Sexual Fulfillment in Chopin's Awakening
analytical Essay
886 words
Society keeps order, allows for advancement, and gives humanity a good face. It also imposes morals, roles, and limits a person's potential development. If someone wishes to reach beyond what society expects of them, they must cast aside social restrictions. Edna Pontellier, in Kate Chopin's The Awakening, feels the urge to cast off the veil society burdens her with and live as she chooses to. The driving factor behind her desire to awaken is her lack of sexual fulfillment. She lives her life following conduct becoming of a woman who marries into the Creole elite of New Orleans. While her husband, Léonce, adores her, she does not truly love him and their relationship appears platonic. Robert, a young paramour, woos Edna and she finds herself with wants and desires. Edna later experiments with a known womanizer named Alceé, and uncovers more passions. While Edna fails to fully come into her own in society, she awakens her sexuality through her experiences with the aforementioned men.
Léonce appears to be an ideal husband for the turn of the nineteenth century. He adores his wife Edna, buys her affectionate gifts, and cares for her general well being. When other women see his treatment of Edna, they believe him to be a perfect husband. Edna, however, sees him as being distant and reserved. Though he gives her material freedom, he sees her as a possession. He provides little emotional support and cannot fill any of Edna's rising sexual needs. "Her husband seemed to her now like a person whom she had married without love as an excuse" (77). Léonce proves to be the father figure for Edna. He pampers her and takes care of all her physical needs. However, he is unable to rea...
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...ng in their relationship, but cannot deny something that her newly awakened sexuality craves. It is her way of rebelling against society and fulfilling many suppressed wants and desires. It leaves her empty, however, as this passion did not come from love.
Affairs and liaisons are not necessary parts of life, but for Edna Pontellier they help awaken her true sexual desires, passions, and needs. Her husband provides the needed cover for society and helps her to realize what she is lacking in life. Robert supplies the love, the passion, and the fairy tale romance. He shows her what love is and elicits her childish infatuation. Alcée brings out Edna's id, her want for sex. He allows her to show her animalism that craves sexual attention. Through her experiences with these three men, Edna fully awakens her sexuality.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how edna pontellier, in kate chopin's the awakening, feels the urge to cast aside social restrictions and live as she chooses.
- Analyzes how léonce is an ideal husband for the turn of the nineteenth century. he adores his wife edna, buys her affectionate gifts, and cares for her well-being.
- Analyzes how robert presents himself as a solution to the lack of romantic love in edna's life. he spends his summer devoted to her and sings her songs and recites romantic poetry.
- Analyzes how edna suffers from terrible loneliness during roberts absence. she spends time with alcée, a known ladies man.
- Explains that affairs and liaisons are not necessary parts of life, but for edna pontellier they help awaken her true sexual desires, passions, and needs. her husband provides the needed cover for society and helps her realize what she is lacking in life.
Related
- analytical
- The Awakeninganalytical essayThe Awakening by Kate Chopin was considered very shocking when it was first published because of the "sexual awakening" of the main character, Edna Pontellier, and her unconventional behavior. Chopin moved to New Orleans after her marriage and lived there for twelve years until the death of her husband. She returned to St. Louis where she began writing. She used her knowledge of Louisiana and Creole culture to create wonderful descriptions of local color, and she incorporated French phrases used by the Creoles. The Awakening begins at Grade Isle, a vacation spot of wealthy Creoles from New Orleans. Edna is there with her two sons and her husband Leonce who comes and goes because of business. Edna is not Creole, but her husband is. She has never felt like she fits in with their lifestyle. Edna has always done what is expected of a woman, including marrying a man she did not love. He regards her as a possession rather than an individual. While on vacation, Edna falls in love with Robert Lebrun. She often goes to the beach with him. She begins to realize for the first time, at age 28, that she is an individual. Edna feels like one who awakens gradually from a dream to the reality of life. After this discovery, Edna changes. She disregards her husband's wishes and often ignores her children. She learns to swim which also makes her begin to feel more independent. Edna befriends two women, Mademoiselle Reisz, a pianist, and Madame Ratignolle, a motherly lady. Distressed when Robert leaves for Mexico, Edna often visits Mademoiseel Reisz to whom Robert often writes. Edna continues to disregard the customs of society. Her husband becomes
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how kate chopin's novel the awakening is shocking because of the sexual awakening of edna pontellier and her unconventional behavior.
