ipl-logo

Edna Pontellier's Criticism In The Awakening

248 Words1 Pages
In 1899, Kate Chopin introduced the world to one of the most dynamic fictional women in history in her revolutionary novel, The Awakening. A defiant, passionate, self-aware heroine, Edna Pontellier is the woman I would choose to converse with.
At the time of its publication, The Awakening received unrelenting criticism for Edna’s bad parenting, disloyalty to her husband, promiscuity, and decision to take her life due to the overwhelming isolation she felt. I would like to ask Edna what she thinks of these criticisms. Are they justified? Were her actions derived from selfish desires? Or were they meant to be symbolic of feminist ideals, that a woman should be able to simply live for herself? Edna defied social standards in inconceivable ways
Open Document