The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin is set in the late 19th century. That period was not such a great time for women in terms of their rights. As they were proclaimed as “housewives” they didn't have any voice in society. The story begins with Mallard getting great care before announcing the death of her husband due to a train wreck. Since she was dealing with a heart problem, it subconsciously causes her to go through a whirl of mixed emotions and rediscovered fulfillment about what is destined to be her new life.
The story of an hour hints that Mr. Mallard was in charge of his wife during the period of the nineteenth century, where the role of women in American society was predominantly to take care of their children, cook, and keep the house clean. They had very few political or social rights and were expected to be subservient to their husbands in all matters. They didn't have a voice in society and were believed to perform tasks such as to provide children as well as manual labor on farms to keep the family income stable on the welfare. Very few jobs were available to them and most of them worked as a maid or servant to a noble family due to little or no education and the opportunity to grow in the workplace.
Knowing the time period, after the horrible news about her husband's death due to a train wreck was gently broken to her, Mrs. Mallard reacts like any other women or anyone in her position would have reacted with great sadness, its claimed “she wept at once with sudden abonnement”. Realizing the life she's had known up until then was about to take a wild turn. Continuously sobbing, her sister hugged her to give her some affection which shown that there was great sadness when the news was heard and her marriage wasn't abusive in any way shape or form, she claimed her husband “...look on her with love” and describes his hand as “kind and tender” which would convey that he cared about her and they loved each oth...