The Independent Artist in The Awakening and Narcissus and Goldmund
One of the great themes of the modern Western literary tradition is that of the artist's independence. Writers throughout history have struggled with this problem in their own lives. Often coming from the upper classes, they may decide to give up a life of relative comfort and financial security in order to explore the wilds of the human spirit through literature. They must choose between financial and emotional satisfaction. This is the decision made by the protagonists of both Hermann Hesse's Narcissus and Goldmund and Kate Chopin's The Awakening. In both of these novels, the protagonist leaves mainstream society behind in order to become an artist, perhaps mirroring the lives of the authors themselves. But it is not the mere physical departure from mainstream society that is the most important factor in these novels. What is most important is the emotional and mental distance that Goldmund and Edna place between themselves and their respective cultures. In both of these novels, the artist is portrayed as a renegade spirit, leaving behind the strictures of their cultures of birth in order to pursue art.
These cultural strictures come in a number of forms. First, the artist attacks intellectual conformity, choosing art over all other means of self-expression even though it is not widespread in his or her society. Though it is not explicitly stated - and is perhaps even subconscious - the artist chooses art over either academe or high society. The artist questions society's customs, making this choice explicit in their daily actions. The artist rejects ostentatious displays of wealth and the cultural emphasis on money, replacing it with a frugal simplicity more conducive to authentic experience. Finally, the artist calls into question the cultural construct most important to any understanding of human interaction - the binary conception of gender.
Attacks on conformity
In Narcissus and Goldmund, Goldmund begins the novel at a medieval cloister, a bulwark of classical - that is, Greek and Roman - culture against the backdrop of a backward Europe. Hesse emphasizes the unchanging nature and relative permanence of the cloister and its population: "Generations of cloister boys passed beneath the foreign tree... There were always newcomers; and the faces changed every few years, yet most of them resembled one another, if only for their blond and curly hair" (3-4; ch.
Leaving the cloister at Narcissus' advice, Goldmund becomes a wanderer of the medieval countryside, seducing the hearts of women, learning the art of sculpting and painting, and recapturing his childhood. Although she is not physically present at any time, Goldmund's mother plays a significant role in his discovery of himself. Through the revival of her memory in his heart, he is able to accept his life as an artist, not a thinker and give in to the temptations of love.
Society, although undoubtedly necessary, perpetuates an unduly restrictive set of expectations that few can live up to. In her novel The Awakening, Kate Chopin explores the psychological rebirth of protagonist Edna Pontellier, who comes to realize her dissatisfaction with her domestic role in nineteenth-century society. She cares for her husband Leonce and their two children, but seeks greater independence, risking Leonce’s disapproval by moving out of the house to pursue painting. In contrast, Edna’s friend Adele Ratignolle thrives as a housewife and mother, finding enjoyment in piano playing to benefit her household. In her attempt to achieve freedom, Edna finds inspiration in the reclusive pianist Mademoiselle Reisz, who advises Edna to rescind her societal ties in favor of becoming a true artist.
One of many poignant themes in Kate Chopin’s The Awakening is Edna Pontellier’s fundamental choice of lifestyle -- the choice of dedication to the aesthete, the solitude of art (as represented by Mademoiselle Reisz), or devotion to the all-consuming task of becoming a domestic goddess (as Madame Ratignolle has done). Considered mutually exclusive not only by Chopin but by American society as a whole, the role of the housewife leaves little room for the serious pursuit of art. As evidenced in Helen Watterson Moody’s contextual document "The Artist and Marriage," "The woman must decided, then, whether to pursue her chosen art or to marry will make her happier." The plethora of demands of the successful artistic lifestyle, which includes near absolute concentration on one’s craft, the time and space to truly create, and the solitude needed to express one’s essential self simply was not compatible with nineteenth century ideals of domesticity. Edna Pontellier, unwilling to submit to the relative asceticism of art and equally incapab...
When Kate Chopin's "The Awakening" was published at the end of the 19th Century, many reviewers took issue with what they perceived to be the author's defiance of Victorian proprieties, but it is this very defiance with which has been responsible for the revival in the interest of the novel today. This factor is borne out by Chopin's own words throughout her Preface -- where she indicates that women were not recipients of equal treatment. (Chopin, Preface ) Edna takes her own life at the book's end, not because of remorse over having committed adultery but because she can no longer struggle against the social conventions which deny her fulfillment as a person and as a woman. Like Kate Chopin herself, Edna is an artist and a woman of sensitivity who believes that her identity as a woman involves more than being a wife and mother. It is this very type of independent thinking which was viewed as heretical in a society which sought to deny women any meaningful participation.
While America was just in its infancy during the late eighteenth century and into the nineteenth century, expanding and competing for its own national identity, there were ideals of manhood competing for dominance amidst the chaos. A couple of notions of masculinity were brought to the New World straight from Europe; the idea that men were to work hard for success and value family, while others maintained wealth and landownership as the characteristics of a man. However, the eminence of industrialization soon made these notions obsolete. Without these longstanding notions, American men were left in a crisis without an identity. It is within this framework that specific paintings serve as material expressions and vehicles for gendering beliefs and constructs.
