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Examples Of Slave Morality In The Awakening

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How “Slave Morality” and “Bad Conscience” Relate to The Awakening

In Kate Chopin’s novel The Awakening, the main character Edna Pontellier strives to liberate herself from societal bindings and live a more free and passionate life. She struggles to do this without causing problems for both her husband and two children. Throughout the book, Friedrich Nietzsche’s ideas of “slave morality” and “bad conscience,” which he details in his book, On the Genealogy of Morals, are evident. “Slave morality” refers to a morality with more social values, such as kindness, sympathy, and humility. “Bad conscience” is an idea that humans have primitive instincts that are no longer necessary to function in modern society, and those instincts must be suppressed, …show more content…

To truly understand what the “slave morality” is, its counterpart, “master morality,” must also be discussed. “Master morality” is a morality typically upheld by the strong willed people, those who have power. People with “master morality” define good as what is helpful to themselves, and bad as what is harmful. The “masters” create morals based on these views, and the “slaves” respond to these morals with their own. “Slave morality” is held by the people who don’t have power, those who are weak. It is essentially a reaction to the way these people are treated, a kind of resentment towards their “masters.” The “slaves” define good as what is helpful for their entire community, not just what is helpful for the “masters.” In The Awakening, the “master” is really Edna’s family and, in some ways, society as a whole. Edna herself is, therefore, the “slave” and the community aforementioned. She is tied to her family and responsible to be a mother and wife; society has set forth the principles of what she is and is not allowed to do in this role, and created an inescapable prison for her. To her family, it is helpful, and therefore good, for Edna to raise the children and act as a housewife. From her own perspective, it would be better for her to be free and live the passionate life she desires. In this way, her ideas of what good is reflect “slave morality” because they oppose the ideas of her

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Frederick Douglass begins the passage by characterizing his mistress to the abolitionists of the north as a woman of a good heart. Douglass portrays his mistress to be innocent and ignorant prior to the influences of slavery. However, Douglass’ greater intention is to compare his mistress after the works of slavery to unravel its hidden powers and its overriding brainwashing capabilities (something the abolitionists were not exposed to). Douglass then persuades his audience by exemplifying how corruptive slavery truly is by portraying how it had impacted his mistress. From the very beginning, Douglass had greatly appreciated his mistress for her heavenly character, acts of compassion, and generosity.

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