The title and the theme of "Bliss" seem to be in contradiction with each other. Explain this paradox.

The tension between the title and the theme of "Bliss" is more apparent than actual; the paradox comes from how Mansfield handles the complexity so gracefully. The bliss Bertha experiences is also quite literally ecstasy: ec-stasis. Bertha is lifted out of her norm, her place, and her habits by the feeling. This is what opens her to the possibility of new and potentially transformative desire for her husband. However, when one rises out of one's normal position, one sees and experiences new things, and that's what happens when she sees her husband with Pearl. To put it more simply, bliss destroys contentment.