A woman sits alone in her empty living room, overwhelmed by unbearable boredom. He sits cross-legged, with one elbow resting on the faded beige armrest and the other resting on his thigh. She sighs in exasperation as she patiently waits for her children to arrive from school. She understands her role all too well and mechanically greets her husband, whose behavior reeks of vanilla and infidelity. He is in a good mood and so is she. He states that he is overtired, that it has been a long day. He sleeps quite soundly, his chest rises and falls evenly. She, however, lies awake and laments the redundancy of her life. The children sleep, in separate realms of unconsciousness, and she wearily turns away from her husband, her mind shrouded in discontent. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay This is a fate that, in a sense, a classic of modern literature grapples with. Kate Chopin, the writer of the classic “feminist” novel The Awakening, was 49 when she completed the book. In modern society, the book is critically acclaimed for its strong and diverse views on feminism and personal identity. However, when Chopin published the book in his time, it got disastrous reviews, most of the critics were older men who deeply disapproved of his writing style, criticizing and trivializing everything he wished to incorporate into his lyrics. Those of the 18th and 19th century mentality condemned it, calling it “morbid, vulgar and unpleasant” as well as “trivial and sordid” (Koloski). The self-discovery of women in the Victorian era proves harmful and is apparently a guarantee of maximum solitude. In light of the novel's use of symbolism, allegory, and situational irony, Edna's inability to emancipate herself from the various men who constrain her, and her drastic and ever-changing fluctuations between self-acceptance and living for others they demonstrate that The Awakening does not entirely conform to the feminist ideal. Edna demonstrates that she is unable to overcome the patriarchal constraints of society and, thus, the anti-feminist nature of the novel becomes evident. First of all, it can be said that Edna Pontellier is a powerful and vehement protagonist who fights patriarchy. every moment she is allowed. The alarming passivity of women in the novel is the madness criticized by Chopin. She subtly explains that husbands can treat their wives however they like, and that something should be done about it, which explains why the protagonist, Edna, remains so resilient. However, for The Awakening to be fully called a feminist novel, Edna would have to free herself from the constraints of all men, which, of course, she does not. A feminist is in fact someone who believes in the social, political and economic equality of the sexes, but a feminist is also a woman who does not let herself be pinned down by any man. This “lockdown” refers to the entrapment and “cage” in which Victorian-era women are locked and therefore cannot escape. The first symbol that amply demonstrates this madness are birds. The very first sentence with which the book opens is a shrill sound, coming from the parrot that resides in the cage outside the Pontelliers' beach house. The parrot can be heard screaming and squealing through the metal bars of the cage towards Mr Pontellier. “A green and yellow parrot, which was hanging in a cage outside the door, kept repeating: “Allez vous-en! Allez vous en! Sapristi! Everything is fine!" which translates to “go away, go away!” and, of course, “he could speak a little Spanish, and a language no one at thatunderstood, unless it were the mocking bird that hung on the other side of the door, whistling its flute notes into the breeze with maddening persistence" ( Chopin 1). The parrot represents Edna and gives voice to the seemingly voiceless protagonist, articulating her unexpressed feelings. The cage also represents Edna's non-rhetorical imprisonment. The mockingbird, also in a cage, easily represents Mademoiselle Reisz thanks to her strange markings and delightful whistles thing the parrot can understand when speaking Spanish. (Toward the end of the novel, near when Edna prepares to commit suicide, Mademoiselle Reisz is the only person alive who is fully capable of understanding Edna.) Chopin tries to use birds caged to allude to the Lilliputian role of women during the Victorian era: society expects a woman to be useful only as a mother or wife generally, when thinking about cages and, specifically, caged birds , you may believe that such cages are there only for decoration and comfort. It is not wise to think about something so silly as the possibility of the bird escaping from the cage. The second symbol that demonstrates this indomitable madness is Edna's wedding ring. Wedding rings symbolize fidelity and eternity. "Giving a ring to a woman means eternal and immortal love" (Noreen). Whether it's going swimming or going to bed, Edna takes off her wedding wing every time she does. When Leonce returned from work after an extended absence, his disgusting comments and attitude during dinner made Edna deeply angry. She fled the dining room and began angrily pacing the room from which she had escaped from her husband, and “stopped, taking off her wedding ring and [throwing] it on the carpet. When he saw it there, he stepped on it with his heel, trying to crush it. But the heel of her little boot left not a mark, nor a mark on the little glittering circlet. The