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Existential Angst In Kate Chopin's The Awakening

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Existential Angst in Kate Chopin’s The Awakening: A Feminist Reading Abstract: This paper intends to analyse the idea of existential angst in Kate Chopin’s The Awakening in the light of existential feminism. The issue of suicide will be discussed from a larger feminist perspective including Indian. The suicide committed by Edna Pontellier at the end relates to awakening of the self-consciousness leading to annihilation of identity pertaining to the existential despair. The study on this aspect is made by referring to certain existential ethics such as angst and despair. The research is presented through feminist methodology by taking into account the notion of existential feminism by Simone De Beauvoir. The western and Indian notions of feminism are juxtaposed citing disparity among the socio- cultural situations working towards a presentation of a larger picture of the condition of women. …show more content…

It is believed to have been coined by Soren Kierkegaard relating to a feeling of anxiety or inner turmoil. However, it is different from fear as the latter has an object and can be worked upon unlike angst whose source cannot be manifested while despair is the loss of hope, the disintegration of one’s defining self or identity. Kierkegaard in his work Either/Or, states that the external conditions makes one unhappy as they are beyond control and hence causes despair. The existential angst which awakens the knowledge of Edna’s solitary self proves redundant as she chooses to commit suicide in order to end her ignominy. And the further stage of angst is despair which relates to complete hopelessness. Albert Camus, the famous Existential thinker opined that one commits suicide not of one’s own free will but due to circumstances which oppress upon one’s own will. While the feminists like Helen Cixous and Clement claim that “either the woman is passive or she doesn’t exist” (Cixous,

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When undergoing socially oppressive conditions, many individuals are hesitant to invoke changes in their lifestyle. Kate Chopin’s The Awakening exemplifies how an individual rejects societal restrictions through Edna Pontellier, a nineteenth century woman who is in a passionless marriage with her Creole husband. Being a part of an upper-middle class family, she vacations in Grand Isle, but primarily lives in New Orleans, Louisiana. Edna initially submits to the Creole expectations that limit her freedom, but realizes her current status in life is not enough for her and begins to implement changes in her lifestyle. She pursues independence in various ways and defies the typical housewife role she has been playing for her entire life.

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It is common for people in everyday society to conform to society’s expectations while also questioning their true desires. In the novel, The Awakening, by Kate Chopin, the main protagonist Edna Pontellier is said to possess, "That outward existence which conforms, the inward life that questions." In other words, Edna outwardly conforms while questioning inwardly. Kate Chopin, uses this tension between outward conformity and inward questioning to build the meaning of the novel by examining Edna’s role as a wife, mother, and as nontraditional woman in the traditional Victorian period. Edna outwardly conforms to society’s expectations by marriage.

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It is no question that the ending of Kate Chopin’s novel The Awakening is quite vague. What does Edna’s suicide represent? Is it a sign of triumph or an act of resignation? Regardless, there is a message that lives on even if Edna did not.

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In Kate Chopin’ s novel, The Awakening, there are three identities inside of the female leading role, Edna Pontellier, being a wife, mother and own self. Edna was born in 19th century at the Vitoria period, a patriarchy society, women have low freedom to achieve personal goal. She married with Léonce Pontellier, a wealthy man with Creole descent. After having a child, her life is still unchangeable and as bored as before. Until she encountered Robert Leburn, Mademoiselle Reisz, and Alcée Arobin, her value of self-cognition has changed.

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Individuals all around the world today face obstacles that challenge their strength and integrity. Someone’s ability to persevere through obstacles ultimately builds their moral character. Moreover, an individual’s capability to turn themselves into the person they have always desired to be can be life-changing. Human beings can discover who they genuinely are in a variety of ways. In Kate Chopin’s The Awakening, the main character Edna Pontellier awakens in life with bravery and a sense of exploration, which, in due course, alters her perspective on life and grants her independence.

