterday. She knows she will cry when she sees her husband’s dead face, “the face that never looked at her except with love.” She thinks that she loved him “sometimes.” Without him, she would live only for herself in her new life. This kind of vision shows that she has been unhappy since she got married. When her “dead” husband suddenly shows up and ruins her dream of a free life without a controlling husband, she dies instantly. The doctors say that her sudden and extreme happiness shocked her weak heart and caused her to die.

So, the story shows how a married woman really feels about her husband’s death. There is a touch of feminism to the whole thing.

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Workbook answers of the story of an hour.

1. Referring closely to the short story " The Story of an Hour", state Mrs. Mallard's feelings on hearing the news about her husband's death.

Ans: "The Story of an Hour' focuses on the idea that a person may experience drastic changes in a short span of time. Owing to Mrs Mallard's heart trouble, everyone treats her carefully. When her husband's friend Richards discovers that her husband Mr Mallard got killed in an accident, he shares the news with her sister Josephine. Both of them take time to gently tell Mrs Mallard that her husband has died. Mrs. Mallard weeps bitterly with wild abandonment in Josephine's arms. Then she goes to her room to be by herself and locks the room. Inside the room, alone, she feels frightened of some knowledge that is coming to her. Suddenly Mrs Mallard realizes that something is approaching her. She waits fearfully for this unknown feeling or knowledge. It seems to be too subtle and elusive. She breathes heavily and tries to resist before succumbing to this new knowledge, i.e. a feeling of freedom. She thinks to herself how she will cry when she sees the dead body of her husband. She is kind of excited about the chance to make her own decisions and not feel accountable to anyone She feels even more swept by the idea of freedom than the fact that she had sometimes felt love for her husband. She focuses on how liberated she feels. While Mrs Mallard is experiencing this changed state of mind, her sister tries to keep a check on her. Finally Mrs Mallard comes out of her room, newly resolved. She and Josephine start to go downstairs. Suddenly the very 'not-dead' Mr Mallard comes in. When Mrs Mallard sees him, she has a tremendous shock and dies.

2. What according to you led to Mrs. Mallard's death? Give reasons to support your answer. 

Ans: In The Story of an Hour, we find that Mrs Mallard was a heart patient. When the news of her husband's death reached his friend Richards and her sister Josephine, every care was taken to break to her the sad news as gently as possible. She wept at once, with wild abandon, in her sister's room. Then she went to her room to spend some moments in isolation. She stopped anyone coming to her room. She saw a scene of freshness and freedom outside her window. She could see in the open square before her house the tops of trees that were all aquiver with the new spring life. She sat with her head thrown back upon the cushion of the chair. She sobbed lightly. Then something lightly came to her. She was waiting for it, fearfully. She dreaded the new feeling that had begun to possess her. But she could not resist it. It was the revelation to her that she was now free. Her body and mind were both free. She had a vision of bright future. She told to herself that she would live for herself : "...she saw beyond that bitter moment a long procession of years to come that would belong to her absolutely." It seems that she was unhappy about her death inwardly, though she knew she would weep again on seeing her husband's dead face "that had never looked save with love upon her..." When the dead' husband suddenly appears, she died a sudden death of "joy" in the words of the doctors. But what about her vision of freedom. She died on seeing the death of her dream on the face of her husband who was still alive. So her loss of freedom and broken dreams were the reasons that led to Mrs. Mallard's death.

3. Do you think that the short story by Kate Chopin "The Story of an married life. Her husband seems to be a repressive. The freedom for her was clearly a matter of celebration. She celebrates his Hour" is symbolic of modern feminism? Give reasons to support your answer. 

