(Image courtesy of Grand Isle government site)
In my 'American Literature II' class, we are finishing Kate Chopin's
The Awakening (1899). Early reviews show a turn-of-the-century obsession with the tale's morality. For example, one contemporary reviewer from the
Los Angeles Sunday Times characterized the book as "unhealthily introspective and morbid in feeling, as the story of that sort of woman must inevitably be" (25 June 1899).
The book is split into two halves, with the earlier version in Grand Isle, La, the second part in New Orleans. In both sections, I suggest that Chopin creates a sort of delicate 'moral balance' within her work. She seems to be distinctly aware of public opinion, as she shows us Edna's seduction with Alcee but not the actual sexual act after chapter 31. In "The Storm," she shows sex between her two protagonists in explicit ways. In
The Awakening, desire is not just physical, of course. The story revolves around Edna Pontellier's love for Robert Lebrun. In the penultimate scene, Robert and Edna, cloistered in Edna's small house, finally, explicitly admit their love for one another. Robert admits, after a gentle caress and kiss with Edna, "Now you know. Now you know what I have been fighting against since last summer at Grand Isle" (108). Chopin seems to be pushing the reader tacitly to accept that desire has currency in the book, and an acceptable one at that. Put another way, the reader is pressed not to judge Edna's actions and affairs; we endorse this moment of delayed longing, "one full of love and tenderness," because Chopin has somehow bracketed off such late-19th-century moral judgments within her novelistic world (108).
In a thoughtful response in the comment ssection, build off of some of the argument above regarding her morality; isolate your own thoughts on how Chopin is balancing moral expectation, the public, and her portrayal of desire in the book.
(Image courtesy of Grand Isle government site) In my 'American Literature II' class, we are finishing Kate Chopin's The Awake...
I think that Chopin is using morality as a controversial theme in The Awakening. During the time, morality and social expectations drove female behavior as well as public response. Edna desires Robert's company throughout the novella but only acts upon it at the end. I think Chopin did this to show that although the act between the two is technically immoral, it was warranted given their true love and affection for one another. She allows the audience to be sympathetic toward Edna showing her unhappiness in her marriage. In the beginning of the book while in Grand Isle, Edna wants to be like Adele and enjoy her domestic duties as Adele does. Society views Adele as the "perfect" wife and mother, and Edna wishes she could be that way. She respects the devotion that Adele has for her husband and children. However, Edna returns to New Orleans still knowing that she is unhappy and wants to act immorally in her marriage. Chopin portrays Edna's desire for affection through her longing for Robert and her aversion to her husband. Normally, society would root for Edna to remain faithful to her husband, but the audience wants Edna to have some sort of love and passion in her life which lessens the moral severity of the act.
ReplyDeleteAuthors are usually ahead of their times, and I feel that Chopin is no exception. Chopin knew that some of her works were ahead of her time. Mainly being The Storm, which tells of an explicit sexual encounter between two people. The story couldn’t even be published in her time, and was published around 1960. If the story was published it would have probaly received a similar reaction to that of The Awakening. After the publication of The Awaking, Chopin was outcast as an author, and began to fade from popularity. In short Chopin’s work had to balance the social constructs of the time. Chopin had to work hard in making sure that her own voice was heard through her work. Her portals of desire are unlike those of the late nineteenth and early tweentieth centuries. They more closely follow todays standards, which further proves that she was ahead of her time period.
ReplyDeleteWhat I think is interesting about this piece is that each man that Edna has a relationship with represents something different. Mr. Pontellier represents a sensible though somewhat mundane relationship. He is a very sensible choice for a husband seeing as he is a man who both made a decent living and “worshipped” his wife. Edna was always spoiled with gifts, and Mr. Pontellier was constantly concerned for her health, but there was no passion in their relationship. Later in the novel, Edna thinks of her husband as “a person whom she had married without love as an excuse.” Alcee Arobin represents desire on a purely physical level. When he and Edna kissed, the text said that “It was the first kiss of [Edna’s] life to which her nature had really responded. It was a flaming torch that kindled desire.” Edna is physically tempted where Alcee is concerned, but the desire that she feels never really goes any deeper than that. Robert, on the other hand, represents an emotional desire. During the beginning of her relationship with Alcee, Edna has a crisis of conscience. She wonders to herself, “What would he think?” Readers first assume that she is considering Mr. Pontellier until the text reads, “She did not mean her husband; she was thinking of Robert Lebrun.” She feels little guilt over her betrayal of her marriage because she does not truly have any strong emotional ties to him, but she is concerned about Robert’s reaction to her actions because she has that emotional connection with him. Her feelings take so long to be admitted that, when the two finally confess their love for each other, readers breathe a sigh of relief knowing that there are no more secrets that Edna is trying to keep from herself.
