Edna's Inequality

If I Could Escape and Recreate a Place That is My Own World” The late 19th and early 20th centuries were a time of great struggle within American society. Politically, there should have been equality, for all people were given the same rights by law. However this certainly was not the case in reality, for society was not accepting of any change; there was in fact prevailing inequality. Kate Chopin challenged this reality with her bold, unconventional ideas, but was scorned by the traditional view of society when she first published her novel, The Awakening in 1899. This novel reflects the author’s own personal life experiences and through the protagonist Edna Pontellier and also portrays her views on the cultural, political and social norms of this century through Edna’s actions, as well as her emotions towards herself, society and the other characters in the novel. The struggle for gender in this time period was often depicted as a physical
Just before committing suicide it seems as though Edna finally understands society when she thinks to herself: “I am no longer one of Mr. Pontellier’s possessions to dispose of or not. I give myself where I choose. If he were to say, ‘Here, Robert, take her hand and be happy; she is yours,’ I should laugh at you both” (Chopin 106-107). It is as though Edna realizes that she should not need a man or anyone else in her life to be happy. She also should not need their help in discovering who she is or need them in order to exist. But this realization is too much for Edna to handle and ending her life is the better option. The way in which Edna commits suicide, by allowing herself to drown in the sea, seems more to be one of “going to sleep” not “awakening.” However, it is through her death that Edna can finally awaken to happiness, because she could never seem to attain it in her life—it’s as if all of her life she had been