8. the last line of the story is this: "when the doctors came they said she had died of heart disease-of joy that kills." in what ways is this an ironic statement? what is gained by having the doctors make such a statement rather than putting it in the mouths of josephine or richards?

She died because of the shock of seeing her husband alive - a shock of despair, not joy. The doctors relaying this information makes it the more ironic because as third parties, they come to false but understandable conclusions.

Explanation:

The Story of an Hour is a short story written by American writer Kate Chopin in 1894. It tells the story of Louise Mallard, a woman who hears that her husband is dead. At first she's sad, but then she feels relieved and happy at her newfound freedom. However, at the very end, she founds out her husband is still alive, which kills her.

This is an ironic statement because the doctors believe the shock of seeing her husband still alive killed her. However, they think her heart attack was caused by the sheer joy and happiness of seeing him again. But everybody else, including the reader, knows how was happy she was when she thought her husband was dead. It was the shock of sadness and misery of having to go back to living a life with him that actually killed her - not joy. The doctors relaying this information makes it the more ironic because as third parties, they come to false, but understandable, conclusions.

answer; i believe the correct answer is enlightenment;