wedding ring that Edna tries to destroy symbolizes the tight hold that husbands have on their wives in terms of marriage. The indestructibility of the sparkling circlet alludes to the idea that women cannot leave marriage, regardless of the circumstances, as the circle represents eternity and timelessness. This symbol is used to mock Victorian society and marriages within it due to the passive and unimportant role women play. Chopin discreetly lets readers know that marriage is indestructible and that the bond between husbands and wives is questionable and irrevocable. As Edna becomes “increasingly aware that she is “seeking and finding herself,” she struggles with increasing ferocity to discard and even destroy the conventions by which she has lived, including her wedding ring.” (Gilbert) Edna’s wedding ring serves as a “symbol of the bond between her and Leonce Pontellier, her husband. It represents the vows they accepted when they got married. “Taking off the ring and stepping on it to try to destroy it…” (Carey 43) Edna is attempting to free herself from her husband and his toxicity, and finds it impossible to do so. The purpose of this criticism is to highlight her “denial of her role as mother and wife” (Kaplon). This, even in the rudimentary stages of modern feminism, conveys a very unambiguous and unambiguous message to modern women as well, stating without apprehension that women are not their marriage; more specifically, they can actually free themselves from confinement. However, even though Chopin makes an extremely substantial point, he does not maintain his beliefs. After realizing she is in love with Robert, Edna begins to further explore herself and her sexuality by going against the established norms of marriage. Hisopposition to the rigid boundaries of marriage serves as the beginning of what could be a feminist criterion, as she senses flickers of anger and rebellion throughout the novel, but never progresses. After discovering her secret hatred towards her husband, Edna goes on several "dates".Robert before fleeing to Mexico due to the unexpected need to leave the Islands. Heartbroken, she then decides to ease her sexual urges by getting involved with womanizer Alcee Arobin. Then she realizes that he cannot satisfy her ambitions, since she is madly in love with Robert and is very afraid of not reciprocating. By predominantly acting this way, Edna claims that she is still heavily dependent on men for her happiness and for her life to have real purpose. This tactic is undoubtedly polar to the feminist ordeal, as a feminist is never fearful when claiming that she does not need a man's presence and adoration to succeed and find purpose for her sense of self. During the gradual process of her awakening, the realization that she is tied to her children only further infuriates Edna, making her want to distance herself from her children and husband. Edna Pontellier's mood fluctuates dramatically over the course of the novel. There are instances where she embraces her role as a mother wholeheartedly, then shortly thereafter curses the fact that she even gave birth to her children in the first place. Edna's fickleness leads readers to believe that she is not entirely emotionally stable. It is evident that Edna unconsciously puts aside her maternal responsibilities and duties because she wants to live a life for herself and not for others. He neglects his children because doing so satisfies a lifelong desire to disobey rules and thus ignore responsibilities. Edna "[is] not a mother-woman," (Chopin 8), meaning that once her two sons, Raoul and Etienne, were out of her sight, they were also out of mind. At the time, she was “a reckless child, simply following a misguided impulse without asking questions. On the contrary, during a period of [her] life, religion had a firm hold on [her]; after [she] was twelve and until… well, [she] [supposes], until now, although [she] never thought much about it, simply driven by habit. (Chopin 54) This means that Edna didn't necessarily think about what she was doing or saying: she was simply following what her mother and other women of her time did. Edna tries to explain that she doesn't conform to the things women "should do" or the way women "should be", as she feels as if she is simply driven by habit. The "misguided impulse" that Edna speaks of so ominously represents the standard set for women and the way in which the ideology of femininity is ingrained in her mind in mature age, so she grows conditioned to believe that she should succumb to desires of her future husband. and needs. Her children's absences were a blessing or a relief, even if she didn't admit it even to herself. This definitively freed her from a duty she had blindly assumed and for which fate had not suited her. Her “habitual neglect of children” (Chopin 24) shows that her constant concern for herself caused her to behave childishly and rather selfishly herself. Her “drive by habit,” as well as “habitual neglect of children” (Chopin 24) shows that her constant concern for herself causes her to act childishly, and rather selfishly, herself. This shows that she is not suited to motherhood, as she too often places pressure on the existence of her children to be considered a good mother. Lydia Lovric compares Edna to“women who have children who almost immediately hand the child over to a daycare or nanny so they can go back to the office and feel