Ans. In most of our feminist writings there is a direct and loud assault on, or at least a protest against, the patriarchal system in which women are deliberately subordinated to men. In such works the woman often emerges to be a rebel against her exploitation, harassment and suppression in order to seek freedom, equality and individuality. Kate Chopin, the author of "The Story of an Hour', is not a feminist writer as she wrote in a a period when feminism was not even heard of. But her works show that she was concerned about women's plight in the existing social set-up which was essentially male dominated. "The Story of an Hour' gives enough clues to the fact that Mrs Mallard is a victim of the prevalent social norms and values. She feels oppressed, stifled and miserable about her married life. That is why, when the news of the death of her husband comes, her first reaction is shedding tears in wild abandonment in her sister's arms. She goes back to her room where she experiences something she has never imagined. It is the sensation of being free from the clutches of her husband. The view outside her window seen by her is suggestive of freshness and freedom : The delicious breath of rain was in the air. In the street below a peddler was crying his wares. The notes of a distant song which someone was singing reached her faintly, and countless sparrows were twittering in the eaves. Then she thinks of her future life. She exults, though somewhat badly, thinking: "Free body and soul free". She gets excited about her new life without her husband. She breathes a quick prayer that life may be long. Only yesterday she had thought with a shudder that life might be long. She knows that she will weep on seeing her husband's dead face -"the face that had never looked save with love upon her". She feels that she loved him- 'sometimes', The new life, without him, would be such in which she would live only for herself. This type of vision clearly shows that she has been unhappy about her married life. Her vision of free life without an oppressing husband, when suddenly gets smashed with the sudden appearance of her 'dead' husband, causes her instant death. The doctors call it a death caused by excessive and sudden joy that shocked her weak heart. Thus, the story reveals the true feelings of a married woman on the supposed death of a husband. There is some feminist touch in the whole situation.

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  The Story Of An Hour : By Kate Chopin

Question Answers

• Question : The doctors in "the Story of an Hour" claim that Mrs. Mallard dies of "heart disease- of joy that kills". Discuss the truth of this statement.
• Question:    Referring closely to the short story "The story of an Hour", state Mrs. Mallard's feeling on hearing the news about her husband's death. 
• Question : What according to you led to Mrs Mallard's death? Give reason to support your answer. 
• Question :  Do you think that the short story by Kate Chopin "The Story of an Hour" is symbolic of modern feminism? Give reasons to support your answer.
• Question : Discuss the appropriateness of the title of Kate Chopin short story ' The story of an Hour' .
• Question  :'The story of an hour ' does not trace Louise's repression , but her reaction to her husband's death says it all. Discuss.
• Character Sketch of Louise Mallard
• Question: What are the main themes of "The story of an Hour" ?

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The story of an hour - summary and questions answers, the story of an hour summary.

Mrs. Mallard was a heart patient. The news of her husband's death might take her life so her sister Josephine told the news of her husband's death in broken sentences. A friend of her husband was also there who brought the news of the death of her husband which he had got from the office of a newspaper. When Mrs. Mallard heard the news of her husband she did not act unusually but she wept bitterly in the arms of her sister. After sometime she went to her room alone and closed the door behind her. She sat in an armchair. First she felt great grief and felt loneliness then she realized the beauty of nature. She became relaxed and felt herself free from the will of other. She knew that she should weep again when she should look at the face of her dead husband who never loved her. She knew also that she would not live for anyone but for herself now. Josephine came to the door and called her sister by her name Louise and requested to open the door. First Mrs. Mallard refused to open the door but after-ward she stood and open the door and she came downstairs clasping her at her sister's waist where Richards was waiting. When they reached there someone suddenly opened the door and came inside unconsciously. It was Mr. Mallard who had been away at the time of the railway accident thus his life was saved. Richard tried to keep away Mrs. Mallard from there but it was late. Mrs. Mallard cried and fell down the doctor came and examined Mrs. Mallard and told all of them that she had been died of broken heart.

The Story of an Hour - Questions and Answers

Mrs.Mallard first showed natural behavior. When her sister told about her husband's alleged death, she started to weep and then locked her self in a room.

Q.2_ What was Mrs.mallard's later behavior when she had heard the news of her husband's death?

Mrs.mallard first felt deep grief then she became normal. She felt free herself from the will of her husband. Her husband never loved her and she did not lead a happy married life. She became ease and prepared to face her new life. Q.3_ which words did she used to express her later feelings / reactions?

"Free ! body and soul free !" she kept whispering."Go away ! I am not making myself ill."These words clearly showed that she thought about good days in her new life after the death of her husband. She thought that she became free from her husband will.

Q.4_ What is the surprising ending of this story?

