Final answer:
Mrs. Mallard reacts to the news of her husband's death with sudden, wild weeping, and then retreats to her room for solitude. Her reaction is a marked departure from the paralyzed inability to accept the news that might be expected of other women in her situation.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the short story The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin, Mrs. Mallard hears the story of her husband's death with sudden, wild weeping. This emotional response is described as an immediate and overwhelming grief that leads her to seek solitude in her room. It is contrasted with the reactions of other women who might experience a paralyzed inability to accept such news. Mrs. Mallard's subsequent reflections suggest a complex mixture of emotions, including a sense of relief and freedom following the initial shock of her loss, which leads to a powerful and controversial conclusion.