The Story Of An Hour

In Kate Chopin's short story "The Story of an Hour," there

is much irony. The first irony detected is in the way that

Louise reacts to the news of the death of her husband,

Brently Mallard. Before Louise's reaction is revealed,

Chopin alludes to how the widow feels by describing the

world according to her perception of it after the "horrible"

news. Louise is said to "not hear the story as many women

have heard the same." Rather, she accepts it and goes to her

room to be alone. Now the reader starts to see the world

through Louise's eyes, a world full of new and pure life. In

her room, Louise sinks into a comfortable chair and looks

out her window. Immediately the image of comfort seems to

strike a odd note. One reading this story should question the

use of this word " comfortable" and why Louise is not

beating the furniture instead. Next, the newly widowed

women is looking out of the window and sees spring and all

the new life it brings. The descriptions used now are as far

away from death as possible. "The delicios breath of

rain...the notes of a distant song...countless sparrows were

twittering...patches of blue sky...." All these are beautiful

images of life , the reader is quite confused by this most

unusual foreshadowing until Louise's reaction is explained.

The widow whispers "Free, free, free!" Louise realizes that

her husband had loved her, but she goes on to explain that

as men and women often inhibit eachother, even if it is done

with the best of intentions, they exert their own wills upon

eachother. She realized that although at times she had loved

him, she has