Edna Pontellier In Kate Chopin's The Awakening

“She had resolved never to take another step backward”(). The definition of ‘power’ can be described as the ability or capability to direct or influence the behavior of others. Edna Pontellier, a character in Kate Chopin’s The Awakening, is one woman who constantly struggled and achieved her desire to free herself from the power of 19th century societal views of women. As a result of steady ambitious behaviour and recognition of the closed off thinking of 1800’s civilians, Mrs. Pontellier was able to become the woman she knew she was meant to be. For the purpose of becoming a self sufficient woman, Mrs. Pontellier had to first recognize the fact that she was being forced into a mold and was not happy doing so. The ideal woman described by 19th century… can be characterized as ‘mother-women’ or “[women] who idolized their children, worshiped their husbands, and esteemed it a holy privilege to efface themselves as individuals and grow
Pontellier progressively changed her thinking and actions. From beginning to end, Mrs. Pontellier kept many on their toes trying to figure what caused the drastic changes to her nature. Admiringly the woman was able to recognize early in her life-at age 28- that she was living a life in which “ outward existence conforms, inward life questions”(Chopin 13). In reality the woman was gradually taking steps in overcoming the power of those wanting her to become the ideal ‘mother-woman’. The greatest resistance upon Mrs. Pontellier’s desire to change is that of her husbands, Mr. Pontellier, who frequently mentions his wife’s lack of femininity. Countless amount of times he mentions his wife flawed ‘mother-woman’ ways; such as how “He reproached [his wife] with her inattention, her habitual neglect of the children. If it was not a mother’s place to look after children, whose on earth was it?”(Chopin 5). Nonetheless Mrs. Pontellier kept on fighting to escape from the