- Narrates how edna's husband, alcee arobin, introduces her to the importance of sex, and tries to hide her strange behavior from his friends.
657 wordsRead More - Emotional Expectations For Women In Kate Chopin's The Awakeninganalytical essayKate Chopin’s The Awakening is a story about a well to do young woman, Edna Pontellier, who lives with her family in Louisiana during the late 1890’s. Set in a variety of scenes, it follows Edna as she engages on a personal journey of increasing autonomy, continually seeking both greater happiness and greater personal independence in the hope of leading a more meaningful and fulfilling life. In so doing, the novel portrays societal expectations for women in the post-war South during the late 1800’s, and shows the difficulties they faced if they refused to conform. The place of women in society can be seen in the way that the women in the novel act and speak, particularly in regards to their husbands and children, but also to others in general.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how kate chopin's the awakening portrays societal expectations for women in the post-war south during the late 1800’s.
- Analyzes how edna's refusal to marry her sister janet causes her to quarrel with her father, who reproaches her for her lack of filial kindness and respect. she violates the unwritten but widely understood ethos of postbellum, southern womanhood
- Analyzes how the novel portrays women as being under a duty to be active in social life and all of its attendant functions.
- Analyzes how edna tells mademoiselle ratignolle that she would not sacrifice herself for her children, sparking a heated argument.
- Opines that the most significant duty of women in the novel is the requirement to be loyal, obedient wives who obey their husbands and prioritize their happiness.
- Narrates how edna pontellier's sudden disregard for her duties as a wife shocked him and angered him.
- Analyzes how edna's lack of tacit submissiveness bewilders, shocks, and angers him, causing him to upbraid her for failure to act as expected. sarah bommarito commented on the role of women at the time.
- Analyzes how edna responds to this by engaging in willful rebellion, asserting her own desires over and against the expectations that others – both individually (i.e., léonce) and collectively (society as a whole) have for her.
- Analyzes how edna's response begins after hearing mademoiselle reisz play the piano, and then intensifies as she learns to swim, which causes her to undergo an emotional awakening — hence the title.
- Analyzes edna's desire for greater personal autonomy and emotional gratification as the novel progresses.
- Analyzes how edna's relationship with robert lebrun serves as the underlying force in her experience, both at the beginning and throughout.
1994 wordsRead More - Gender Roles In The Awakening, By Kate Chopinanalytical essayThe novel The Awakening, written by Kate Chopin, sparked much controversy among the nation with topics of marital infidelity and most importantly, gender roles. This story set in Louisiana, centered on around a woman that questions and fails to meet societies standards, as well as roles as a wife and mother. Her failures and struggles as a woman allow us to gain a better understanding about gender roles in the late 1800s.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how kate chopin's novel the awakening sparked controversy with topics of marital infidelity and gender roles in the late 1800s.
- Analyzes how the theme of gender roles is shown through the character of edna pontellier in the awakening.
- Analyzes how women were supposed to assist their husbands in the 1800s, which causes conflict between edna and léonce when he is upset about his social standing and financial problems than the emotions of his wife.
- Analyzes how edna's character is lost throughout the novel and feels that the responsibly of motherhood does not suit her.
- Analyzes how gender roles are illustrated when looking at the male characters in this novel. léonce is a successful businessman and when he travels for work, edna becomes romantically evolved with robert, who devotes himself to her.
- Analyzes how kate chopin created characters that parallel the inequalities and differing roles of men and women in the late 1800s.
737 wordsRead More - Women In The Awakening By Kate Chopinanalytical essayThe women in The Awakening face problems that can be recognized as problems that women today have, and face problems that were significant of the time period. The main character, Edna Pontellier, is married to Leonce Pontellier and together they had two sons. Edna admits in the novel that she married Leonce just to spite her father. Their marriage was very typical of the time. Leonce was the main breadwinner for the family, while Edna stayed home, ran the household, and held a weekly reception day. Although she has two children, they are mainly cared for by their nurse. Edna takes little interest in her children and only spends time with them when it is convenient for her or whenever she is overcome with emotion towards them and only misses them and yearns for the presence periodically. Edna seems happy enough on the outside, but on the inside, she is very dissatisfied with her life. At one point in the novel she expressed her desire to become a painter to Mademoiselle Reisz, an eclectic, independent pianis...
