Chopin’s Deadly Awakening—An Analysis of the Women Characters in The Awakening

Abstract

Chopin gives us answer through her treatment with the three women characters in The Awakening. Like a new-born child, Edna begins to explore her real identity in the new world after she awakens from a long sleep. She does not realize that she has no power to motivate man to help her achieve her dream. The other female character worth mentioning is Adele—a seemingly perfect woman in that society. The next female character is Mademoiselle Reisz. She is an independent artist-woman. All of the three women just reflect Chopin’s awakening of women’s social identity and her confusion with the choice of life. That is also why Chopin just leaves us an open ending in this novel. All of the three women just reflect Chopin’s awakening of women’s social identity and her confusion with the choice of life. That is also why Chopin just leaves us an open ending in this novel.

Key words： feminism; female; independence; death