The Dream of an Hour by Kate Chopin
A young wife returns home after a funeral and discovers her husband has died, freeing her from the constraints of marriage. She feels a sense of liberation but also realizes she will be expected to mourn his death publicly. The story explores themes of oppression, freedom, and the societal expectations placed on women during this time period.
By Kate Chopin · First published 1894 · Genre: Literary Fiction, Realism, Feminist Literature · 1,165 words
First lines
Knowing that Mrs. Mallard was afflicted with a heart trouble, great care was taken to break to her as gently as possible the news of her husband's death.
It was her sister Josephine who told her, in broken sentences; veiled hints that revealed in half concealing. Her husband's friend Richards was there, too, near her. It was he who had been in the newspaper office when intelligence of the railroad disaster was received, with Brently Mallard's name leading the list of "killed. " He had only taken the time to assure himself of its truth by a second telegram, and had hastened to forestall any less careful, less tender friend in bearing the sad message.
What this Textopian page supports
The Dream of an Hour is listed on Textopian as a short story by Kate Chopin, dated 1894 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Kate Chopin
- Date: 1894 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Literary Fiction, Realism, Feminist Literature, Short Story, Psychological Fiction
- Length: 1,165 words
- Structure: 1 section, 23 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Dream of an Hour by Kate Chopin
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Genres
- Literary Fiction — The work explores complex themes of identity, freedom, and the constraints of marriage, characteristic of literary fiction.
- Realism — The narrative presents a realistic portrayal of a woman's emotional response to her husband's death and societal expectations.
- Feminist Literature — The story critiques the limitations placed on women in marriage and highlights the protagonist's desire for autonomy.
- Short Story — The work is a concise narrative that encapsulates a significant emotional journey within a brief format.
Tags
Tragic Love Story · Marriage · Infidelity · Social Conformity · Restrictive Society · Feminist Themes · Female Empowerment · Loss of Identity · Illness · Mortality · Grief · Sorrow