ReplyDeleteThis was posted by Devan Gallegos^^
DeleteChopin's novel The Awakening was controversial at the time of its release because of the standards that society held, especially regarding women. Chopin details how society would prefer Edna act throughout the novel through the use of those around Edna. Though not moral, when Edna first brings up the idea of not giving herself fully to her children, her friend thinks this is an absurd notion. In the world that the women lived in and the time this novel was published, women were supposed to give themselves wholly to their family. Edna begins to have a moral affair with Robert not long after this conversation. At the end of the novel she does physically have an affair with Alcee and Robert, but when in Grand Isle, Edna disappears for a whole day with Robert and when Robert leaves for Mexico Edna experiences heartbreak. Though this post talks about the physical morality of Edna's actions, the morality of her inner thoughts. As readers who can hear Edna's feelings, she seems restless with heartbreak on her return to New Orleans, and when Robert returns they both succumb to their desires for one another. Though morally wrong at the time, Chopin is making a statement on the happiness of women at the time. She is making the point that society has taught women that their desires do not matter, that they should have given all of who they are to their family. Edna refused to give all she had to her family, which means she kept the desires of her heart, a scandal that was not accepted during that time in society.
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DeleteChopin wants us to view morality and desire through the lens of sympathy. Edna cheats on her husband physically and emotionally, but we are expected to root for her anyway. The reason we are able to sympathize with her, assuming we do, is because she is a woman living in a time in which she cannot live for herself without social consequences. Regardless of how much Edna cares for her children and husband, she is not and will never be fully dedicated to her familial role— she did not choose it. She, like many other women, are not given the choice. She just knew she would inevitably have to marry a man and have children to fit into the role assigned to her. Chopin really hammers in how suffocating that is for Edna by highlighting how Mr. Pontillier views Edna’s change of personality; she is a neglectful mother and an aloof wife who doesn’t meet his expectations on many occasions. To root for Edna, we must anticipate her emancipation from what she perceives as a social prison. Understanding her desire is just another part of that. She is committing an immoral act, but she does so to find her true self.
ReplyDeleteChopin explores this idea multiple times in her work. Take the short piece “The Story of an Hour,” for example. In the story, a wife hears that her husband has died and is experiencing grief. As soon as she realizes how free she will be in his absence, she discovers that her husband’s death was just a mistake. When she sees him again, the shock is so upsetting that she dies on the spot. When we view characters such as the woman from “The Story of an Hour” and Edna Pontillier, morality is suspended because the situations do not concern situations that are normal to us today. If a woman cheats on her husband in a modern scenario, it is considered immoral because that woman likely has the tools to leave the marriage and start a new life without many consequences. Edna would not have been so well off.
In "The Awakening," Chopin goes against the grain of the morality at the time. She builds this character who is a woman but who longs for more than what she is and what she knows she has to be. Edna knows she has to be a warm mother and a housewife, and for a long time she does just that, but in this story we see her breaking free from that chain. She admits that she is not a motherly type of woman because she would die for her kids but she would not sacrifice herself for them. She also explains that she misses them in waves when she's away from them. She will go a while without thinking of them and then whens he does, she misses them immensely. We know that Leonce wants her to be this perfect housewife, but we also know that Edna yearns for another life. Her relationship with Robert is another aspect of morality that Chopin goes against the grain with. Even though Chopin doesn't really show much of what happens physically between Edna and Robert, the fact that Edna has genuine feelings for Robert would be a lack of morality for this time. I think her balance is in the lack of physical connection between Edna and Robert.
ReplyDeleteAli Adams
DeleteI had gotten curious after finishing “The Awakening,” so did a little bit of research before class. I learned that upon its initial release, “The Awakening” was deemed to be a horrible book, but after being rediscovered in the twentieth century, it was considered a classic. It was ahead of its time in terms of symbolism as well as defying stereotypes and gender roles, hence why Kate Chopin was considered a feminist.
ReplyDeleteThe phrase “with great power comes great responsibility” bounced around in my head after reading the novel. Although it was coined and copyrighted by Stan Lee, it feels like to rings true for Edna. She couldn’t handle the power she had gained after choosing to live life by her own choices and ambitions. She chose the life of freedom and art rather than waiting on her family hand and foot. It became too much for her, everything did. She probably felt more free than most woman at that time, and she most likely felt invincible, hence why she went swimming in the off-season.
