The reason that Mrs. Mallard's heart problem was ironic was that they were worried she would die from it after the shock of hearing of her husbands death. But instead, she died after the shock of seeing him again. I would say its the kind of sad irony stories often employ, where even though they could have lived on together, she is the one who dies in the end.
The limitations in this story create a scene in which the author can go into detail for every moment. We can feel the way in which Mrs. Mallard sobs after learning of her husband's death, the way her eyes looked, the emotions that coursed through her. Every moment in this story is packed full of detail and choice words that add to the overall feel of the story. Phrases like "new spring life" and "breath of rain" add to the contrast of life and death in certain scenes, which I thought was an interesting touch.
I would say that the Mallards have a pretty standard relationship. It says in the text, "And yet she had loved him- sometimes. Often she had not." I think a lot people feel that way about their husbands/boyfriends, a kind of love hate relationship. It's hard, as this story addresses, to give in to someone and let them control your emotions, even if they are not doing it intentionally or cruelly. I think that the freedom that she felt was in finally being able to feel for herself, and have no one control her emotions any longer. She was bound to no one but herself, and I can see how liberating that could feel.
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