What Is The Irony In The Story Of An Hour

The “Story of an Hour” suggests the idea that loss of freedom can affect an individual in severe ways, as freedom is an important aspect of life, and gives you the right to express freely without any confinement. Since “The Story of an Hour” published in 1894, reflects on the idea of lack of freedom for women, we can state that Kate Chopin was writing about the issue women were facing. Alongside freedom, we can clearly see a handful of irony, and symbolism throughout this short story.

Irony is first recognized in the situation where Mrs. Mallard’s sister Josephine, tells her about Brently’s death. When Mrs. Mallard heard this alleged “devastating news,” she “wept at once with sudden, wild abandonment, in her sister’s arms,” and went to her room. However as time goes by, she felt more and more free which is described when she says, “free, …show more content…
Starting with Mrs. Mallard’s heart, it can be a used as a precise representation of her emotional and physical problems. Physically, her heart is not the best as she was “afflicted with heart troubles,” which made her vulnerable to death. Emotionally, Mrs. Mallard’s heart is desperate for freedom, but is caged due to her marriage and the way Mr. Mallard treats her. Continuing forward, Mrs. Mallard’s window can also be symbolic of freedom as the outside has a wonderful spring-time setting. We can see how Kate Chopin has cleverly integrated these sentences “...top of the trees that were all aquiver with the new spring of life” and “the delicious breath of rain,” because they illustrate the act of a new life Louise was about to live and experience after the death of her husband. Lastly, symbolism can be found in Mrs. Mallard’s face as it is described to us as “a fair, calm face,” which can potentially symbolize purity along with the innocence of a child. All in all, it is evident that Kate Chopin has put in various symbols which relate to