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how kate chopin's the awakening captures the struggles of one 1900s era woman facing problems that are fairly commonplace today.
- Analyzes how the women in the awakening face problems that were significant of the time period.
- Explains that women were expected to run a household, have children, and raise them. divorce in early 1900's was practically unheard of.
- Analyzes how the male characters in the awakening help edna realize her true feelings and what she really wants.
- Analyzes how robert lebrun is the charming son of the resort owner that edna and leonce stayed at in grand isle.
- Analyzes how edna's struggles are common in modern society, such as unhappy marriages, independence, and gender bias. women today have more freedom and sexual liberties than ever before.
1096 wordsRead More - 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.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how mademoiselle reisz rejects expectations and is able to live by her own standards, exemplifying someone who challenges convention as an outsider to society.
- Analyzes how chopin juxtaposes edna pontellier with adele and reisz, depicting her unsuccessful attempt to reconcile her inward desire for artistic independence with societal obligations.
- Analyzes how chopin compares edna's independent awakening to mademoiselle reisz’s constant challenge of societal norms.
- Analyzes how chopin demonstrates the importance of defying societal pressures in favor of introspection through the characters of adele ratignolle, mademoiselle reisz, and edna pontellier.
- Analyzes how kate chopin explores the psychological rebirth of the protagonist, edna pontellier, in her novel the awakening.
1220 wordsRead More - Implications Of Sexism In Kate Chopin's The Awakeninganalytical essayEdna Pontellier’s character in The Awakening has been the source of the novel’s controversial assessment by critics since it’s publication in 1899. The author, Kate Chopin, officially began writing in 1885 and composed novels that challenged the many conflicting social standards in that time period. The late 1800s, predominantly known for the Industrial Revolution, served as a beacon of opportunity for women during this era. Chopin wrote The Awakening to be used as an instrument to eradicate the accepted impression of gender roles in society: women are more than submissive tools to their oppressive counterparts in this masculine dominated world. Chopin’s ideology originated from the lessons and wisdom of her great-grandmother who encouraged her to read unconventional concepts: women were capable of obtaining and maintaining a successful career as well as a thriving family and social life. Although The Awakening was widely banned and condemned in national presses, critics cannot deny the underlying theme of sexism and its effect on gender roles. Some critics even suggest there is a distinct correlation between Edna’s character and Chopin herself. According to critics, Kate Chopin encumbers The Awakening with incidents of a single woman's hunger for personal and sexual identity as a mechanism to display Edna Pontellier’s deviations from societal standards.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how kate chopin wrote the awakening to eradicate the accepted impression of gender roles in society.
- Analyzes how chopin accounts the love between the women in the novel which has been suppressed throughout history as "lesbian" encounters in order to uphold male power and privilege.
- Analyzes how chopin's gentle, sarcastic tone when describing the "mother-women" anticipates the defining characteristics of "woman."
- Analyzes how chopin's descriptions of edna’s character, person, and physical presence suggest a desire to portray the character as one that is transcending traditional gender descriptions.
- Analyzes how the symbol of resistance to patriarchy, gender specificity, and enforced heterosexuality transcends expect gender roles in the awakening.
- Analyzes how chopin provided insight for the future generations through the evidence of the effect of gender roles and the process of finding one's self through their individual "awakening"
1090 wordsRead More - Freedomanalytical essayKate Chopin's The Awakening is a story of Edna Pontellier, wife and mother. It is a novel about the choices one will makes to protect one's personal freedom. The story is based on a time in history when women did just what they were expected to do. They were expected to be good daughters, good wives, and good mothers. A woman was expected to move from the protection of her father's roof to the protection of her husband. Edna, our protagonist, doesn’t fit this mold. She searches to find her place in a constraining society, one that doesn’t allow for a woman to have freedom. Personal freedom is freedom from the confines of society, oneself, and finally freedom within one’s soul.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes kate chopin's the awakening, a novel about the choices one will make to protect one’s personal freedom.