It also seemed as if Chopin wasn’t afraid to write about anything, given the nature of physical love in “The Storm” and the taking of one’s life in “The Awakening.” They were extremely taboo during the times that they were written, but like cheese and wine, they needed to age and ripen before being properly enjoyed.
also this is Kaden Vanderbrook
DeleteAfter doing a little bit of research on Kate Chopin’s The Awakening, I learned that it was once banned from a public library in Illinois in 1902 for its ‘inappropriate sexual references.’ It was as if Edna (although a fictional character) was still being punished for her immoral actions outside of the story itself. It is interesting that even reading a story about infidelity was deemed wrong and inappropriate at the time The Awakening was published. In her novel, Chopin does an excellent job in attempting to create a sympathetic lens to view infidelity through. Although most religions—especially Christianity—view any act of infidelity wrong no matter the circumstances, Chopin still skillfully writes the thoughts and feelings of Edna in a way that makes the reader feel as though her actions were justifiable. I believe this is why the book caused so much controversy in the first place. Chopin was one of the first writers to portray female desire in an understanding and sympathetic way. In reading The Awakening, it becomes apparent that Edna most like never really wanted to marry her husband or have children; however, this was the social standard at the time. This doesn’t mean that Edna didn’t love her husband and children; she simply wanted to be more in life than someone’s wife or someone’s mother.
ReplyDeleteThe way Chopin balances moral expectation and the public for "The Awakening" is somewhat pioneer like. She was clearly ahead of her time by writing about a topic like this, in a time period when women were treated poorly. As we know at that time women were supposed to be the stereotypical mother who stays at home and cares for her children. Not to say that Edna did not care for her children or even Robert to an extent, but she had a side of her that didn't want that lifestyle. This is why Chopin proves that she was not afraid to be this pioneer for women writers, and truly write such a groundbreaking piece. The story has Edna going against the grain of life much as Chopin did. This is why the piece probably wasn't seen as a good work at all when it first released, but now we obviously look back on it as a great work. Her use of incorporating New Orleans and Grand Isle also provide some great imagery of the time. By doing this she is giving the readers even more insight on the time period. This story now is seen as a great piece, and Chopin once again did a great job of breaking the mold for women.
ReplyDeleteChopin wants to show the evolution of her characters morality. Edna doesn't realize her attraction to Robert until after she leaves for New Orleans, and even then he doesn't become conscious of it until shortly before his return. Arobin's arrival begins
ReplyDeleteher descent into something truly dark in society's eyes. Before her odd behavior could be counted as something eccentric, but around this time she acquires the "Pigeon House"and many other things that go against the norms of society.Edna's relationship with Arabin shows the breakdown of some of the cultural norms she grew up with. This man is seen as destructive to any woman which deals with him, and she would not have had anything to do with him before this point. She's tearing down the cultural norms that are around her life for good or ill. Whether this is constructive or destructive for her as an individual is up to the reader to decide. Her death could also be seen as the result of how the world put pressure her and how she pushed herself to an extreme.The pressures of society and the need for her own freedom resulted in her forcing herself beyond her physical and mental limits.
There is a distinct "moral balance" throughout the Chopin's "The Awakening" that is present in Edna from the beginning chapters. While at the beach, Edna thinks about her own disposition-- touching on the idea that she is calm and withdrawn, but on the inside, she questions the both herself and the world around her. Through this, Chopin has already prepared her audience to question alongside Edna. Chopin was severely ahead of her time when writing the character of Edna and the concepts that she encounters. A woman who realizes her place in the world and in life and also realizes that she is unhappy in it was definitely not something that society was ready to read about. It was unheard of. I do, however, think that Chopin understood who her audience was. As proven by the first quote, society was not ready for the kind of woman who questioned the freedoms and experiences that she wanted out of her life or a woman who questioned her place. Morally, a woman is not expected to stray from her marriage vows or even show her desires. This is where Chopin had to find a balance between breaking barriers and not creating a work that flopped. This is looked at today as a feminist piece because it was one in the idea of making life your own.
ReplyDeleteChopin was a trailblazer in her field for her writing of complex women characters. "The Awakening" includes Edna who struggles with herself and the outside world. Chopin writes Edna as a character allowed to have her own thoughts and feelings, including Edna not being happy with her place in society because of her gender. Chopin touches on this subject in a way that other authors at this time would not dare to do, and that's shown as this work was not published until the 1960s. Chopin is walking a thin line of what is acceptable for a woman to feel and write during her time period, but she succeeds by allowing the reader to root for Edna despite the morally bad things she does (i.e. cheating on her husband). Edna reminds me a lot of the character Laura Brown from the film “The Hours”. Both are women stuck in a time period that does not allow women to have more ambition than wanting a husband and family. Chopin writes Edna as breaking this role, maybe making her a more morally ambiguous character along the way, but this allows the reader to relate and understand Edna more as a morally imperfect character.
