Mrs. Mallard is perceived as being completely in love with her husband. So much so that Richards and her sister wanted to be very gentle when breaking the news to her. They feared her heart would give out when she learned her husband had died. In truth, Mrs. Mallard's true self recognizes her husband's passing as a kind of liberation. While she did love her husband sometimes, she admits it wasn't always. She sees his death as an opportunity to live just for herself. In order to emphasize this difference, Mrs. Mallard only reveals these true feelings when she is behind a closed door in her bedroom. Outside of her room, she is seen as a grieving widow. While inside her room, she celebrates her new independence. Of course this is short-lived and she dies when her husband comes home - not dead.
