Essay about Feminism in The Awakening - 986 Words

In the novel The Awakening, by Kate Chopin the critical approach feminism is a major aspect of the novel. According to dictionary.reference.com the word feminism means, â€Å"The doctrine advocating social, political, and all other rights of women equal to those of men.† The Awakening takes place during the late eighteen hundreds to early nineteen hundreds, in New Orleans. The novel is about Edna Pontellier and her family on a summer vacation. Edna, who is a wife and mother, is inferior to her husband, Leonce, and must live by her husband’s desires. While on vacation Edna becomes close friends with Adele Ratignolle, who helps Edna discover she must be â€Å"awakened†. Adele is a character who represents the ideal woman. She is loving,†¦show more content†¦However, many women did not have the courage to stand up for themselves, and kept living miserable, and boring lives. They were not allowed to voice their opinions, or have any rights. The main charact er, Edna, portrays the motherly woman, who does not like the tasks society has deemed acceptable for women. Moreover, as Edna begins to become free she is more rebellious and begins to question everything. According to â€Å"Women of Color in The Awakening† by Elizabeth Ammons, â€Å" It is the story of a woman of one race and class who is able to dream of total personal freedom because an important piece of that highly individualistic ideal†¦ has been brought to her.† This means that this novel follows the theme of many other works of literature, in that a heroine is trying to seek free control because she knows she can obtain freedom. Women’s roles play a key factor to the feminism shown throughout the novel. Women characters also depict the feminist critical approach throughout the novel. Society views women as being inferior to men. For example, The Awakening states that Mr. Pontellier, â€Å"†¦ looking at his wife as one looks at a valuable piece of property which has suffered some damage,† (3), which shows he does not appreciate his wife. He treats Edna as if she was an object that he owned, and had full possession of. Although it takes a while for these women to break free, they end up realizingShow MoreRelatedFeminism In The Awakening1562 Words   |  7 Pagesissue of feminism, it is a sensitive topic that must be inclusive of all genders. The modern term of ‘feminism’ is defined as giving both men and women the same rights and privileges as each other. Basic human rights would give others the notion that this is how all humans should have been treated from the beginning. However, this is far from the truth. Books like The Awakening, give us an inside loo k at how women were treated around 100 years ago. 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Throughout the story, we follow Edna s journey of self-discovery and self-expression through emotions, art, and sex thanks to the help of people she meets along the way. Chopin decides to end the book with Edna’s suicide in an attempt to convey a senseRead MoreThe Awakening Feminism Essay1262 Words   |  6 PagesAfter reading The Awakening, by Kate Chopin, I believe the text is feminist. Whether Kate Chopin was deliberately writing for early feminists or not, the book has many early feminist ideas and it is shown through the main characters awakening by being eccentric. The author uses Edna Pontellier as an anti-conv entional woman, breaking societal laws that govern her life, in search for individuality in a society that represses her. 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In the 1890s, Kate Chopin wrote a novella called The Awakening to tell the story of the rise of feminism within a character named Edna. In The Awakening, Kate Chopin creates feminism before it’s time by using Edna’s attitude toward her lovers, the freeness of the scenery, and her motherly attitude. These traits that Edna possesses are extremelyRead MoreAnalysis Of Proto-Feminism In The Awakening By Kate Chopin838 Words   |  4 PagesProto-Feminism is defined as a philosophical idea in which feminism existed in a time period it was expected to be unknown. Before the 20th century, women’s liberation was not a familiar concept to society, however a great variety of literature from this time period displayed how women defended themselves for the independence and freedom they lacked. Along with the many novels written in this time period, The Awakening written by Kate Chopin in 1899 justifies this philosophy. Edna Pontellie r, the