¶ … 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 informed of Brently's death she notices "There were patches of blue sky showing here and there through the clouds that had met and piled one above the other in the west facing window" (13). While the clouds may be interpreted as the troubles that may pile up at the sudden loss of her husband, the patches of blue sky indicate hope and clear sailing in the future. Furthermore it is significant that the window faces west, this is the direction of new beginnings, especially in the context of...
Story Of an Hour: Theme and Narrative Elements In a way, Kate Chopin's short story, "Story of an Hour," deals with a variety of different issues that are still relevant to this day. It alludes to the repression of women, the fine line between life and death, as well as that between kindness and cruelty. Additionally, the author uses a variety of literary conventions to convey these different elements, which include
She actually loved Brently very much and her first impulse at the news of his death was to cry. Also, she was perfectly aware that she would also cry at his funeral, considering that they loved each-other and that she was accustomed to living next to him. Brently was actually caring and loving toward her and one might believe that Louise's concern about her having been freed is morally
Irony In many ways, Kate Chopin's short story, "The Story of an Hour," is a case study in the use of the ironic. The exact opposite of what the reader expects to happen takes place in a number of different occasions in this tale -- from Mrs. Mallard's reaction to the news of her husband's death, to her reaction to the sight of him alive. The irony imbued within this
She also learns, too late, that the jewels and the life she coveted so long ago was a sham. Hence, the symbolic nature of the necklace itself -- although it appears to have great value, it is in fact only real in appearance, not in reality and the heroine is incapable of assessing the false necklace's true worth. The tale of "The Necklace" conveys the moral that what is real,
Mallard accepted the news about her husband's death very graciously. She wept to her sister right away and locked herself up in her room after her grievance. Alone in her room, she saw life in a different perspective. She was now able to appreciate the beauty of life outside her window. A single sob made her realize something. It dawned upon her that she was finally free from her
Hour Charlotte Perkins Gilman and Kate Chopin wrote their two separate short stories, "The Yellow Wallpaper" and "The Story of an Hour," within two years of each other in the 1890s. Because both of them were dealing with a similar theme, the control of women, there are a number of similarities in their plot, symbolism, characters, and other similar aspects of literature. In the late 1800s, women had few choices in
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