FREE ESSAY ON THE AWAKENING

THE AWAKENING

When faced with the question of which novel did I have the greatest reaction to this
semester?, the first story that came to mind was The Awakening. Although written from the
perspective of a woman, I found that this story rendered my greatest emotional appeal. It
is a story of a woman, Edna Pontellier, who transforms herself from an obedient housewife
to a person who is alive with strength of character and emotions that she no longer has
to suppress. The metamorphosis is shaped by her surroundings. It is the narrow minded
view of society in Victorian times that makes this story possible. Just as her behavior
is more shocking and horrifying because of her position in society, it is that very
position which causes her to feel restrained and makes her want to rebel against
convention. Is Edna truly awakened at the end of the story?
A typical Victorian woman maintained her sphere which deemed women's personal lives
center around home, husband, and children.(Bonner, 26) Women were supposed to accept this
position in the home happily and be satisfied. It never satisfied Edna, who always seemed
out of place when with other woman. She 
was a wife and mother, but not a typical Victorian wife and mother. With regards to her
children,Their absence was sort of relief...It seemed to free her of a responsibility
which she blindly assumed and for which fate had not fitted her(Chopin,18).Even early on,
she reveals ideas uncommon to Victorian society. She tries to maintain her roles, but it
is very difficult to her.
The person who Edna truly admires the most is Mademoiselle Reiz, who is a brilliant
artist and pianist. Mademoiselle Reiz is widely misunderstood because she is an
eccentric, bold and does not conform to the traditional role of a woman in Victorian
society. It her music that touches Edna. Edna claimed that something inside her stirred
and she felt alive like she had never felt before(Chopin). It is at this moment that I
believe that Edna began to awake and see the beauty of life. It is this awakening inside
Edna that made me connect with this story. I have had similar experiences with art that
made me too feel just as edna had felt. This was in great contrast to her boring marriage
to Leonce. I could not blame Edna for striving towards that feeling of being alive.
Edna's marriage to Leonce is safe, but there is no passion or excitement.  She grew fond
of her husband, realizing with some unaccountable satisfaction that no trace of passion
or 
excessive and fictitious warmth colored her affection, thereby threatening its
desolution(Chopin,18).While this lack of emotion is enough to satisfy Edna for the
majority of the marriage, after she allows her true self to come forward, she feels
trapped and seeks to escape. As the story progresses, Edna focuses on her desires rather
than what her husband wants. Edna disregards her husbands appeals to conform and
continues to do what she wants. These desires eventually lead her to commit adultery,
which in Victorian times, would be disastrous for a woman. One must admire Edna's courage
even if they do not agree with her decision to commit adultery.
It is this aspect of adultery and disregards for the norms of Victorian society that led
Chopin to receive rejection when the book was first published(Bonner, Introduction).
Sadly, what Victorians saw as a rejection of convention on behalf of Edna can almost be
seen as convention today. This is what makes the setting and time that The Awakening
takes place in so important to the story. 
So was Edna truly awakened in the story? As the novel continues, Edna continues to feel
trapped in the restricted environment and ultimately commits suicide to leave the world
that will not let her leave her traditional role. Edna tried to 
maintain her role as long as she could, but it became too much for her , and she needed
to do the best thing. In her mind, that meant killing herself in the water which had no
boundaries and restrictions. In a sense, one could argue that she was not truly free
because she ended up killing herself. On the other hand, she had been awakened to the
beauty and joy of life. In Victorian times however, I don't think that Edna would have
been happy living another day restricted by the outrageous norms of society at that time.
I feel ,although harsh, that she ultimately found happiness in death.
The Awakening is truly a powerful story. Its has made a lasting impression with me, as
well as, made a strong emotional appeal am only thankful that society today is not as
narrow minded as the Victorian times. 
Works Cited
Bonner,Thomas, The Kate Chopin Companion, 
Westport:Greenwood Press,1998.
Chopin,Kate, The Awakening,
W.W.Norton(New York),1976(1899).