The Role Of Robert Lebrun In The Awakening

Robert Lebrun is Edna Pontellier’s attendant in The Awakening by Kate Chopin, and has a history of flirting with old, married women he has accompanied over previous years at Grand Isle. Because of his tendency to exaggerate his affections, and because he is Creole, Robert’s advances are only taken seriously by Edna. Perhaps due to the prospect of somebody giving him attention, Robert finds himself genuinely falling in love with the married woman. The problem with this, of course, is that Edna is married. Scared of this taboo fantasy, he escapes to Mexico in Chapter XV. Robert’s absence contributes to Edna’s depression throughout the book. At the same time, his absence serves as a catalyst for Edna’s titicular “awakening” and growth. He returns