ReplyDeleteChopin showcases her views on morality and balances society’s expectations versus its reality throughout her novel, The Awakening. During the late-19th century social and moral norms, specifically for women, were scrutinized by the public. Chopin was one of the first authors of her time to subvert the expectations of the public audience in her portrayal of characters as what would pass for immoral at the time. Chopin explores these themes through the protagonist, Edna, who challenges social and moral expectations of the time. First, Edna rejects the social expectations of her role as housewife and mother. She finds one side of own morality and identity through her emotional affair and lust for Robert throughout the novel. Second, Edna has an actual affair with Alcée, through which she discovers a sexual and physical sense of identity. Lastly, through her decision to commit suicide shows Edna’s complete and total rejection of society and the heavy expectations put upon women at the time. Over time initial criticism of The Awakening gave way to universal acceptance. The novella stands as a centerpiece of feminist literature, and Chopin’s writing serves as a unique example of feminine individuality in the late-19th century.
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ReplyDeleteIn The Awakening the reader is engulfed in Edna’s life. The reader is involved within her most inner thoughts and feelings. Because the reader is allowed in Edna’s personal window it is impossible to not feel strongly about Edna and the decisions she makes. However, because of the reader’s insight they are not inclined to judge Edna because they are aware of how she feels and thinks. Edna has struggled to meet standards her entire life. She must be a nurturing mother, social wonder, pleasing daughter, and exceptional wife but she feels constricted, which is completely understandable. The narrator within the book states that Edna is no “mother-woman”. Edna admits to her associate that she does not wish to die for her children, which baffles her friend. Edna also admits that she misses her children sometimes but not all the time. She enjoys time to herself. Her husband and father judge her lacking, but they do not understand or wish to. Edna is craving more out of life. She does not want to be a self-sacrificing female figure of perfection that is elevated on a petal stool. Her happiness should be considered and be prioritized. Judgement and criticism should not be so harshly placed upon women or anyone, which Kate Chopin elevates. A woman could be a wife and mother, but she is still human. Making mistakes, falling in love (more than once in Edna’s case) is okay. Chopin’s moral expectations within The Awakening and In The Storm both portray characters making questionable moral decisions but they are human decisions. It’s human to stray away from the right side of morality in some instances in order to live or to love, in some cases.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, the morality aspect was really hard for me for a certain extent of reading the work. She was difficult with her husband on multiple occasions, and she even started to neglect the people she would entertain on Tuesdays. She wandered aimlessly around New Orleans, and it really didn't sit right with me. This is where I believe desire comes into the story, and this is what made the morality issue seem smaller to me. I don't think she desires to upset her husband or hurt him by acting differently. What it seems to me is that Edna Pontellier desires to make something of herself, and she can't figure out how. She tries her hand at art and even goes farther in changing her overall life in search of the person she feels she should be. In this state of what one would call deterioration, it seems like for her that is the place where she is most aware of the fact that she is not who she wants to be. It seems like at this time, when everyone thinks she is losing it, she is working to gain whatever it is she is looking for. Whether she gains it or not in the end is a matter of opinion, but it seems like looking for the person she should be puts her past the moral code. If someone is so unhappy with the way their life that they feel they need to change so much in order to find, it seems to be a matter deeper than just morality.
ReplyDeleteThis was commented by Ethan Henry.
DeleteDue to the time period perhaps Chopin had to censor her writing to an extent. Chopin had to limit herself due to the expectation of society. Even when it was published it recieved negative reviews. For instance Chopin doesn't write of the actual act with Alcee and while we don't know what Chopin wanted to write, she clearly had the act in mind. I think this already brings a negative light to the work in the eyes of the public during the time period. They would think "how could a woman write this content?". Even her censored version doesn't appeal to the people. Another instance which contradicts social norms is Edna's relationship with Robert. Being in love with another man was sacrilegious during the time, but I don't think Chopin censored this part of her work. I believe that she was able to tell her story as accurately as she wanted here. The novel very clearly defies social norms and I think Chopin likely censored some of her work to compensate for that. I still think the themes while may seem normal today they were bizarre during the works publishing.
ReplyDeleteChopin has to balance morality. She needs to keep Edna sympathetic by giving us all of her thoughts and feelings. Although, we as an audience can think what we want about the characters. I really take exception to the fact that I am supposed to view the ending as a positive thing. A woman is dead. A family is broken. Her death is supposed to be the freeing of her soul and the casting off all her restrictions, but no man is an island. The book ends talking about the smell of flowers as if the world will just go as if Edna never existed, but she left people behind. It is very difficult for me to get past that. Of course, I would probably be accused of missing the point about Edna not wanting to sacrifice herself and the importance of her own desires. One can sympathize with someone and still recognize that they made a mistake. Edna's not evil, but she does do wrong. For example, if I knew that a friend of mine (female or otherwise) was cheating or having an affair I would try to convince them to stop, because those situations rarely end well. If I believed a friend was suicidal, I would do anything to stop them. I understand why Edna does what she does, but I do not have to like it. Chopin does show skill as a writer by leading us to an understanding of the character. This is Emily Zeringue.
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