The Story of an Hour

The Story of an Hour

Sometimes situations in life can so oddly come together that it is almost humorous. Irony is what spices up a story and can cause the reader to change his or her thinking on many aspects of the story. Irony is seen all throughout “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin.

In the first line of the story, it is stated that Mrs. Mallard is a woman with heart trouble. The author specifically mentions the precautions taken when Mrs. Mallard was being informed of her husband’s death so that it would not affect her heart. After the news is broken to Mrs. Mallard, situational irony is seen by her reaction to everything she has just taken in. She was so delighted by the news that her husband was dead that she saw herself as completely healthy and more alive than she had ever been in life. “She was young, with a fair, calm face, whose lines bespoke repression and even a certain strength.” In all actuality, Mrs. Mallard was weak and did not posses the strength she felt she had. The news she heard gave her the spirit of a healthy,