- Analyzes how edna, a married woman, is swept away by passion and love for robert lebrun during her summer at grand isle. she struggles to determine how to act on the things she is feeling.
- Analyzes how edna's self-discovery awakens her, and she is able to greet her own soul, a soul filled with passion, sexuality and strength.
- Analyzes how edna has found freedom within her soul, but she cannot be truly free in this urban society. she sends her children away, refuses to stay at home on tuesdays, and frequents races and parties.
- Analyzes how edna must face the realization that the shackles of society that require her submission are powerful forces which will try to break and spoil her new sense of freedom.
794 wordsRead More - Awakening Vs. Greenleafanalytical essayAs the novel The Awakening opens, the reader sees Edna Pontellier as one who might seem to be a happy married woman living a secure, fulfilled life. It is quickly revealed, though, that she is deeply oppressed by a male dominated society, evident through her marriage to Leonce. Edna lives a controlled life in which there is no outlet for her to develop herself as the individual who she is. Her marriage to Leonce was more an act of rebellion from her parents than an act of love for Leonce. She cares for him and is fond of him, but had no real love for him. Edna’s inability to awaken the person inside her is also shown through her role as a “mother-woman”. She loves and cares for her children a great deal, but does not fit into the Creole mother-society in which other women baby and over protect their children.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how edna pontellier is oppressed by a male-dominated society, evident through her marriage to leonce. she cares for her children, but does not fit into the creole mother-society.
- Analyzes how edna's sexual freedom is shown through her relationship with robert.
- Analyzes how existentialist writers critique the way in which humans live unexamined, meaningless lives with no true concept of what it is to be an individual.
- Analyzes how mrs. may, in o'connor's "greenleaf," is oppressed by a selfish, closed-minded evil that is found within herself.
- Analyzes how flannery o'connor uses symbolic christ figure of a bull in pursuit of mrs. may to show the convergence upon an omega point where she finds higher level of understanding of life.
2129 wordsRead More - What It Means To Be A Woman in The Awakening by Kate Chopinanalytical essayWomen determine their success through a variety of factors, such as their kids, their friends, their career, and their state of living. Many women want to be independent and self-sufficient, while others want to be a homemaker and stay at home with their family. In the novel, The Awakening, the women, who are treated as inferior creatures and as the property of men, focus on their personal and social lives, rather than their professional lives. However, Edna wants to break the societal ideals that determine what a woman does, and she desires to be free to do what she wants, rather than what society wants of her. First, she must break free of her barriers such as the society and her husband.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how women determine their success through a variety of factors, such as their kids, friends, career, and their state of living. in the awakening, the women are treated as inferior creatures and as the property of men.
- Analyzes how léonce, along with the other men in the creole society, think of edna, his wife, as a piece of property rather than his significant other.
- Analyzes how madame ratignolle was the ideal woman in the creole society, as she embraced the role society had given her.
- Explains that while edna is comfortable in her life as wife to léonce and mother to raoul and etienne, she feels that she is not happy with the life she leads.
- Analyzes how edna's rebellion in this role occurs in her care for the children.
- Analyzes how edna's pigeon house symbolizes her freedom to do what she desires, rather than being under her husband’s eye when he is home.
1252 wordsRead More - The Feminist Movement In Kate Chopin's The Awakeninganalytical essayIn The Awakening, Kate Chopin tells a story during the upbringing of the feminist movement, the movement was masked by the social attitudes entering into the 1900’s. She tells this story in the form of a novel, in which is told in a third person view, that is very sympathetic for Edna Pontellier, the protagonist. This is a review of the journey Edna takes in her awakening and evaluate the effectiveness this novel takes in introducing, continuing, and ending Edna’s awakening.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how kate chopin tells a story during the upbringing of the feminist movement, the movement was masked by the social attitudes entering into the 1900's.
- Analyzes how the novel provides a personal understanding into the lives of women in the twentieth trying to break free from the restraints of society.
- Opines that the main argument of the novel has been diluted through a too widened scope of edna’s life.
- Analyzes how the strength of society drowned out the feminist movement like edna drowns in the sea. chopin specifically named the wrong doings of what society was doing.
806 wordsRead More