“The Story of an Hour” is a short story written by Kate Chopin in 1894 (considered by scholars to have been a forerunner of American 20th-century feminist authors of southern or Catholic background, such as Zelda Fitzgerald). Her story was originally published in Vogue magazine and was controversial by American standards of the time. The title of the story refers to the time that elapses between the moments from when the main character (Louise Mallard), hears that her husband, is dead, and then discovers that he is alive after all. Louise reacts initially with immediate grief and heads to her room where she gradually comes to the realization that she is happy and liberated now that her husband has died and breathes a quick prayer that her life alone “might be long”.