“The hegemonic institutions of nineteenth-century society required women to be objects in marriage and in motherhood, existing as vessels of maternity and sexuality, with little opportunity for individuality”, says expert Jennifer B. Gray (53). One such example would be Edna Pontellier from The Awakening. In Kate Chopin’s The Awakening, Edna is not viewed as the “mother-woman” and is contrasted with Adele Ratignolle at various times. Edna faces many challenges in her marriage and trying to be the perfect “mother-woman”. Part of this is because her mom died when she was younger and she never had that mother influence in her life. Having a tough colonel as a dad didn’t help her very much in her upbringing as well. Edna therefore marries not
