Irony in the Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin

Kate Chopin uses the element of irony in her short story The Story of an Hour to emphasis the repressive role that marriage plays in a woman's life. The protagonist, Louise Mallard, is caught between the social expectations and moral obligations to love the man she married, and her desire for independence. This dramatic tension is manifested when Louise hears of the unexpected death of her husband, Brently, from her sister Josephine and her husband's friend Richards. Though the reader would expect Louise to be heartbroken at the news of her husband's demise, she is in fact elated by what she imagines to be the ramifications of the event.

Discussion

An indication of the author's view on marriage can be ascertained through the description of the view from the open window in Louise's bedroom. Even though she has just been...
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