fulfilled.” (Lovric) This analogy criticizes the protagonist because it highlights her reluctance and incompetence to be a mother. You should never alternate between loving your children and then immediately neglecting them. However, he sporadically shows compassion towards his children. Through careful analysis it can be observed that he does so only in a trance state; because it only shows that he cares about themmaterialistic means; and not maternal and affectionate ways. She “[is] fond of her children erratically and impulsively” (Chopin 75). Allegory, through the act of storytelling, can explain the rigid, unmalleable and preset gender roles that Edna's two children will have to experience, and from which they cannot escape due to their mother's constant mental and emotional absence from their lives. . Even though she claims to love them, Edna leads readers to believe otherwise. “She [puts] her arms around me and [feels] my shoulder blades, to see if my wings [are] strong, she [says]. «The bird that [flies] above the plain of tradition and prejudice must have strong wings. It is a sad sight to see the bruised, exhausted weaklings returning to the ground.' Where would you fly?” (Chopin 289). To begin with, Chopin denotes Edna as the bird who soars above tradition and prejudice, and explains that to do so, Edna must remain resilient and valiant in her endeavors. By comparison, the “weaklings” Madame Reisz speaks of refer directly to Edna's two children. Reisz specifically refers to these children as “weak” because of the way they conform to society's rigid standards. He subtly explains that they will grow up to be exactly like those who came before them, with underlying implications that they will be "normal". Normal, in this case, is unfavorable, because it alludes to the idea that you have to behave like a robot, without any real control over your life. The “weak” return to earth “hurt” and “exhausted” when they realize that assimilating the normative society of the Victorian era is demoralizing and highly restrictive. Likewise, the “weak” could also symbolize Victorian-era women, as they were subject to carefully structured and institutionalized sexism and marginalization. The downfall of her "weak" children is inevitable due to Edna's constant absence from their lives, as she is incapable of educating them about aspects of her awakening, which could work to their advantage. Mrs. Pontellier's mind is always “fairly quiet regarding the current material needs of her children” (Chopin 33), meaning she is not present emotionally or mentally. She «sometimes collects them with passion in her heart; [and] sometimes we forget them” (Chopin 76). It is evident that his love extends only to acquisitive means and is expressed through a dreamy, trance-like state. Attention to "her children and home is so much of a priority that it leaves no room for what Edna sees as a necessity: an interior life, an identity unrelated to marriage" (Justus). This fully confirms the point that the "sporadic expressions of her love for them are proportionate to her growing dissatisfaction as a wife and mother"; and that “pervasive negligence is compensated for by flashes of concentrated attention” (Justus). Chopin intentionally creates Edna for long journeys through the lands of nonconformity. He purposely created Edna so that she could inherently displease old, unapprehensive men and target an internalized sense of unease in Victorian-era women. His goals of belittling society worked and served as an excellent basis, as Chopin was quite fond of the shenanigans experienced by men duringreading his texts. However, the feminist ordeal includes everyone and is therefore not discriminatory towards children, men and others. The constant demotion of her only two children hastily sidelined the nascent ideas of feminism prevalent in the novel. As a result, it is clear that Edna does not see her children as key sources of happiness, nor is she proud of them. Even when he allows himself to be with his children, he often does so in a simulated way, without any real context. The awakening of Edna's emotional and sexual desires is exactly what led her to commit suicide, leaving readers with the looming question of whether suicide constitutes a cowardly surrender or a liberating release.triumph. The prevailing human folly is the theorization of suicide and how such intense and drastic measures were taken simply because Edna felt like her life hadn't been fulfilling enough. When a feminist faces an obstacle or feels burdened, her perseverance prevails and leads the way. Her ever-present tenacity sets a standard in the name of feminism: the epitome of strength should come from movement. Edna's suicide is equivalent to submitting to the malevolent and demanding hands of society. Situational irony is heavily incorporated into The Awakening. The numerous awakenings Edna undergoes serve as both a blessing and a curse. Edna endures the curse of knowledge because she evidently concludes that she will never truly be satisfied with society and its rigid standards. The irony is prevalent because Edna felt rebellious, enraged, and conquered life with a fiery passion. It has detracted from normalization and elevated itself above normative standards. However, due to her ethnic and moral values ​​for her as an individual, the moment she decided to commit suicide turned out to be the most ironic: at sea. Moments before her