In her daring novel The Awakening, Kate Chopin bravely exposes an unfamiliar attitude of feminism to an unprepared society in the form of Edna Pontellier. At the time, her work of fiction was not yet recognized as being respectable or even credible—due to the fact that the idea of feminism had not yet become popular. Since then, Edna Pontellier’s “awakening” has been viewed in a positive light by many modern feminist critics and described as an “intellectual and social” maturation or liberation of the self. However, while some of the symbols in which Edna’s “awakening”, overall progression, and personality may seem to exemplify and commendatory of classic feministic ideals and qualities—of freedom, independence, and equality, —a great many of them portray Edna and her egocentric doings as little more than selfish delusions causing her to lose a valuable, if conventional, life. Ultimately, the perverse behavior and deviant disposition exhibited by Edna—especially considering the standards of the time period she lived in—belie the very femininity attributed to her and, in my opinion, is the very antithesis of feminism.

The term ‘feminism’ has many different uses and its meanings are often contested and changed throughout history. In the mid-to-late 1800’s, the time period in which the novel is set, feminism was used to refer to the “qualities of a woman”. Thus, with this definition and the context of the novel in mind, the analysis of Edna’s “qualities of a woman” becomes easier. Conventional women in this time period were expected to present themselves in the most proper manner, especially in the way that they dressed. Their clothing was an indication of modesty, decorum and indicated purity and wholesomeness, as proper women were often “clad always in white with elbow sleeves… with starched skirts.” Mothers in that time period had even greater expectations set by society—to be loving, tender and soft. Many women, “idolized their children, worshiped their husbands and esteemed it a holy privilege to efface themselves as individuals and grow wings as ministering angels.” These were the traditional qualities of female behavior and propriety—of being “feminine”.

Edna Pontellier held many non-traditional attitudes in regard to her own gender, which weren’t always wholly or ideally “feminine”. She is not a “mother-woman” and violently rejects this role because of the displacements and forfeitures that it would impose. Edna claims to sometimes feel as though she is wandering through her life “unguided and unthinking.” Between social bounds and personal desires, feminism contains a respectable and decent purpose, a type of character Edna is unable and unwilling to emulate. For instance, Edna does not have the feelings towards her children that it was assumed she should have—as she obstinately states that she “would never sacrifice herself for her children, or for any one.” Edna begins to exercise choice at a time when 19th century women were seen as weak, illogical, governed by their emotions and easy to please. While this description might seem as demeaning and inequitable to modern rational, Victorians, both men and women of the day, viewed these as duties in which all women should oblige by. Even today, on the most basic and human level, the role of a woman, mother, and wife (feminist or otherwise) is to take care of her children. Even though Edna was meant to personify the ideals of femininity, independence, and freedom during a restrictive time, her lack of responsibility and absence of love contradict the feminine title bestowed upon her by modern critics.

Feminism, as an ideology, encourages women to examine their thoughts, feelings, and lives and to locate their own individual voices in order to become more independent within society and among men. With Edna, it is evident that this mentality pervades and develops through the summer, where she describes herself as being “accustomed to harbor thoughts and emotions which never voiced themselves”. This perspective slowing begins to chip away as Edna becomes more independently driven, and as she shifts her behavior from being instigated by social expectation to unwillingness to conform to the norm of Victorian society. Yet, in the Victorian era, she and all other women are seen as very proper and unsophisticated individuals restricted to the confines of household duties. Although Edna Pontellier, a deviant by 19th century terms, seems to be independently driven, her behavior and disposition are influenced not by her own personality but rather by external factors. As she seeks a life defined by greater “joy and exultation”, she wanders farther from being an accurate “feminine” figure. Edna’s personality is shaped largely by her surroundings and environment, her place in society, and her relationships with others. Superficially aware of these standards and the circumstances of her life, Edna continues to believe that her surroundings are causing her to lose her own sense of self, while in reality much of the problems in her life and in her family are rooted in her. She feels “no interest in anything about them… Léonce, the children… all part of an alien world which had suddenly become antagonistic.” How can she blame her environment when she herself feels nothing for it? Can a woman like Edna be considered as an accurate depiction of a strong and free feminist? Her passion and conviction shows that she seems like one, but her selfish actions and vain attitude towards the very principles of womanhood, motherhood, and wifehood prevent her from showing the positive side of feminism. While she is strong and free, she is so for all the wrong and selfishly delusional reasons.

One of the most significant relationships in Edna’s life is her affair with Robert, a younger man. Her marriage and children, on the other hand, are treated as burdens—forever constricting her. Mr. Pontellier has all the right in the world to be angry towards Edna’s “disregard for her duties as wife” and her “new and unexpected line of conduct”. Edna doesn’t realize that part of being an adult, a wife, and woman, and a mother, is recognizing and accepting the fact that life isn’t perfect. She is so consumed with her rebellion against a “dull and conventional lifestyle” that she is unable to stop once starting down the path. Edna becomes caught in contradictions between desire and self-fulfillment, on one side, and social convention on the other. She defies Victorian normality, and ostracizes herself from her fellow females, and ultimately ignores the duties and attributes of 19th century-defined “feminism”.

The way and reason in which Edna Pontellier finally dies combines with her life as an unfaithful and selfish woman to add up to an ultimate denial of feministic qualities. It is ironic that Edna drowns herself in the very same sea that gave her the first enthralling sense of freedom. In Edna’s time period, she could not simply live her life however she chose. Once she came to that realization, Edna was no longer comfortable in the world. She realized that the only way she could free herself from societal restraints was to remove herself from society completely, by killing herself. I see this book as a cautionary tale for women not to cheat or think independently; otherwise they may be driven to the same fate as Edna.

Kate Chopin’s publication of The Awakening came at an inappropriate time period and drastically affected the success and critical reception of her novel. One critic of the time stated that he could not “refrain from regret that so beautiful a style had been spent on an excessively vulgar story.” Many others of the day also felt the same way. The novel is condemned for creating an adulterous heroine, whom belies the very definitions of a being a “feminist”. In the end, Edna’s physical death leads to the death of what she represented throughout the entire novel—a woman who defied the rules. I find Edna’s final suicide over her loss of Robert to be the antithesis of feminism, and, as a whole, Edna is neither an exemplary victim nor a role model for other women.