Story Of An Hour Dramatic Irony Essay

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Story of an Hour
In the reading “The story of an hour”, the author shows tragic irony. It is the use of dramatic irony in a tragedy, so that the audience is aware that a character’s words or actions will bring a tragic or fatal result, while the character himself is not. Louise Mallard has heart trouble, so she was informed carefully about her husband’s death. Her sister, Josephine, tells her the news. Louise begins sobbing when Josephine tells her of Brently’s death and goes upstairs to be alone in her room.

The first set of evidence that shows tragic irony was when she found out her husband died in an accident. What made it so interesting was when the setting, weather, overall surroundings changed. The main character showed a sign of freedom and happiness. “She could see in the open square before her house the tops of trees that were all aquiver with the new spring life. The delicious breath of rain was in the air”, (Chopin). The key words that express emotion or a condition of something shows relief and the life Mrs. Mallard had to come. It was explaining the …show more content…

It was Brently Mallard who entered, a little travel-stained, composedly carrying his grip-sack and umbrella. He had been far from the scene of accident, and did not even know there had been one. He stood amazed at Josephine’s piercing cry; at Richards’ quick motion to screen him from the view of his wife, But Richards was too late, When the doctors came they said she had died of heart disease—of joy that kills,” (Chopin). The last form of tragic irony was when she finds out her husband is alive and well and she dies. The joy she had about her husband being dead turned into a tragedy and ended the story in a intense way. The irony of the ending is that Louise doesn’t die of joy as the doctors claim but from the loss of joy. Brently’s death gave her a glimpse of a new life, and when that new life is swiftly taken away, the shock and disappointment kill