The Role Of Edna Pontellier's Identity In The Awakening

196 Words1 Pages
The Awakening is a novel written by Kate Chopin, first published in 1899. During this time, women were expected to be feminine, domestic, submissive and have many other, “desirable” traits imposed by Victorian society. In this novel, Chopin explores gender roles and the social restraints placed on women, shunning the idea of women having self-expression. Throughout the text, one sees the ways in which Edna Pontellier, the main character, struggles with finding her identity through confronting a society which shames independent women who have no desire to fit in the roles which have been assigned to them since birth. Edna finding it impossible to continue living after realizing or more like, awakening to this realization, therefore commits suicide