Edna Pontellier's Sexuality In The Awakening

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In order to show the male-inflicted oppression of women in the late 1800’s, Chopin develops the sexuality of her protagonist towards both male and female characters in the novella based off of each one’s influence. The initial character that affects Edna Pontellier’s sexuality is the first person she ever had relations with—her husband. In the opening of the novella, Mr. and Mrs. Pontellier have physical evidence of their love in the two young boys that they are raising in Grand Isle. Edna is a better mother than husband and explains that “she would give everything for her children, even life, but she would not give herself.” (Ziff, 23). This claim presents the very onset of Mrs. Pontellier’s mental awakening; she loves her family and would …show more content…

It was impertinent for a wife to dismiss her husband’s advances, yet Mrs. Pontellier took the risk anyways in order to maintain some possession of herself. However, as a woman, Edna had no asserted authority over her own body, therefore Alceé Arobin had no problem with taking advantage of Mrs. Pontellier during her times of loneliness. Chopin stresses the fact that Mrs. Pontellier has no intention of eliciting an immoral, physical relationship with Mr. Arobin, yet her strikes at her most vulnerable moment: “He stood close to her, and the effrontery in his eyes repelled the old,vanishing self in her, yet drew all her awakening sensuousness.” (81). The intimacy present between Edna and Alceé was not based off of the protagonist’s desire for happiness, but rather her lust for freedom. Alceé makes Edna feel alive; as though her senses finally awakened from the dreariness of her arranged marriage. Mrs. Pontellier does not distinguish her relationship with Mr. Arobin as an affair, yet merely viewed the young playboy as a source of entertainment. Her real awakening, however, was inspired by her the only man she ever truly loved, Robert

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