The Story of an Hour

The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin

The Story of an Hour is incredibly ironic story that covers the transient emotions of a fresh widow. There is situational irony in how Josephine reacts to the news that her husband has just died. Although she reacts quit normally with grief, she soon finds a refreshed outlook on the future. "Free! Body and soul Free!" she whispers as she ironically rejoices the upcoming years (Chopin). The setting of the story contains irony as well, as it is a warm, pretty spring day. The final bit of situational irony comes as a shocker, when the story ends with Josephine dying as a result of a heart attack at the revelation that her husband is alive. This ironic twist is delivered in the form of one paragraph and a single line. This entire story and the irony that accompanies it, show how the moods and stories of a given hour can change as quickly as they come.