The Awakening by choplin and how women were treated in the Victorian era - Research Paper Example

Download file to see previous pages... The Victorian era can be taken as a good example of the past discrepancies that existed between the wealth of the nation, the national authority of England and its social conditions. Once one peruses the books of history, a significant amount of information can be deciphered concerning this period. One of these that best exemplify the daily life at that era is the book by Kate Chopin. Though not based in England, it gives an impression of the norms at that era; this, the author achieved by the use of the lead character, Edna Pontellier. Women were regarded differently in accordance to their social status. However, they had little overall control and rights in society. They lived in a culture that embraced women as beings of the home. Evaluation The novel by Kate Chopin endeavors to elucidate on the situation of women in the Victorian era. Throughout the novel, a number of themes are presented across that boost the author’s intention of showing the existence of male dominance, or simply depict a male favored culture (Armstrong, p. 5). The title of the novel refers to the rebirth of the main character into her true self. The Awakening contains a considerable amount of information about the nature of gender based relationships present in the Victorian era. ...
Whenever this was not the case, society frowned upon the concerned women, as was the fact in Edna Pontellier’s case. Edna yearned for freedom, so as to act and do as she pleased. She yearned for artistic, sexual and monetary freedom. This, however, was not allowed in her culture at that time. This fact can best be exemplified by her choice of going out on a Tuesday rather than entertaining guests at her house (Chopin, p.51). The Victorian era was a time that had adopted a chocking and moralistic garb. The Awakening portrays marriage to have been a significant barrier to happiness, self awareness and individual fulfillment. Typical marriages, at the time, adopted a Tarzan and Jane perspective (Adams et al 2004, p. 24). This is what the lead character of the novel sought to defy. Edna wanted more than what society deemed fair for her and women in general. She frequently thought of herself as being out of place when interacting with other women (Chopin and Karma, p. 35). Rather than, be confined to the norms of her time, Edna adopted a unique sense of individualism. She concerned herself with fulfilling her own desires rather than concentrating on her home, children and husband. Edna embodied a sense of individualism that was nonexistent in the Victorian era, which was the ambition of a majority of women. Her individuality is illustrated in a number of cases in the novel. One of these instances is at the end of the novel when she refuses to marry Robert Lebrun, a man she adores for the sake of retaining her newly found freedom. This work by Kate Chopin embodies a century old question which takes precedent between the desires of the person or that of the public as a whole. The question takes the form of whether to conform to societal ...Download file to see next pagesRead More