Emily Dickson’s “The Story of an Hour” and “The Wife” are two pieces that examine the female gender and its position in society. The first verse opens with the poem “I’m Wife,” implying that women become rulers after marriage. The second stanza, “The Story of an Hour,” depicts a female character who is relieved after her husband’s death and expresses numerous feelings. Both pieces stress men’s authority in the marital structure, as demonstrated in Dickson’s poetry “My Wife.”
The poem emphasizes the changes in a woman’s life that occur after she marries and is obligated to submit to the man. Mrs. Mallard’s delight upon her husband’s death represents her independence from being governed by another person, as she lives for herself. Both works have a common topic that focuses on the female gender and their status in society, while also emphasizing the important role of males in the lives of women.