death, Edna sees a “bird with a broken wing flapping the air.” up, staggering, fluttering, circling disabled down, to the water” (Chopin 421). Edna is now a woman who is no longer sure who she is. Her position in life is uncertain and the limits placed on Edna are as finite as the horizon. The «inevitability of her destiny as a creature defined as male brings her into a state of desperation, and she frees herself in the only way possible, through suicide» (Kaplon). The Bird is based on Edna's failure to find freedom; also, his inability to "soar above the plain of tradition." A bird cannot fly with a broken wing. Edna's suicide at sea is a defiant rejection of Victorian femininity, and is highly ironic because she dies in the same waters in which she first discovered herself. When she first learned to swim, “she became bold and reckless, overestimating her strength. She wanted to swim far, where no woman had ever swum before. (Chopin 98) The sea, once a symbol of emancipation and independence, soon becomes the site of Edna Pontellier's suicide. She gets tired of her normal life and realizes that Robert cannot satisfy her innermost desires due to the lack of mutual love. With that, he enters the ocean and begins to swim away, claiming that "the touch of the sea is sensual, enveloping the body in its soft, tight embrace." (Chopin 403) The bird with the broken wing symbolizes Edna all too well. In the middle of the novel, Mlle. Reisz tells Edna that her wings must be strong in order to overcome prejudice and courageously challenge the known. Ironically, he claims that the "weak" flutter back to earth, like the falling bird he sees before committing suicide. Although this alludes to his children, Chopin intentionally foreshadows Edna's death by mentioning the weak bird, as the quote has many doublesunderlying meanings. It is a disheartening sight to see the bird, or Edna, realize her true abilities only too late. The sea in The Awakening symbolizes freedom and escape. It is an immense expanse that Edna can only face when she is alone and only after discovering her own strength. When in the water, Edna is reminded of the depth of the universe and her position as a human being within that depth. The sensual sound of the waves constantly attracts and seduces Edna throughout the novel. Water is associated with purification and baptism, which can allude to rebirth, especially in Christianity. The sea is Edna's awakening – a rebirth. The sea was once a sacrosanct paradise of undefined potential, but it quickly transforms into an empty, enveloping void that serves as both promise and threat. In its empyrean vastness, the sea corresponds to robustness, splendor and isolation with objectives of mere independence. While Leonce was away on a business trip, Edna fell irrevocably in love with Robert Lebrun, a young bachelor who is friends with her and Adele. As they spend time together, she realizes that she slowly begins to see him through a different perspective, romantically. Robert also notices this and decides to flee to Mexico. Edna's heart surprisingly breaks when he leaves, and she turns to Alcee Arobin, the local flirt and womanizer. They flirt throughout the summer and it is evident that Edna only uses Arobin to satisfy her sexual needs and desires, not because she truly admires or loves him. When Arobin “[leans] forward and [kisses] her, she [grabs] his head and [holds] his lips on hers” (Chopin 292), Edna states that it was the first kiss of her life that she “his nature had indeed responded." (Chopin 292) Edna is aware that he is a dissolute man, which explains the fact that she does not truly love him. He is merely a doll for Edna to play with, merely an adequate substitute than Robert when it comes to expressing her passions and desires. Instead of committing adultery twice, Edna could have verbalized her unhappiness towards her husband and children and, as a family, they could have resolved their disputes gradually, with effort. tireless. Rather selfishly, she chooses instead to completely avoid her husband and ignore her children. Her acts of fornication can be considered a form of sexism and misandry, thus challenging and countering all notions of fundamental and true feminism that upholds the equality of the sexes. Edna's contempt for men explains why she views men as disposable. Edna claims that “today it is Arobin; tomorrow it will be someone else. It makes no difference to me, I'm not interested in Léonce Pontellier." (Chopin 401) Edna hereby demonstrates that the men, including Leonce, with whom she has promised to spend her life, are insignificant and meaningless to her. When considering feminism, it is important to remember that intersectional feminism is not the same as radical feminism, which can be defined as “a perspective within feminism that calls for a radical reordering of society in which male supremacy is eliminated in all social and economic contexts". (Oxford Dictionary) Edna blames patriarchy for her inevitable downfall and, according to Christina Williams, "never goes beyond the patriarchal constraints of the society depicted in the novel, a vital component of modern feminist discourse." (Williams) Edna allows her journey of self-discovery to transcend the boundaries of feminism that critics propose the novel supposedly employs. She simply uses the men in her life to get what she wants, whether it's for sexual purposes, to please her family or.