Gender Roles In Kate Chopin's The Awakening

Gender inequalities are apparent through much of history. These disparities result from static thinking and preconceived notions. One such notion is a female’s natural predisposition to the role she must play. Sherry B. Ortner theorizes in Is Female to Male as Nature is to Culture, these roles are created because women are perceived as symbolically with nature due to the fact that she gives birth; while men are more associated with culture, which is exceeds primitive thoughts and involved with higher thinking expressed through art and religion. Ortner explains that culture is considered superior as it is man’s way of subduing nature. Through the examination of Ortner’s theory and its relation to The Awakening by Kate Chopin, one can begin

Reisz is depicted an independent, self-sufficient pianist, who lives in an apartment “crowded” by a grand piano. This symbol depicts Mlle. Reisz’s passion for the arts, leading Edna on a journey for her own artistic inspiration. Through solitude and freedom, Mlle. Reisz found her happiness. She is entirely a self-supported woman, who is driven by her passions for what she loves, music, unlike Adèle who plays music because of societal expectations, and motherhood. After bonding and developing a relationship with Mlle. Reisz, Edna soon confides her desire to be an artist too and her feelings for Robert Lebrun. Mlle. Reisz then cautioned her about the nature of the artistic lifestyle, with the following quote “the bird that would soar above the level plain of tradition and prejudice must have strong wings” (Chopin 87)). For Edna, Mlle. Reisz was the only female artist in her life, so naturally, Edna makes the generalization that her lifestyle representative of all female artist. Mlle. Reisz’s life is deprived of sexuality, while being in touch with her artistic side has helped her awaken her spiritual self, Edna does not believe that a life of devotion and solidarity will completely please her. Chopin creates a very strong female character with Mlle. Reisz, who does not represent societal norms, in doing so she created a character that in turn repels men, instead of attracting them. Mlle. Reisz rejects nature at its core and embraces culture