“The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin Study Question

1. The story says Mrs. Mallard “had loved him [her husband]–sometimes. Often she did not.” If she was “often” not in love with him, why did she marry him?
She married him because maybe she didn't have a choice. Her parents must've put them together or maybe he made her marry him.
2. What was life like for Mrs. Mallard in the home of Brently Mallard?

Life for Mrs. Mallard must have been regretful she must of spend most of her days dreading that she got married to Mr. Mallard because when she found out that he was dead she was flying with joy.
3. In the report of the train accident, Brently Mallard's name was at the top of the list of fatalities (Paragraph 2). Does this information mean that Mallard was an important citizen in his community? Does it also suggest that perhaps Louise married him, in part, because of his standing in the community?

There is no exact information that Mallard was an important citizen of the community but with his name being in the headlines im assuming that he was a member of the community whom many know. And yes I believe this could be the reason that suggest why Louise married him.
4. Do you believe Brently Mallard mistreated his wife? In answering this question, keep in mind the following: (1) In Paragraph 13, Louise Mallard recalls that Brently was kind and that "he had never looked save with love upon her." (2) However, Paragraph 8 had previously informed the reader that Mrs. Mallard's face "bespoke repression," and Paragraph 14 says Brently had a "powerful will bending her."

I think that Brently Mallard did mistreated his wife because when his wife heard the new about her husband death ,she was happy and this to me means that he mistreated her, because other wise she will be happy with him.

5. How much of Mrs. Mallard's apparent unhappiness in her marriage was her own fault?

Part of Ms. Mallard's unhappiness may be her fault, but all in all, it is her marriage. Trying to please her husband, and failing over and over again may be what is really killing her.

6. After Mrs. Mallard receives news that her husband died in a train accident, she goes to “her room.” Do these two words mean that she slept separately from her husband? Does the fact that no children are named in the story indeed indicate that she and her husband slept apart?

When Mrs. Mallard heard the new of her husband death she went to her room because after someone dies the room is now hers because of the death of her husband.
7. Research the life of Kate Chopin (1851-1904). Then decide whether the death of her husband in 1882 influenced her when she wrote “The Story of an Hour,” published in 1894 in Vogue magazine.

I dont think she faced the same problems. She probably did but I think she didn't show it that much.

8. Did author Chopin herself face problems similar to those of Mrs. Mallard?

It could be that she faced the same problems but who knows. In the early 1900 people did get forced into marriage when they were not willing to.