Christopher Dube
12/3/07
Humanities 5 – P4
Essay Outline
- Introduction
- Thesis
In The “Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin, Mrs. Mallard defies the traits and expectations of a woman in that time period, as expressed in “The Cult of True Womanhood,” because she
- Thesis
- Body Paragraph 1
- Topic Sentence
Mrs. Mallard begins to realize that she has gained a huge amount of freedom after her husband’s death, and she starts to have intelligent thought for the first time.
- Chunk 1
- Quote
- Her “gaze was fixed away off yonder… indicated a suspension of intelligent thought” (Chopin 1)
- Her “gaze was fixed away off yonder… indicated a suspension of intelligent thought” (Chopin 1)
- Commentary
Following her husband’s death, she first begins to have independent thoughts about herself as an intelligent being
- Quote
- Chunk 2
- Quote
- “The greater the intellectual force, the greater and more fatal the errors into which women fall who wander” (Cult)
- “The greater the intellectual force, the greater and more fatal the errors into which women fall who wander” (Cult)
- Commentary
The Cult warns women who have intellectual pursuits that if those ambitions become more important than their love for their household and husband, it is a terrible trap to fall into.
- Quote
- Topic Sentence
- Body Paragraph 2
- Topic Sentence
Mallard feels selfishness and lack of dependence on husband, which is also a fatal flaw.
- Chunk 1
- Quote
- “There would be no one to live for during these coming years; she would live for herself… no powerful will bending hers”
- “She breathed a quick prayer that life might be long. It was only yesterday that she had thought that with a shudder that life might be long”
- “What could love, the unsolved mystery, count for in the face of this possession of self-assertion which she suddenly recognized.” (Chopin 2)
- “There would be no one to live for during these coming years; she would live for herself… no powerful will bending hers”
- Commentary
When she realizes her future potential, Mrs. Mallard has a whole new life open to her. She realizes that in the past, she had not really enjoyed her life, but now she can because she has independence and freedom.
- Quote
- Chunk 2
- Quote
- “A really sensible woman feels her dependence. She does what she can, but she is conscious of inferiority, and therefore grateful for support.” (Cult)
- “A really sensible woman feels her dependence. She does what she can, but she is conscious of inferiority, and therefore grateful for support.” (Cult)
- Commentary
Mrs. Mallard is defying the sensible ideas of the time period and taking her life into her own hands and not relying on anyone’s support.
- Quote
- Topic Sentence
- Body Paragraph 3
- Topic Sentence
When Mrs. Mallard finally dies; it is because of her irrevocable departure from the standpoint of married life into freedom.
- Chunk 1
- Quote
- “He stood amazed at Josephine’s piercing cry”
- “she had died of heart disease – of the joy that kills”
- “He stood amazed at Josephine’s piercing cry”
- Commentary
Mrs. Mallard had her hopes up of escaping the grasp of her husband, but the joy that she had built up backfired quickly on her and she died because she could not go back to her submissive ways once she knew the idea of being free.
- Quote
- Chunk 2
- Quote
- “A “fallen woman” was a “fallen angel,” … To contemplate the loss of purity brought tears; to be guilty of such a crime, in the women’ s magazines at least, brought madness or death”
- “A “fallen woman” was a “fallen angel,” … To contemplate the loss of purity brought tears; to be guilty of such a crime, in the women’ s magazines at least, brought madness or death”
- Commentary
Mrs. Mallard loses her purity metaphorically by defying the set forth standards for women at the time by thinking thoughts of independence and freedom, therefore signing her death.
- Quote
- Topic Sentence
Conclusion
Mrs. Mallard hears about her husband’s death, and soon after begins thinking consciously and intellectually. She realizes that she has an amazing amount of freedom available to her, and rejoices at that idea. This is in opposition to the guidelines set forth in “The Cult of True Womanhood.” Finally, her husband returned, not dead, but ready to resume their relationship as before, but Mrs. Mallard had already felt the possibilities of freedom, and could never go back to marriage. It was the divine consequences that caused Mrs. Mallard to die because she had thought independent thoughts.
