Story Of An Hour Comparison Essay

Words: 1398
Pages: 6

“Story of an Hour” and “Sweat” circulate around two main women, Mrs. Mallard and Delia, each not completely free in their own lives. “Story of an Hour”, tells of an old, emotional, and independent lady who suffers from a heart condition that eventually kills her. In the story of “Sweat”, Delia is a hardworking wash-woman who suffers from an abusive relationship with her husband Sykes. Although two different stories, there are similarities and differences between each; differences in responses from Mrs. Mallard and Delia, as well as differences in what confines them, in what gives them hope, and in the available options for both of the women suggested by the story.

Both of the women are strained emotionally and psychologically throughout their lives, but in different ways. Each woman imagines a different life for themselves, but they remain constrained by the men in their lives and are in dire need of some changes to their marriages. Mrs. Mallard, and Delia one day get relief that they needed in their
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She is given hope because she, like Mrs. Mallard, can start a new life without her husband in the picture. With Sykes gone, she can be happy and not take any more beatings or be mistreated again. She has hope that her life will be better and she can enjoy her job of washing clothes in peace. Unlike in “Story of an Hour” Delia’s hope can come true because she has no changing situations that occur to her, thus making it possible for her to be able to live out her dreams.

In both “Story of an Hour” and “Sweat” there are not that many options for what both Mrs. Mallard and Delia should do. In “Story of an Hour” Mrs. Mallard’s option was to finally live the life she wanted. The life of being free and having no worry at all, but life would say otherwise for her. Also, in “Sweat” Delia’s only option now is to finally be happy with her life. With the passing of her husband, she is able to be worry free and enjoy her own little