HERBy Titis Basino

Summary

The short story revolves around a central irony: the narrator becomes what her husband wanted from her only after the husband takes on a second wife. Moreover, this irony gains greater conflict when the meeting of the two Mrs. Hamids is due in large part to how the first Mrs. Hamid has changed her life after Mr. Hamid marries again.

The husband of the story takes a second wife, because the first Mrs. Hamid has no life outside of the family. He is tired of waiting for his wife to take an interest in something, like a club or anything outside of this family. In a way the first Mrs. Hamid was too successful at being a doting wife. Her life revolved around the needs of the family, to the exclusion of her own personal growth and interests. Upon her husband's departure, the first Mrs. Hamid actually begins to take an interest outside of the family. Thus, she joins a woman’s club in the city and is soon appointed to the office of vice-chairperson.

In the last of the cruel ironies, it is the activity her husband wanted her to do in the convention hall which leads her to meet the second Mrs. Hamid. When the meeting was called to order and Mrs. Hamid was elected chairperson, she assumed she was named. It had completely slipped her mind.

Even in his absence the husband manages to inflict pain on the first Mrs. Hamid. Yet the first Mrs. Hamid at this point is resigned to her fate and even manages to find some camaraderie with the second Mrs. Hamid, I was now much more content when he went to her, because I was convinced that she was no less dedicated to making him happy than I was.