Nelson Mandela once said: “Freedom can only be achieved if women are emancipated from all forms of 'oppression'. As true as this statement may seem, it is not original. The debate over the oppressed woman had existed for over a century before he uttered those iconic words. Many have taken up pen to try to express their frustrations with the repression of women, but few have done so as early and effectively as Kate Chopin. She did this with the help of many literary elements, including irony and imagery. In “The Story of an Hour,” Chopin uses both irony and imagery to convey his theme of freedom versus confinement. As the story begins to unfold, it becomes abundantly clear that the reader's expectations are about to be challenged. It's a shock to see Mrs. Mallard so excited about being free from her husband after his death. In most stories, love is seen as the ultimate goal, but Mrs. Mallard has a completely different feeling. “What could love, the unsolved mystery, matter in the face of this possession of self-affirmation which she suddenly recognized as the strongest impulse of her being!” This captures the theme of freedom as she values ​​her own independence more than love for her husband. Chopin uses detailed descriptions of Mrs. Mallard's feeling of freedom to truly capture how liberated she feels. The protagonist describes his self-esteem as "drinking the very elixir of life." The word elixir is often used in mystical stories to emphasize healing properties and is almost always used as a saving grace. Therefore, its use here lets the reader know that freedom seemed to Mrs. Mallard as her husband's death was an antidote to her suffering. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay The ending of the story is the most ironic element of the story because of Mrs. Mallard's untimely death. It is especially ironic that the main actress dreamed of her new freedom and hoped to live a long life before dying of a heart attack. “Her imagination ran wild during the days that awaited her… She uttered a quick prayer that life would be long.” This is a perfect example of the author's theme of confinement fighting against freedom, as its promise of freedom is very short-lived. It almost seems as if the cruel world never intended to free her and that she will remain confined forever. After learning of her husband's death, at the beginning of the story, Mrs. Mallard's movements are illustrated by Chopin as particularly restricted. When she goes up to her room and sits in her chair, "she (sinks), crushed by a physical exhaustion that haunted her body and seemed to reach her soul." However, as the story ends and she accepts her new release, her movements are much more graceful. Mrs. Mallard “at last” rises with “a feverish triumph in her eyes...carrying herself unknowingly like a goddess of Victory.” The marked difference in the way Chopin chose to describe the head's descent into the chair versus its rise from it showcases the character's development in a few short paragraphs. Through the author's use of very different images, it is easy to identify Mrs. Mallard's change in attitude. Although the concepts of freedom and confinement are very opposed, Chopin proves that they are meant to coexist. Because if there was never..