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Marriage In Kate Chopin's The Awakening

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The Awakening, written by Kate Chopin, is set in the Creole society of Louisiana in the late nineteenth century. In the novel, Edna Pontellier discovers that she wants to be more than just what society expects her to be as a wife and mother. During this time, women are to be completely dependent on their husbands and have few rights outside of marriage. At the end of the novel, Edna reaches the decision to end her own life to escape her responsibilities as a woman to her family and society. In the beginning, it is very apparent that Edna does not value marriage as a woman of this time should, and desperately wants to free herself from her own marriage. In Chapter 17, Edna becomes so angry at her husband, Leonce, that she throws her wedding …show more content…

In an article written by Mary Bird, the author explains how women are considered possessions and are legally bound to do whatever their husbands ask of them. The oppressive society in which Edna lives makes it difficult for her to act independently. Instead, she is expected to stay at the Pontellier home to watch over the servants and receive social calls from other women in the community. When Edna does leave the home for the first time, Leonce becomes angry at her for abandoning her responsibility, and believes Edna needs to stay home because the servants “need looking after, like any other class of persons that you employ.” It is Edna’s job as the wife to stay home and watch over the people who work for the Pontelliers. (Chopin 56) Although her husband and others expect her to stay at the home, Edna wants to be more independent and leave the home. When Edna finally commits suicide at the beach, she is successful in escaping her obligations to …show more content…

The only woman in the novel who does not abide by society’s expectations of how a woman should live is the old Mademoiselle Reisz. Mademoiselle Reisz never married and does not have children, and dedicates her life to her musical talents. When Edna tries to find the older woman after they return from Grand Isle, she gets a better understanding of how people in New Orleans view Mademoiselle Reisz. Some do not know much about her, while others wish they did not know as much as they do know about her. As a result of her lifestyle, Reisz is an outcast, but this does not bother the old woman. (Chopin 64) Although Edna wants to be free from society, she could never be free like Mademoiselle Reisz, because she is not as strong as Reisz. The article by Neal Wyatt infers that Chopin portrays Reisz as an outcast to show that living in that manner would not be suitable for Edna. As a result of Edna’s inability to live her life in a way that would be deemed unacceptable by society, she has no other means to escape than by committing

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After moving out of the home she shared with her husband, Edna downsizes and moves into a house she dubs, “the pigeon house” (87). Edna buys this house for herself and supports herself by selling her paintings as she relays to Mademoiselle Reisz that she “has sold a good many paintings through Laidpore” (76), her teacher. Edna’s decision to live on her own and financially support herself is contrary to the lifestyles of most women during this time. In consideration of the setting, most women were expected to live with their parents until they were married; once married, most women did not hold jobs outside of domestic housework and were financially supported by their husbands. Edna’s choice to financially support herself by selling her artwork gives her, “the felling of freedom and independence” (76) as Edna continues to define herself as an

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(Chopin 83), by saying that Mlle Reisz gave Edna a hidden warning about what will be to come. Both women have similarities through their desire to free themselves from the chains of their narrow-minded society, however one crucial distinction between the two women is that contrary to Edna, Mlle Reisz never married and never had children. This distinction made things much challenging for Edna who could never completely relate to the decisions and challenges faced by the older lady. Edna ended up taking her own life as a final gesture towards gaining her own independence and preserving her essence in a society in which she was unable to find her true

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The only way to elude herself of the responsibilities of her life was to embrace death and drown herself in the ocean. In her death, Edna rejects the social belief that a woman’s duty are found in motherhood. At the last moment, she thinks of Leonce and the children, she admits they were a part of her life, “but they need not have thought they could possess her, body and soul” (190). This also reflects societal notion telling her to be submissive, to tend to the house, and adore her

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The true awakening in the novel, and in Edna, is the awakening of self. Throughout the novel, she is on a transcendental journey of self-discovery, a journey that was not smooth sailing for women in the 19th century. Edna’s awakening formulates when she realizes that she wants more out of life and herself than just being a mother and a housewife. Deep inside her, she began to feel a pull toward liberty, freeing her from all the aspects of life which restrain her newfound flourishing identity. Eventually, Edna is able to fully separate herself from her marriage and society, and sets up her own small house, in order to dissociate from society and live the way she wants to.