One’s life isn’t whole if they fail to take time out and discover who they are, the reason for their existence, and their life’s purpose. For without self searching one will solely live by societal standards never exploring their deepest desires and hidden talents and in no way reaching unconditional freedom. We see the journey of Edna Pontellier’s soul searing in Kate Chopin’s The Awakening as Edna fearlessly sacrifices her glamoured rigid life for one with a flexible amount of possibilities.
Breaking away from society’s “so-called” customs/norms incorporates a large array of valor, inspiration, and most importantly, individuality. Society places normalities upon its people in order to maintain stability and often times, tradition. More specifically, gender roles, such as women raising children; men being the only source of profit, must also be broken in order to establish uniqueness and distinction in a conventional- themed culture, such as Victorian society. Kate Chopin’s The Awakening is perhaps the only novel that fully illustrates the struggle that is leaving Victorian ideals and tradition from a woman’s perspective. Although often considered a feminist text, The Awakening can be viewed as a novel that depicts and promotes individuality using symbolism. Instead of plastering readers with dull literalism, Chopin uses symbols, such birds and music, to relay subtle ideas. Within each fictive part, Chopin provides symbolism that readers must comprehend in order to appreciate the novel as a whole.
Many Native groups, because they were nomadic, didn't see land as belonging to one person. The idea that someone could come in, claim a piece of land and ban them f...
After England's acceptance of the terms of the peace made with France and Spain in 1763, in which France gave Louisiana to Spain, the grants formerly made to the six English colonies were considered good only to the Mississippi River. During the American Revolution and soon there after these former colonies were considered good only to the Mississippi River. During the American Revolution and soon thereafter these former colonies, now states of the Union ceded their unoccupied western lands to the government of the United States, thereby establishing the so-called public domain. Of these states, the last to cede its western lands was Georgia, which in 1802 surrendered all claim to land included in the present states of Alabama and Mississippi. This cession was made by what was known as the Georgia Compact. It also provided that the United States should at its own expense extinguish for the use of Georgia the Indian title to all lands within the state as soon as it could be done peaceably and upon reasonable terms.
Early American historical events show us that Native Americans and Europeans could not coexist, and the clashes between these two groups were going to be inevitable. American Europeans had a conquering mentality that differed greatly from the mentality of the Native Americans (or even from the Spanish Conquistadors who arrived with a mentality of converting and blending into mestizaje), who had found that there was room enough for all to settle, with fights over ground being very sporadic. Also, most groups of European Americans interacted and shared a common religious, language, and cultural heritage that made them a strong centralized force. Unlike the American Europeans, the indigenous people only interacted with one another when they occasionall...
Kate Chopin’s The Awakening should be seen as depicting the discontentment that comes from self-gratification rather than the glorification of delighting in one’s fantasies. Chopin describes the central idea of one who is seeking to please her personal needs and desires and, in the process, neglects to notice how her actions affect others. The protagonist, Edna, is not able to find peace or happiness in the accepted daily life that a woman of her era and social status should have. The fulfilling of her desires could essentially cause social ostracism for her, her husband, and her children, yet she is unable to find repose in living the typical social Victorian life. The final resolve of her “awakening” to her desires, her ultimate suicide, is not an honorable position that women should strive toward as a romantic ideal because her desires were hopeless in her situation. Through Edna’s striving for personal satisfaction, she loses the joys that daily life has to offer.
Within the United States, there are over 25 million diabetics, that is over 8% of the population, however within the Asian Indian population type 2 diabetes estimates are between 17 to 29% (Mandeep Bajaj, 2013). As additional information, according to the New York Times article, The Global Diabetes Epidemic, diabetes is at epidemic proportions in India, China and other emerging economies. Indians are predisposed to diabetes, particularly when overweight (Lipska, 2015). Another risk to Indo Americans is that much of the food is carbohydrates, due to many Hindu Indians being vegetarian. In addition, there is also a significant portion of Indo Americans who hav...
For many centuries, literature has been used to communicated various ideas and wisdom gained from experiences. The idea of masculinity and male superiority can be best portrayed in Kate Chopin’s The Awakening. The novel takes place at a luxurious resort known as the Grand Isle, located in New Orleans, during the mid-1800s. Edna Pontellier, one of the main characters in the novel, struggles to find happiness, love, and freedom. Her attitude towards many aspects of life are much different than other married women around her. This novel is very unique mainly because of the time period it was written in. During this era, strict gender roles were enforced and women had many restrictions. The duties of women were strictly fixated on cooking, cleaning, and nurturing. Edna Pontellier craved for independence. She became depressed due to the monotonous and cookie cutter society that she was forced to conform in. The plot of the novel focuses on Edna’s journey to progress into an independent women in this male driven soc...
Zimmet, P., K.G. Alberti, and J. Shaw.2001. Global and societal implications of the diabetes epidemic. Nature 414 (December 13): 782-86
James Joyce's A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man presents an account of the formative years of aspiring author Stephen Dedalus. "The very title of the novel suggests that Joyce's focus throughout will be those aspects of the young man's life that are key to his artistic development" (Drew 276). Each event in Stephen's life -- from the opening story of the moocow to his experiences with religion and the university -- contributes to his growth as an artist. Central to the experiences of Stephen's life are, of course, the people with whom he interacts, and of primary importance among these people are women, who, as his story progresses, prove to be a driving force behind Stephen's art.