The Awakening, 1899 - Information about the Book
- The novel is a commentary on the restraints faced by women at the turn of the century. Edna is expected to play dead and when she refuses, she has no option but to kill herself. She is opposed to characters like Madame Ratignolle whose affection for her children is renowned, as is her perfect female passivity. It is worth noting that Edna does not face any explicit oppression. She is merely expected to run the house, care for the children and do her best to please her husband. Nevertheless, she finds the role unbearable. She can not give her life, her identity, to others. It is better to die.
Margaret Culley
Excerpted, with permission, from the Literature, Arts, and Medicine Database at New York University School of Medicine, © New York University.
- Excellent collection of information from shmoop
- Summaries and Analyses of chapters 1-3, 4-6, 7-9, 10-12, 13-15, 16-18, 19-21, 22-24, 25-27, 28-30, 31-33, 34-36, 37-39.
- Characters
- Kate Chopin, A Re-Awakening: Transcript of a PBS Program, June 23, 1999
- Reconciling Edna's Suicide and the Criticism Surrounding Kate Chopin's The Awakening
- Symbols in Kate Chopin's The Awakening
- The Awakening, a critical reception
- Interviews with David Chopin, Kate's grandson and Elizabeth Fox-Genovese, Emory University
- Myths and Fairy Tales: Context of The Awakening
- "Necessarily Vague": Kate Chopin's Gender-Awakening
- The Limits of Local Color Fiction
Summary and explanations by Kate Chopin
Watch the video on YouTube- Clip from Kate Chopin: A Re-Awakening, PBS, June 23, 1999. (1:24 / RealPlayer) 28.8 | 56.K | ISDN | T1/Cable