∾arly in the novel, she is identified as Léonces property However, his attitude was considered the norm in the U.S. In addition, Edna feels a great amount of oppression from her husband, Léonce Pontellier. Unlike her friend Adèle, Edna simply does not meet societys expectations. Pontellier was not a mother-woman (Chopin 8). In the novel, Edna is specifically described as being unfit for the lifestyle. Ednas feeling of oppression is the direct result of being a wife and mother. Chopin writes, ∺n indescribable oppression, which seemed to generate in some unfamiliar part of her consciousness, filled her whole being with a vague anguish (Chopin 6). This is reflected in the way that Edna feels as she is crying to herself.

Weeping without knowing why, Edna senses that she cannot accept her part as a corporate wife or the motherly role in which her friend Adèle thrives (Snodgrass). After getting into an argument with her husband, who scolded her ability as a mother, Edna sits in solitary and begins to weep. Edna Pontellier of The Awakening felt confined by these standards however, Edna was already married with two children by the time she realized that she was not fit to live the life of a wife and mother. While this viewpoint is not widely accepted today, it was one of the only options women had around the turn of the century. Instead of being able to pursue their ambitions, women were expected by society to marry early and devote their lives to being a wife and mother. Throughout history, women have been looked at in a specific way that limits their own individuality. Altogether, The Awakening and The Bell Jar share themes including societys expectations of women, search for self, and suicide. Despite the two distinct time periods, the two women experience many of the same struggles. Sylvia Plaths semiautobiographical novel, The Bell Jar, tells the story of a young woman wanting to break free from expectations set by the social culture of the 1950s. However, literature shows that these predetermined roles continued to confine women for more than half a century later. The text characterizes social customs and faults that confine middle-class women to a predetermined womens sphere as wives, hostesses, and mothers (Snodgrass). Written at the turn of the century, Kate Chopins novel The Awakening was first deemed scandalous and controversial. However, the womens rights movement, along with the growing change in the opinion of women, also brought a change to literature. Up until the nineteenth century, female characters were rarely shown to be independent or equal to their male counterparts.

The role of women in literature has changed monumentally throughout history. I'm going to post this here to continue on with the tradition :unsure: No one has to read it.

The awakening themes