Mademoiselle

In the early history of art, female artists were uncommon and denied of the same amount of credit for their talents as their male counterparts. It was a rare occurrence for female artists to paint portraits of themselves, however in the 16th and 17th century we begin to see a shift in this trend. In the Netherlands during the 16th century, Dutch artist, Judith Leyster used oil on canvas to paint a portrait of herself, titled Self-Portrait (1635). The Self-Portrait features Leyster, a young woman…

Many people hate Mademoiselle Reisz in this book, showing that Edna’s acceptance of Mademoiselle Reisz is a genuine embrace (or else she would have dumped her eventually). Seeing that someone actually cared to visit Mademoiselle Reisz is really heartwarming as well because not many people in the world keep their promises. Of my three favorite parts, this one closely relates…

In a majority of stories written, elements such as characters, plot, and setting compose the story itself. Often times, these elements interact with one another to push the story forward. “The Awakening” is dependent on all these elements, but setting is an important aspect of this novel. A character in particular, Edna Pontellier, is immensely impacted by her surroundings. The setting of Kate Chopin’s “The Awakening affects Edna through the location, social norms and time period. The location…

Mrs. Pontellier should call upon you, play for her that impromptu of Chopin's my favorite…I should like to know how it affects her.” (Chopin.63) Even though Edna told Robert to write to her and he said he would he doesn’t. instead, he writes to Mademoiselle Reisz and talks about Edna from top to bottom somehow…

Women’s rights have been a major topic of discussion for an extremely long time. Women have been taught to bow down and obey men for generations upon generations. Women are currently recovering from (and some still facing) stereotyping, belittlement, and oppression. Women need to know that they are powerful too. They do have a voice and their voice should be heard. They are strong and independent and should not need to rely on a man for anything. Kate Chopin does an excellent job representing…

Even the greatest literary masterpieces have critics and criticisms. The Awakening by Kate Chopin is not an exception. Christina R. Williams literary criticism of The Awakening titled, “Reading Beyond Modern Feminism: Kate Chopin’s The Awakening” is an accurate and fair judgment of the Chopin’s work. The positions taken in the criticism are all ones that support my own analysis of the book. Kate Chopin’s The Awakening is frequently mentioned to be an early novel of feminism. While the book has…

wanted to be as independent as Mademoiselle Reiz, but as she progressed in her own life she realized how impossible that would be. In the novel Mademoiselle Reiz states, “The bird that would soar above the level plain of tradition and prejudice must have strong wings. It is a sad spectacle to see the weaklings bruised, exhausted, fluttering back to earth” (Chopin, 90). After awakening, one thing Edna realized she wanted was independence from society, but Mademoiselle Reiz saw that Edna was not…

In The Awakening by Kate Chopin, Chopin details the inner conflict of the protagonist Edna to unveil the inherent struggles individuals face when their own ambitions and views contrast with those expected within the confines of society. Deprived of freedom and individuality, Edna struggles to reconcile the outward semblance of conformity that society demands of her, with her own internal questioning of her desire to remain entrapped in society’s imposed roles upon women. Throughout the novel,…

and sent them bonbons when they were with their grandmother (33). Edna has once said that she could sacrifice her life for her children, but never give up herself. Where she failed to become a mother-woman like Adele, and to become an artist like Mademoiselle Reisz, Edna realizes that she will never be truly satisfied with her life. Before leaving, Adele tells her to “think of the children” where she gives up the unessential and save her children. Edna decides to save her children and herself…

The Awakening, written by Kate Chopin, is set in the Creole society of Louisiana in the late nineteenth century. In the novel, Edna Pontellier discovers that she wants to be more than just what society expects her to be as a wife and mother. During this time, women are to be completely dependent on their husbands and have few rights outside of marriage. At the end of the novel, Edna reaches the decision to end her own life to escape her responsibilities as a woman to her family and society. In…