Mrs.mallard was actually happy on the death of her husband. She made her mind to face the new way of life in which she totally free but when her husband came suddenly in front of her who became saved from the accident. She was shocked and she could not bear the breaking of her plans so she died from heart attack.

Q.5_ What is your idea about the married life of Mr. and  Mrs.mallard after reading the story?

Mrs.mallard and his wife were not passing a happy life.He didn't loved his wife and she felt her alone and normally she did not have deep attraction with her husband. Q.6_ did Mrs.mallard passed happy life with her husband? 

Mrs.mallard did not passed happy life with her husband. Her husband didn't loved her. She was passing unhappy life and also became a heart patient. Q.7_ Why did  Mrs.mallard die? When her husband came safe and sound before her? 

Mrs.mallard was a heart patient. when she heard the news of alleged death of her husband, she became happy that she had got rid of her cruel husband and could pass her own life with her own will but when her husband came safe and sound before him, she became shocked and died due to heart attack.

Q.8_ Who was Richard? How he have towards Mrs.mallard? 

Richard was a friend of Mrs.mallard who bought the news of alleged death of Mrs.Mallard. He managed to break the sad news of her husband's death through her sister Josephine very calmly. He also tried to keep away Mr.Mallard from his wife but he could not succeed in his attempts. Mrs.Mallard died due to heart attack.

Q.9_ Who was responsible for Mrs.Mallard's behavior?

Mr.Mallard did not treat his wife tenderly and gently. He was responsible for for Mrs.Mallard's behavior because he had lost his respect.

Q.10_ What do you think about Mrs.Mallard's behavior on the death of his husband was right?  

Mrs.Mallard's behavior was normal. She did not feel deep grief on the death of his husband who was not polite to her. she thought about her new life free from another will. She wept but did not took it seriously. Her behavior was right on the death of her husband.

Q.11 Why did Josephine gave the news of death of Mrs.Mallard's husband indirectly to her?  

Josephine who was the sister of Mrs.Mallard gave the news of the death of her husband indirectly to her because she knew that her sister was a heart patient and could not bear the sudden shock of this news.

Q.12_ Why did Mrs.Mallard closed herself in the room when she heard the news of her husband?

Mrs.Mallard closed herself in the room because she wanted to share the grief but then she became normal because she started to thought about her new life which could be free from another will.

Q.13_ Comment on the dramatic ending of "The story of an hour". 

Mr.Mallard and his wife were not passing a happy life, Mr.Mallard did not loved his wife and she felt her done and normally he had not deep attraction with his wife. Mrs.Mallard heard about the alleged death of her husband, she became very happy and she had got rid of her cruel husband but she did not showed her inner feelings to others. On hearing the death news , she started to weep and then locked herself in a room. She was actually happy on his husband's death and made her mind to face the way of life in which she would be totally free but when her husband came suddenly in front of her who became safe from the accident , she became shocked and could not bear the breaking of her future plans. She died from a severe heart attack Q.14_ What was Mrs.Mallard's reaction to the news of her husband's death in the rail road accident?

Mrs.Mallard first showed natural behavior. When her sister told her husband's death in the rail road accident, at first she started to weep and locked herself in a room. She at first felt grief but than she became normal.Her husband did not loved her and she did not lead a happy life. She became ease and prepared to face new life.

Q.15_ Mrs.Mallard died because of joy in "The story of an hour"discuss. 

Mrs.Mallard was a heart patient. When she heard the news of death she became happy thinking that her cruel husband has died and she could pass her life on her own. But when Brently Mallard, her husband returned safe and pound, she was shocked and died due to heart attack. Q.16_ Do you agree with the doctor that Mrs.Mallard died from a shock of extreme happiness? 

She was actually very happy on the death of her husband. She had made his mind to spend her life freely. She got rid of her cruel husband and finally she was able to pass her life according to her own will without any obstacle but when her husband came safe and sound before her she became shocked and died due to heart attack. So we do not agree with the doctor that Mrs.Mallard was died from extreme happiness.

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One of the most important things in the story is that all of the mallards are very kind to each other. Mr. Mallard is always willing to sacrifice his own needs for the sake of his wife and children, which is shown when he breaks his wing trying to save Mrs. Mallard from death because he doesn't want her to die alone.

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