Edna desires individuality, and the identity of a mother-woman does not provide that. She possesses no sense of herself beyond her role as wife and mother, and therefore Adele exists only in relation to her family, not in relation to herself or the world. Adele serves as the perfect “mother-woman” in The Awakening, being both married and pregnant, but Edna does not follow Adele’s footsteps.įor Edna, Adele appears unable to perceive herself as an individual human being. Throughout The Awakening, Edna increasingly distances herself from the image of the mother-woman, until her suicide, which serves as the total opposite of the mother-woman image.Īdele Ratignolle and Mademoiselle Reisz, the two important female subsidiary characters, provide the two different identities Edna associates with. By moving to her own residence, Edna takes a colossal step towards autonomy, a direct violation of the mother-woman image. Edna’s leaving Leonce’s mansion is another important detail when considering her rebellion against the mother-woman idea. That she married him not because there are none better, but because there are also none worse. By using words like “forced” and “admit” Chopin illustrates Edna’s true feelings towards Leonce. Pontellier was forced to admit she knew of none better”. Pontellier was the best husband in the world.” And “Mrs. Edna never adhered to society’s definition, even at the beginning of the novel.įor example, the other ladies at Grand Isle “all declared that Mr.

The Grand Isle society defines the role of the wife as full devotion towards their husband and self-sacrifice for her husband. Similarly to Edna’s relationship with her children is that with her husband, Leonce. Although Edna loves her children she does not confuse her own life with theirs. which is revealing itself” does not become completely clear to Edna herself until just before the end, when she does indeed give her life, but not her self for her children’s sake. I can’t make it more clear it’s only something I am beginning to comprehend, which is revealing itself to me.” This specifically contrasts the mother-woman idea of self-sacrificing for your husband and children.Īlso, the “something.

She says: “I would give up the unessential I would give my money I would give my life for my children but I wouldn’t give myself. Edna tries on one occasion to explain to Adele how she feels about her children and how she feels about herself, which greatly differs from the mother-woman image. The mother-woman seemed to prevail that summer at Grand Isle”. Chopin portrays this idea by telling the reader “…Mrs.

Kate Chopin carefully, though subtly, establishes that Edna does not neglect her children, but only her mother-woman image.

Grand isle the awakening