The Story of an Hour: Thesis #4

The internal struggle Mrs. Mallard was "powerless" against and "fearful" of was the conflict between grieving the death of her husband and the reborn childlike freedom, no longer having a "powerful will bending hers". By looking past the "bitter moments" of her present situation of death and the loss of a loved one, she looks ahead with "triumph in her eyes" like someone who was just released from prison, an internal prison. Everything comes full circle though. from "afflicted" to "free! body and soul free!" to literal death at the climax of the story. The sight of Brently was to much for her own heart to take. She died of an overload of emotional joy and grief that was more than her heart could bear. As a "goddess" she gained a Major "victory" in her life over oppression and death, which here husband represented. The complete victory came when she was coming down the stairs with Josephine. upon seeing Brently she had a heart attack caused by joy quickly robbed. She would rather die free than live imprisoned.