I am certainly glad and grateful to Narrative for featuring Chopin's short short classic. I read it with renewed excitement--maybe this time he is dead. Killed. Mangled. But, alas, no. Chopin evokes suffocation with such power that I am still gasping for air. A master and her masterpiece. Thank you, Narrative.
Powerful expression of the mixed emotions marriage can bring. I am not loving the ending but I can appreciate the irony. I would have loved to hear the husband's own thoughts at the end.
This is a breathtaking story of "dreamed-of freedom" being snatched away so mercilessly. A rare look at the thoughts of women enduring a marriage with one sided love. Clearly she was loved but her freedom was more precious than the idea of letting sorrow spoil her new selfish joy.
Call me crazy but is Mrs. Mallard given no first name? Her sister is Josephine and there's Richard, her husband's friend but Mrs. Mallard is only referred to once by name and only as the wife of someone she'd rather not be with. The rest of the time, while she is exploding with her new found freedom, she is merely a pronoun. Poor woman, not only stuck in a loveless marriage but without her own identity!
This powerful story was on an English test today for seniors at a (very good) high school where I substitute, and when I sneaked a peek at some of their essay responses, I was shocked to discover that some of the girls missed the meaning of the story.
Maybe they were tired or maybe they were ready for their fall break which starts tomorrow . . . but I was surprised to read that some of the girls failed to see that Mrs. Mallard died because she was losing her freedom. Why girls, why? Couldn't they imagine a woman being happy without a man? Hmmmm . . .
I will love this story until I myself am dead.
I am certainly glad and grateful to Narrative for featuring Chopin's short short classic. I read it with renewed excitement--maybe this time he is dead. Killed. Mangled. But, alas, no. Chopin evokes suffocation with such power that I am still gasping for air. A master and her masterpiece. Thank you, Narrative.
Powerful expression of the mixed emotions marriage can bring. I am not loving the ending but I can appreciate the irony. I would have loved to hear the husband's own thoughts at the end.
This is a breathtaking story of "dreamed-of freedom" being snatched away so mercilessly. A rare look at the thoughts of women enduring a marriage with one sided love. Clearly she was loved but her freedom was more precious than the idea of letting sorrow spoil her new selfish joy.
Call me crazy but is Mrs. Mallard given no first name? Her sister is Josephine and there's Richard, her husband's friend but Mrs. Mallard is only referred to once by name and only as the wife of someone she'd rather not be with. The rest of the time, while she is exploding with her new found freedom, she is merely a pronoun. Poor woman, not only stuck in a loveless marriage but without her own identity!
She is Louise.
This powerful story was on an English test today for seniors at a (very good) high school where I substitute, and when I sneaked a peek at some of their essay responses, I was shocked to discover that some of the girls missed the meaning of the story.
Maybe they were tired or maybe they were ready for their fall break which starts tomorrow . . . but I was surprised to read that some of the girls failed to see that Mrs. Mallard died because she was losing her freedom. Why girls, why? Couldn't they imagine a woman being happy without a man? Hmmmm . . .
Amazing!! Truly touching.