The Awakening is the story of Edna Pontellier discovering more about herself, and her increasing desire to achieve the ultimate freedom. Kate Chopin uses Edna to illustrate the problems concerning marriage. Chopin’s novel contrasts The Bible’s perspective of how a marriage should appear, yet also compares in the case of the Ratignolle’s marriage. The Ratignolle’s were a family who befriend the Pontellier’s and become foils of one another. When comparing The Bible to the marriages within The Awakening there are several stark contrasts concerning submission, separation, and love; however, there are some comparisons as well. Marriage is mutual respect and submission between two people. In the biblical perspective of marriage, both the husband and wife must “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ” (The Holy Bible, Ephesians 5:21). Submission does not mean one party has control of the other. Submission, in a biblical perspective, expresses a mutually beneficial relationship that is dependent on the cooperation of both the man and woman. In The Awakening, Leonce and Edna Pontellier’s marriage lacks mutual submission. Leonce …show more content…
The Awakening does truly illustrate what embodies a godly marriage. The only glimpse of a positive marriage that compares to The Bible was the Ratignolle’s. Edna and Leonce’s marriage lacks a mutual submission which inevitably leads to disrespect and rebellion. The two did not both come together to persevere through trouble and preserve their marriage which leads to separation. The Pontellier’s also did not have true understanding of love, and did not have a strong love to be patient, and not prideful. The Pontellier’s marriage was the opposite of how marriage is described in The Bible. Both The Bible and The Awakening holds some comparisons; however, the contrast in the ideals of marriage concerning submission, separation, and love are