Kate Chopin authored the novel The Awakening in 1899, which portrays the story of a young mother’s struggle for erotic and personal independence (Sivagamy 55). Its first publication received widespread condemnation for its representation of sexuality and marital unfaithfulness; however, it is now widely regarded as a seminal work of early feminist fiction. Chopin commenced inscription of The Awakening in 1897 and finalized it in late January 1898. The novel was later published in Chicago in late April 1899 by Herbert S. Stone & Company. Chopin anticipated a positive response to her novel, and a month before the novel’s publication, Book News published a favorable review, praising it as “subtle and a beautiful type of art.” This praise phrase illustrated how the narrative did not meet with the widespread approval that Chopin anticipated.
However, Chopin’s depiction of feminine marital infidelity astounds modern readers. The book at first received several names and negative critics across the United States (Rahmadhani 3). Edna’s trait was corporeal and diabolical and not deserving of paradise, but not deserving of hell.” As for Chopin herself, she received critics that judged her entry into the overdone field of sex fiction was unnecessary for a writer of such elegance and artistic charm. On the other hand, Chopin’s “cleverness” was lauded by a few reviewers. The New York Times, at one point, discussed how the author had a deft manner of handling a difficult subject. Chopin defended herself and her novel in response to the bad publicity, though she found herself in financial ruin and literary obscurity. For more than 50 years, The Awakening was out of print. When it was rediscovered in the 1950s, commentators were taken aback by its contemporary sensibility. In 1964, a subsequent version was printed.
Chopin went to a Catholic girl’s school in St. Louis, Missouri as a young girl. She went there from five to 18 (Toth 4). She additionally had supportive nuns who helped nurture her when her great-grandmother started teaching her about being a woman at home. They gave their students a place to talk about their thoughts and share their ideas. The Awakening generated polarising responses over the years, demonstrating how far ahead of her time she was. The novel was heavily condemned when it first came out because of its radical notions about women’s rights, which demonstrated how many at the time still believed in male superiority. However, this novel was “rediscovered” years later. Many feminists applauded the book for the same grounds that the previous critics had dismissed it.
From the understanding of the book, it is appropriate for a woman to remain indoors and perform all domestic tasks. Edna deviates from her daily responsibilities as a mother and wife. Following Edna’s erratic behavior, society condemns her actions, including child care and other household chores (Patorno 4). Numerous themes emerge from this story, depicting a strong woman breaking free from society’s shackles and realizing that she deserves freedom like everyone else. As the story progresses, Edna’s character develops from a gentle person to a fierce feminist who will go to any length to defy society’s expectations of her and sometimes her husband’s wishes in pursuit of her freedom. Edna is struggling against the societal and natural frames of motherhood, which drive her to be defined not by her title and responsibilities, but rather by her self-definition as a person. Two more female characters, Ratignolle and Reisz, are included in Chopin’s composition, and their choices for Edna’s life path are shown as well.
Ratignolle is a rather accomplished pianist, and she is capable of performing even the most intimate songs written just for her children (Chopin 30). On the other hand, Reisz is a woman who has neither maternal impulses nor sexuality. In addition to having a physically ugly look, she seems to have had no love experiences in the past, present, or future. In her initial appearance, she is seen dragging a chair in and out of her chamber and periodically objecting to a baby’s cries in the neighboring cottage, which a nurse was trying to put to sleep with the help of a nurse (Chopin 28). From this book, It is obvious that married women who violate social norms face disapproval from their husbands. Society appears to be rife with criticism directed at one gender, the feminine (Sharma 882). Mr. Pontelliers seems to have little devotion for his wife, and he continues to believe that he should intervene and render judgments on his wife’s behalf. This diminishes Edna’s strength as a female character. She should be allowed to make her own life choices and most likely do what she believes is best for her. Chopin also emphasizes the importance of having people in your life with whom you can discuss anything to avoid finding yourself in a situation similar to Edna Pontellier’s. it is unfortunate that The Awakening piece was the final piecework of Kate Chopin and also marked the end of her career, evident from the book’s cover page (Moudrá 7).
Work Cited
Chopin, Kate. The Awakening and Other Stories. New York: Oxford University Press, Oxford World’s Classics, 2008. Individuality and Freedom _.”
Moudrá, Renata. Edna Pontellier’s Awakening and Her Final Decision in Kate Chopin’sNovel. Diss. Masarykova univerzita, Pedagogická fakulta, 2010.
Patorno, Lindsay J. “Naturalism and the New Woman: Fated Motherhood in Kate Chopin’s The Awakening and Edith Wharton’s The House of Mirth.” (2018).
Rahmadhani, Dhian. Edna Pontellier’s Suicide as the impact of her id dominance seen in The Awakening by Kate Chopin. Diss. Universitas sanata dharma yogyakarta, 2020.
Sharma, Kapil. “A Study of Literary Feminist Themes in The Awakening By Kate Chopin.”
Sivagamy, Mrs. R. “Kate Chopin’s The Awakening: a Symbol of Quest for Autonomy,
Toth, Emily. Unveiling Kate Chopin. Univ. Press of Mississippi, 1999.
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