A Birthday and The Story of an Hour

Christina Rossetti’s poem "A Birthday" and Kate Chopin’s short story "The Story of an Hour" present conflicting attitudes toward love. In particular the speaker in Rossetti’s poem is anticipating and overjoyed by the arrival of her new found love, whereas the character in Chopin’s story, after the initial shock of her new found freedom , was overjoyed by the loss of her love. In the poem and short story several literary elements …

…one to live for in the coming years; she would live for herself". The poem and the short story using several literary elements and techniques different attitudes toward love were conveyed to the reader. In particular the speaker in Rossetti’s poem is anticipating and overjoyed by the arrival of her new found love, whereas the character in Chopin’s story, is anticipating the loss of her love and is overjoyed her new found freedom.