Kate chopin used dramatic irony in “The Story of An Hour” to express her theme. Kate Chopin writes, “When the doctors came they said she had died of heart disease -- of a joy that kills” (par. 21 ). In other words, the doctors believed Mrs. Mallard died of joy when in reality she died from disappointment. The women of this time did not have the freedom to make decisions for themselves like a women does now. Forced into marriage, women like Mrs. …show more content…
Mallard were not happy. She did not always love him and his death gave her a sense of freedom, or escape. Seeing her husband alive struck her with disappointment, as she was forced back to reality. Clearly since she was a married women it was automatically believed she died of the joy of seeing her husband when it was actually disappointment.
Kate Chopin used situational irony in “The Story of An Hour” to express her theme.
Kate Chopin writes, “But she saw beyond that bitter moment a long procession of years to come that would belong to her absolutely” (par. 11 ). Mrs. Mallard believed she would live a long life, but died that same day. Women in this time could not live for themselves how many independent women do now. Their lives revolved around their husband. Men came first and women had to make sure that they were satisfied. Mrs. Mallard dying allowed her to finally be free from confinement. Mrs. Mallard had accepted having the chance to live without the imprisonment of a woman in her time, but ended up dying that same
day.
Kate Chopin used irony as a way to reveal her theme. The theme of “The Story of An Hour” was demonstrated through the use of dramatic and situational irony. Dramatic irony was conveyed when the doctors announced the reason for Mrs. Mallard's death being from the joy of seeing her husband alive when it was actually disappointment. Situational irony occurs when Mrs. Mallard accepted that she would live a long life, but died that same day. Kate Chopin used her writing to show her theme, or get across the message that women’s roles were changing in society. Females faced issues concerning freedom and confinement. Throughout time women’s roles developed into much more. Women were slowly given more equality creating a change in the system. Women have proven to be able to handle just as much as men and survive on their own, without having to be dependent on one.