Who did she end up with?

That's a good point, I had not thought of.

Just assumed it was an establishing shot of her at home with aging hubby to set us up for what came later.

But I did wonder why just sitting there she was crying, letting her husband see she was, he had an uncomfortable but rather understanding look on his face as though he did not actually need to ask what's wrong.

So yes, in retrospect, no pun intended, it does appear that took place if she went home.

Though...then the scene of her rather triumphantly opening the drapes as a metaphor for "Hello world!" would not work. It would have to mean something else.

I'm watching this again and this makes a lot of sense.

"What happens to a dream deferred?"

With Herself. I guess that's the great thing about the ending.

I don't think so. I think she chooses to be on her own, or at least for a while. I read the essay by Sean O'Connor (the producer of the movie) that comes with the DVD and he explicitly says Hester will be lonely, but at least has a future on her own terms -- one without Freddie or William.

As much as I like William (whose character is at least as heartbreaking as Hester), I doubt Hester will go back to him. I'm not sure if I get your explanation (that life with the husband is cold, life with the lover is warm).

The movie starts in the night and ends the next morning, with flashbacks all the way through. One might argue that her attitude towards her husband changes, because I think it's significant that she thinks of Bill both times she attempts suicide. When she thinks of killing herself on the subway tracks, her only thought is the WWII scene where she is huddling with Bill.

At the end, Hester seems optimistic, smiling a little bit as she gazes through the window, instead of crying for Freddie (who's long out of view) or obviously longing for her husband (who's no longer waiting for her in the car). She can face the city alone...

And anyway, it's more optimistic to think that Hester can handle life without a man. At least it is for me.

She ended up with the shark.