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As the novel begins, we see Edna as a wife and a mother who is not necessarily unhappy in her life, it is just that she is indifferent as is illustrated by Chopin when she writes “there were days … when it did not seem worthwhile to be glad or sorry, to be dead or alive” (82). Edna feels disconnected from life and watches it go by day by day as if seeing it from the view of a spectator. “An indescribable oppression, which seemed to generate in some unfamiliar part of her consciousness, filled her whole being with a vague anguish” (18) as Edna realizes that this is not a life that she was meant to live. She is reproached by her husband for not meeting his expectations for her as a wife and mother.

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She continues to show her children she loves them by spending time with them and making sure they are happy and healthy one last time. After settling into the pigeon house, “Edna went up and spend a week with her children in Iberville … She lived with them a whole week long, giving them all of herself and gathering and filling herself with their young existence”(Chopin 151). Although society often views suicide as selfish, Ednas’ suicide was a sort of compassionate release. If she had truly abandoned her life as a mother and wife, her children would have lived their whole lives wondering

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Pontellier expected her to listen to his orders and carry out the role of housewife. Mr. Pontellier saw Edna as a piece of property. He would be wary of her actions in order to keep a high and clean status in society. He was on business trips throughout most of the novel or he would be working, yet never the less he would sent Edna gift and treats in order to give society the idea that he was loving and caring. Yet, behind closed doors he would argue frequently with Edna and disapprove of her actions. "

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Being a woman who “idolized” and “worshiped” her husband and children would rid her of the “Otherness” that makes her more than just a tool for her husband and a life source for her children. He keeps referencing the women to angels, and as angels are the servants of God, women are the servants of their husbands. This follows the idea of women worshipping their husbands. Edna does not play the role her husband expects, and sometimes goes against it.

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Eventually, Edna understand that even with freedom, there was no way for her to escape from her children and husband in this world. She returns back the Grand Isle where she goes immediately to the beach. Edna then began to walk out into the ocean and it was only a matter of time before “the shore was far behind her, and her strength was gone” (Chopin 157). The ocean was where Edna’s story started and now it was the place where it ended.

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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 is only referred to as Mrs. Pontellier, forced to act in accordance to her husband. Referenced as solely as his wife within the early pages, She is trained to be the perfect wife; “Robert [Mr.Pontellier] talked a good deal about himself…and did not know better. Mrs. Pontellier talked a little about herself for the same reason.” (4) The character of Edna is to satisfy others, give enough to show life for society then be nothing, as was typical of women of the time, “...did not have the power to make contracts, own property or vote. A woman was seen merely as a servant to her husband.”

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She surprised many nineteenth century people with her view for how women could act and reject their supposed roles in society’s eyes. One of her most surprising actions was her refusal of her role as a wife and mother. Kate Chopin shows signs of rejection over time, but the idea of motherhood is a significant focus throughout the story. Edna is struggling to come to a decision with what she believes and how society thinks she should behave like. Edna wants to be an independent woman instead of being forced to be confined to the title

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Edna is introduced to the reader well within social norms. She is a wife and mother. We can suppose that she entered this role happily and with an intent to fulfill her part in society. She appears to lack for nothing in her lifestyle. However, at some point she becomes dissatisfied with what society has placed on her.

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Edna wants to find her own identity away from her children and husband, later in the novel she states “I suppose this is what you would call unwomanly; but I have gotten into the habit of expressing myself. It doesn’t matter to me, and you may think me unwomanly if you like” Edna has gone on this awakening and discovered more things about herself (Chopin 108). Edna is not a motherly figure, she views herself as slaves to her kids and calls her kids “little antagonists”, in a society where a mothers duty is to her children. While Edna goes through this journey people start to question her, “It sometimes entered Mr.Pontelliers mind to wonder if his wife were not growing a little unbalanced mentally” (Chopin 59).

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When she moves out of Mr. Pontellier’s house, he writes to her saying that he’s having to tell everyone that they are having renovations done. To him, his reputation is more important than his wife’s happiness. In this way, Edna is also awakened to what happens when a person disrupts the natural order of

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