In the story “The Story of an Hour”, Mrs. Mallard seems shocked and devastated to hear the news of her husband’s death. When she takes a moment alone to process the news, that she is no longer part of a union that may have defined her until present moment, a feeling opposite of despair begins to take hold within her. Excitement and wonder of the fact that she will be able to live, and be for just herself without the duties and limitations of marriage overwhelm her, and propel within her a feeling of elation.”There would be no one to live for during those coming years; she would live for herself”. Through the narrators tone, that is the impression that Mrs. Mallards reaction, and thoughts seem to convey. There is no doubt that she mourns the loss of her husband and describes in a pleasant light. “When she saw the kind, tender hands folded in death; the face that had never looked saved with love upon her”. But she cannot contain the exhilaration and optimism of living for herself, and the feeling alone makes her physical aliment of a weak heart, all but feel invigorated. At the news that her husband has not died, and in fact, still lives, she is but all devastated. It is this devastation and realization that the life she envisioned for herself is gone in an instant and ends up weakening her heart, and sending her to her untimely death. “When the doctors came they said she had died of heart disease–of the joy that kills”. It is not the joy that killed her, but in fact, the sadness.
In “A Jury of Her Peers”, Mrs. Wright has killed her husband. It seems that the marriage was turbulent and unhappy. Mrs. Hale alludes to the fact the Mrs. Wright was once young, vibrant and beautiful. Mr. Wright quelced her of spirit and happiness. She no longer sang, and even her clothes were described as “shabby”. It appears the Mr. Wright killed Mrs. Wrights bird, therefore robbing her of her one singular joy, and in a fit of despair and rage, she broke his neck as he had her bird’s. In comparison to “The Story of An Hour”, both women, marriages and relationships are different, yet both feel relief at the death of their husbands.
