The Irony in The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin

As I read through “The Story of an Hour”by Kate Chopin, I was intrigued by the amount of irony the author used in her work. This aspect made me develop some mixed reactions to this piece of literature. In the beginning, I was not in a position to understand the way she employed the technique. For this reason, I first thought that she had damaged the somberness of the narration given the seriousness of the events.

The first ironical expression I met in the story concerns the way Louise reacts after receiving the information that Brently Mallard, who is her husband, is dead. Before Chopin demonstrates to the reader how Louise reacts, she attempts to explain the feelings of the new widow after the news. The author points out that Louise does not pay attention to the story in a way most people would expect. At this point, I question the loyalty Louise had for her husband. It appears odd that she only experiences a short-lasting storm of grief. The actions that follow portray Louise’s increasing degree of optimism, an aspect that appears weird give her new condition as a bereaved woman.

At one point, I develop a form of resentment towards Louise after she boasts of the privileges she would experience after the death of Mallard. However, after some time, I quickly begin sympathizing with her after learning the type of a husband Mallard was. He used to control her instead of giving her the freedom she needed as a wife. My perception changes and I somewhat rejoice with Louise that she is finally happy. Without a doubt, everyone deserves to be happy in life because that is all that matters.