Sexuality In The Awakening

The awakening was written by Kate Chopin.  The novel revolves around Edna Pontellier and how she struggles to reconcile her unorthodoxy views about feminity and motherhood.  The novel concentrates on issues that women faced during this time.  Chopin has examined a vast range of themes in the novel including gender, sexuality and marriage.  Chopin has analyzed sexuality in the novel well as evidenced by Edna.  During the Victorian era, women were not able to talk freely about their sexuality and were unable to live happily. This is exemplified by Edna. Edna is not able to live completely within her true self, and she desires to live happily.

Though Edna has a family and a husband, she is not happy as she is not able to talk about her sexuality and emotions.  Victorian women did not have the freedom to express themselves during the Victorian era, unlike the Creole women. According to Edna, Creole women were able to speak about their sexual desires, and emotions openly unlike the Victorian women.  Edna is surprised after seeing how these women are free to talk about their sexuality whereas they are not allowed to do. The women are oppressed by social traditions and beliefs as the society requires women and men to behave according to the social norms. This forces Edna to find ways to overcome the oppression and express her sexual desires and feelings. Edna is able to talk about her sexuality and emotions after the awakening.  Edna learns methods to express herself and her subdued emotions after Robert leaves her.  In order to show her feelings and sexuality, Edna learns three different languages (Chopin, 1999).

The first language that she learns is how to express herself freely. Edna learns how to express herself freely after interacting with the Creole women.  She learns that Creole culture is different from her own culture as women are free to speak about their sexuality in Creole culture. She learns that Creole women have something bigger than just being women, the ability to express themselves freely (Chopin, 1999). This is depicted by the quotation below:

“… Their freedom of expression was at first incomprehensible to her…” (Chopin,1999,p40).

After learning that she can speak freely about her sexuality and desires, Edna wants to speak openly about all aspects of her life. In addition, the Creole culture gives her authority to talk about her feelings, determine her emotions, list them, describe them and express them.  Edna’s emotions are no longer a secret to her and other people in the society.  Though women are supposed to behave according to the cultural traditions and norms, Edna is rebellious. She prefers to live an autonomous life ,but not being oppressed by her culture (Chopin, 1999).

Further, Edna learns a language of passion. Edna learns how to express herself via sexuality and romance after having an affair with Alcee Arobin. However, Edna is not happy with Alcee as he does not give her love like Robert. Robert helps Edna learn about passion and Edna learns the language of love.  She also finds joy and happiness which does not find with her husband.  Edna learns how to be passionate for a person who is also passionate. Though Edna is not able to talk to Robert about her sexual desires and sexuality, her passion for Robert is strong. This is shown by the quotation below:

“... No multitude of words could have been more significant than those moments of silence…” (Chopin,1999,p10).

In addition to that, Edna learns how to express herself through art. She starts to paint after listening to Mademoiselle play the piano to express herself.   Other women in the society perform household duties like knitting socks for the children, but Edna does not.  Edna performs other roles that are not meant for women in the Victorian society.  Edna prefers to paint instead of knitting socks for her children (Chopin, 1999).

Therefore, the language of art, expression and passion enable Edna to find the courage and freedom to speak about sexuality, emotions and sexual desire.   Hence, Edna moves to her own house and lives independently. The men control women to ensure they perform their role as wives and mothers, but Edna does not. As a result, her husband, L’eonce asks for assistance from Mandelet the family doctor as he is worried about Edna disobedience as a wife and rebellion. Edna’s husband believes that Edna should behave like a mother and wife instead of being rebellious.

Edna is considered different from other women in the novel as she lives independently and does not allow the cultural traditions to oppress her. Thus, Edna shows the problems women faced during the Victorian period in a society dominated by men and where women had no opportunity to talk about their sexuality .The novel shows how women can overcome challenges and express their sexuality (Chopin, 1999).

Reference

Chopin, K. (1999). The Awakening. WW NORTON

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