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The Awakening is a novel written by Kate Chopin that follows a woman named Edna Pontellier on her journey to self-awareness. Edna lived a comfortable lifestyle with her husband and two children in Louisiana during the 19th century. Despite obtaining all aspects to a perfect life, Edna became dissatisfied after meeting Robert Lebrun in Grand Isle. Robert sparked a desire for unlawful lust as well as a yearning for independence in a society full of conformed standards. Edna was unable to handle the pressures associated with achieving personal freedom which ultimately led to her death.

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The Suicide of Edna Pontellier The novel, titled The Awakening tells the story of a woman struggling to find herself during a time where society placed restrictions on women’s freedom of expression. The novel, written by Kate Chopin, takes place in the nineteenth century. The main character, Edna Pontellier, is a mother and a wife who is not content with the life she lives. Throughout the novel, Edna goes through different stages and deals with many different people that contribute to her awakening.

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Edna Pontellier was only seen as a “valuable piece of property which [had] suffered some damaged” to her husband Mr. Pontellier (BOOK). One can also see that “The Awakening” also focused on the sexual desires of women, identity, and self-discovery Edna, a character in “The Awakening” experienced her awakening by discovering her identity in her own self. “The Awakening” attempts to tell the story a woman who wants to find herself while lusting. Later, at the end of the story, one discovers that since Edna Pontellier could not fully find her peace, and freedom she ultimately decides to commit suicide. Through this “The Awakening” shows that although women were oppressed, they also had empowerment.

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In the 19th century, a group of people launched the suffrage movement, and they cared about women’s political rights, their property and their body liberty. Born in that age, Kate Chopin was aware of the importance of setting an example for those who were taken in by the reality and poor women to be an inspiration. So we call her a forerunner of the feminist author for every effort she put in advocating women’s sexuality, their self-identity and women’s own strength. When people were ashamed of talking about sexuality, Kate Chopin stood out and call for women’s sexual autonomy.

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Self Discovery Imagine living in a society constantly having strong feelings of not belonging and self-hatred. Then getting married, settling down, and having children… just to find unhappiness, and confusion. This is Edna Ponteiller’s life from The Awakening by Kate Chopin. Edna lives in an extremely high class, classic, New Orleans creole society in the Victorian Era. She has a husband, Leonce, and children at home, but slowly she begins to choose herself over her family and begins to go on her own self-discovery fueled journeys, meeting new people along the way.

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In Kate Chopin’s “The Awakening” shows a controversial protagonist, Edna Pontellier. The character in the novel showed different expectations for women and their supposed roles. One literary critic, Megan Kaplon showed how this novel can be viewed as a struggle of the world or society around her. Edna in the story is trying to find freedom and individuality Kaplon mentions that “one of her most shocking actions was her denial of her role as a mother and wife.”

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Soren Kierkegaard, Friedrich Nietzsche and Jean-Paul Sartre are considered some of the most central figures in the existentialist philosophical movement. These three philosophers have shaped their existentialist attitudes through their sense of uncertainty and puzzlement in the seemingly meaningless and absurd universe in which we all live in. They believe that human beings are much more than they perceive themselves to be in the sense that they are not only existent creatures, but also creatures who can chose their own destiny and what their purpose in the world should be. They also all agree that human existence is essentially freedom because humans can chose how they wish to engage themselves in the world. Kierkegaard, Nietzsche and Sartre

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Kate Chopin’s The Awakening is a piece of fiction written in the nineteenth century. The protagonist Edna is a controversial character, Edna rebels against many nineteenth - century traditions, but her close friend Adele was a perfect example in terms of a role of a woman, mother and wife at that time. Chopin uses contrast characters to highlight the difference between Adele and Edna. Although they are both married women in the nineteenth century, they also exhibit many different views about what a mother role should be.

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Therefore, in this research the main research questions were: • What are the reasons to commission suicide? • How it effect to the future of countries that already has this problem? • How do suicide rates compare between men and women?

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INTRODUCTION This paper will be discussing suicide and Para-suicide among world views components of theology, philosophy, ethics, biology, sociology, psychology, politics, law, economics and history. Suicide is one of the major leading causes of death in the world. It is estimated that about one million people worldwide die by suicide each year and it is apparent in all cultures, religions, nationalities. DEFINITION TERMS

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