Opening Scene In The Awakening

THE AWAKENING
The opening scene in the novel The Awakening by Kate Chopin, where the caged parrots kept on repeating a statement, actually gives a picture to the reader about the title and the story. This scene, when analyzed carefully, illustrates how the main character of the play, Edna tries to overcome the awakening from the worldly and traditional bondages that she is surrounded with. In this story, Edna Pontellier, a young married woman experiences an awakening of sexuality within her, when she meets Robert Lebrun. Later, even though, the spirits are not connected, she has an extra marital affair with Alcee Robin. But, however, when all these affairs end, realizing that she
Even though there is no real proof of sexual violation in this novel, Edna may not only be awakening to her sexual identity but also may be grappling with the repressed post-traumatic memory, which would have led her to extremities of committing suicide. Edna’s extreme swing from elation to despondency indicate that she is having some post-traumatic effect, thus not able to control her body that is physical violation, which could be at times devastating and also life-threatening. A disabled bird Edna, flooded with memories is drowned by the never settling seductive sea (Platizky,
. . women who idolized their children, worshiped their husbands, and esteemed it a holy privilege to efface themselves as individuals and grow wings as ministering angels.” This clearly shows that the author is trying to reveal how the male society define women and deny their identity, with a sense of inferiority. Anyhow, eventual denial of the societal rules and Edna’s increasing unrest leaves the reader in a dilemma about the women psyche. However, on the other hand the author tries to portray the character of Adele, who sets as an example for woman of motherhood, thereby demanding the suppression of woman’s sexuality, stands perfect beyond the male definitions of women (Streater,