Marital Relations

Marital Relations



In the series of short stories read this semester, there are common themes found among many of them. However, the most prominent theme that stands out is that of marital relations and their imperfections. The following two stories discussed illustrate how ambiguous marital relations can be, and how many feel that the key to happiness is marriage and a family. However, many times life does not turn out as expected.
In Kate Chopin’s The Story Of An Hour, the main character, Mrs. Mallard is told of her husband’s death in a terrible railroad accident. Her initial reaction was to be upset, “She wept at once, with sudden, wild abandonment, in her sister’s arms”(182). However, after retreating to her room alone, she had a personal awakening. “She saw beyond that bitter moment 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”(182). Mrs. Mallard realized th...