The Story of an Hour

Kate Chopin's The Story of an Hour was extremely ironic to me. The entire story was full of irony. At the very beginning, there was situational irony. After hearing the news of her husband's death, Mrs. Mallard fled to her room to be alone. One would think this was due to the grief of such a sudden, unexpected tragedy. However, she was full of emotions of confusion and GUILT! "...a little whispered word escaped her slightly parted lips. She said it over and over under her breath: 'Free, free, free!' " (Chopin, 1). This was so ironic to me! Her husband just died. Why was she expressing such joy at now not having a husband!?  She thought about how she could live single and enjoy life. She expressed how she lived her husband only "sometimes." I don't understand how a woman who just lost her husband could have these cruel thoughts pass through her mind.

Then, the irony really took over. Mr. Mallard comes home! After they that grief, confusion, and newly found emotions, her husband turned out to be alive! The shock of this discovery caused the heart attack of Mrs.Mallard. This discovery of the life of Mr.Mallard caused the death of Mrs.Mallard,