Mrs. Mallard declares that she is free.

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 532.

Climax

Mrs. Mallard complicates the traditional or expected reaction of a widow to a husband's death by reacting in a totally unusual way. Instead of refusing to believe the news or take it in, she instantly grasps it and cries her eyes out, before going off to be alone. All this is meant to show us that she's an unusual widow, and it prepares us for the climax to follow.

Mrs. Mallard mourns and tries to deal with her unusual feelings.

Complication

Mrs. Mallard struggles with her grief, and then also struggles with a piece of new knowledge coming at her. She tries to avoid it, but can't completely push it off. Finally, she succumbs to the realization that she is free, and that she's glad. After the tragedy of hearing such bad news, and managing such changing emotions of grief and abandonment, Mrs. Mallard is so overwhelmed by her feeling of freedom that she can barely whisper.

Mrs. Mallard floats out of her room on the crest of Victory, feeling like she's conquered her sadness, her non-sadness, and her new desire for freedom. She sweeps out of her room like a new person, stronger for her grief, and excited about her life ahead. She's almost high with all the emotion and adrenaline floating about her as she keeps fixating on the idea that she's free at last.