In her short story, “The Story of an Hour,” Kate Chopin utilizes a range of literary elements to effectively communicate her narrative and uncover the underlying themes. Among the numerous literary devices employed in this tale, irony stands out as the most prominent. Irony is consistently interwoven throughout the story and ultimately leads to a tragic and ironic conclusion.
The utilization of literary elements is crucial in this story as it ensures cohesiveness, comprehension, and engagement. Without these elements, the narrative would lack unity and become uninteresting and perplexing. They contribute to the story’s unpredictability and ultimate resolution. Removing irony from the plot would render the story pointless with a predictable and unexciting ending.
The only element that brought a touch of liveliness to this story was its surprising ending. Without that ironic conclusion, this would have been a tedious read spanning two pages. The narrative centers on Mrs. Mallard, a woman who is informed about her husband’s tragic death in a train accident by her sister Josephine and her husband’s friend Richards. Mrs. Mallard, who has a heart condition, collapses into a chair and enters a contemplative state upon receiving the news.
She is experiencing a mix of emotions, unsure whether to be happy or sad. Her conflicting feelings stem from feeling liberated yet also devastated. Despite him not being the ideal spouse, she cannot envision life without him. While gazing outside, she admires the splendor of nature and reflects on the upcoming changes in her life. Just outside her home, she notices the trees’ crowns gently moving with the energy of spring (Chopin 659). This part of the narrative emphasizes her appreciation for nature and excitement for the approaching spring season.
Symbolically, the spring life represents her liberated existence without her husband. Therefore, her recognition of the spring life illustrates her realization that she now leads a completely independent and tranquil life. Without this symbolism, readers would interpret her observation of the positive aspects of her life, including the arrival of the new weather, as merely a sign of her distress. By utilizing symbolism, this section of the short story takes on an entirely different perspective.
The text subtly conveys that the protagonist is coming to the realization that she now has a fulfilled and liberated life without her spouse. It implies that the husband was not a satisfactory partner and her feelings toward him were not genuine. Those who were unaware of the symbolic representation perceived her as deeply distraught and gazing outwards, while in reality, she is content and observant of her newfound existence. These elements serve to unveil hidden interpretations and create contrasting perspectives on the narrative. In just the opening sentence, Kate Chopin discloses two crucial aspects of the story.
According to Robert Evan’s article, “Literary Contexts in Short Stories: Kate Chopin’s The Story of an Hour,” the attention-grabbing opening sentence of the short story serves a crucial purpose. With stylistic efficiency, Kate Chopin introduces Mrs. Louise Mallard (the central character) and two important plot details (Louise’s heart condition and her husband’s recent death). The reference to Louise’s “heart trouble” in the opening sentence becomes even more meaningful and ironic as the story unfolds (Evans). Additionally, there is another ironic significance to the first line: the news of her husband’s death is delivered gently to her, but it ends up causing her downfall and concluding the story (Chopin 659).
The care taken by Louise’s sister Josephine in gently breaking the news of Mr. Mallard’s death to Louise is ironic. This contrasts with the sudden revelation that occurs at the end of the story and is ironic in light of Louise’s subsequent reaction to the news. The story highlights life’s expectancy and unpredictability, teaching the lesson that anything can happen to anyone at any time. If Richards had taken more time to verify the accuracy of the report, the story would have unfolded differently. The scene in which Louise sits in her room, staring out the window, describes the nature outside – patches of blue sky amidst clouds stacked in the west facing her window (Chopin 659).
According to Evan, the clouds in Louise’s life represent temporary darkness, while patches of blue symbolize new opportunities. The section that includes the mixed imagery of “patches of blue sky showing here and there through the clouds” subtly portrays a complex and ambiguous tone (Evans). Despite Louise’s temporary gloominess, it suggests the potential for new beginnings. The story’s concealed symbolism reveals the genuine emotions and meanings behind her experiences.
It is uncertain if he was a good husband, but it is clear that he was not bad as she feels sad. However, her feelings towards him have changed and she envisions a future filled with freedom. Despite her sorrow and grieving, eventually she will begin a new and happier journey. Josephine’s plea for Louise to open the door arose from concern for her weak heart (Chopin 660). The irony lies in the fact that Louise is actually experiencing joy and embracing the prospect of having her life to herself.
Josephine believes that Louise is becoming ill, but in reality, Louise is actually feeling great and is noticing the positive aspects of life. In Salina Jamil’s article, “Emotions in the Story of an Hour,” she discusses the true emotions that Louise experiences throughout the story, as opposed to what others think she is feeling. Now that her emotions are no longer suppressed, Louise pays attention to the sounds, scents, and colors of the natural world, which in turn teach her about the sounds, scents, and colors within her own soul (Jamil 217).
The various natural objects serve as symbols to convey the author’s fresh emotions and sentiments towards her lively new life, which is now exclusively hers. Similar to how nature rejuvenates after winter, Louise’s feelings also come alive again after a long period of being confined within a patriarchal marriage (Jamil 218). Essentially, she implies that their marital relationship can be symbolized by winter. During this season, nature fades away and loses its vibrancy. Similarly, over time in their marriage, her love for him diminished and she no longer experienced the same affection.
Spring is a season of new beginnings, symbolizing the rejuvenation of life after the cold winter. Just like spring, she experiences a rebirth after the supposed death of her relationship, blossoming with happiness and vibrant colors. The symbolism used in this context exposes the reality of their marriage, both completing it and unraveling its true nature. Though temporarily saddened by this traumatic event, she secretly celebrates the freedom that awaits her in the future. It’s possible that Louise is so overwhelmed with joy that tears of happiness escape her when she envisions what lies ahead.
When she and her sister descend those steps, she is overcome with joy, rather than sadness and despair. This is why she is deeply affected when she witnesses her husband entering through the front door. However, instead of succumbing to depression, it is her weak heart that ultimately takes her life – not from sadness, but from overwhelming happiness. Seeing him causes her heart to sink into her stomach, making her feel physically ill as her dreams for the future are now shattered. It is the ironic twist in this narrative that unveils its unpredictability and captivates the reader’s attention.
Analyzing the symbolism and literary elements in the text enables us to uncover the protagonist’s genuine emotions, thereby diminishing the impact of romance and sentimentality. Irony pervades every aspect of the story, leading us towards its ultimate conclusion. Interpreting the symbolism and metaphors exposes her true sense of fulfillment.
The viewpoint of this text would be different if one does not recognize the literary elements, leading them to perceive it as another melodrama. As noted in Williams’ article, “Diverse Responses to Kate Chopin’s: the Story of an Hour,” reader-response critics may have varying reactions based on different audiences (Williams 97). Irony is the main literary element employed throughout the text, evident from the first line to the last. In the presence of doctors, the cause of death is determined as heart disease arising from overwhelming joy (Chopin 660).
