Essays on Kate Chopin's The Awakening
from students of James McCallum,
Milford High School, Milford, MAJeff Consoletti
Writing StyleIn her novel The Awakening, Kate Chopin is an artist who paints a picture for the reader with every word:"The sun was low in the west, and the breeze was soft and languorous that came up from the south, charged with the seductive odor of the sea." (12) The inclusion of such alluring and dramatic images allows the reader to see, hear, feel, smell, and live in the scene which she creates. Chopin writes to awaken the senses, and her style is one of beauty and uniqueness. As if stroking a brush across a canvas, or playing a chord on the piano, Chopin’s use of expressive, descriptive, and poignant writing is evident throughout the novel, thus adding to its overall effect.
Chopin incorporates a number of images and emotional phrases which reflect the beauty of her writing. A recurring image throughout the novel is that of the sea: "The voice of the sea is seductive; never ceasing, whispering, clamoring, murmuring, inviting the soul to wander for a spell in abysses of solitude, to lose itself in mazes of inward contemplation. The voice of the sea speaks to the soul. The touch of the sea is sensuous, enfolding the body in its soft, close embrace." (13) Chopin gives us the ability to feel the sentiments of her characters as they wander along the shore. We can hear the soft crashes of the waves and smell the sweet, cool odor of the sea. Chopin allows us to feel the warmth and serenity that Edna feels towards the ocean. The sea is a place of comfort and contentment for Edna. Chopin uses adjectives such as "seductive" and "whispering" to illustrate this. Compelling lines such as the aforementioned are not lacking within the work. In each chapter Chopin writes with a flowing, descriptive style that allows the reader to be affected by her words:"It was the first kiss of her life to which her nature had really responded. It was a flaming torch that kindled desire." (83) Chopin does not simply write about a small kiss exchanged between Arobin and Edna, she expresses the passion and significance of their moment together as being a "flaming torch." She later describes the heartfelt professions of love between Robert and Edna, enthralling the reader’s mind: "He kissed her with a degree of passion which had not before entered into his caress, and strained her to him. ‘I love you,’ she whispered. .... Oh! I have suffered, suffered! Now you are here we shall love each other, my Robert. We shall be everything to each other. Nothing else in the world is of any consequence.’ Her seductive voice, together with his great love for her, had enthralled his senses, had deprived him of every impulse but the longing to hold her and keep her." (108-9) Chopin uses powerful adjectives and dynamic images to entice the senses of the reader and enhance the effectiveness of the work
Chopin beautifies her novel through her many descriptions of scenes and characters: "Her beauty was all there, flaming and apparent: the spun-gold hair that comb nor confining pin could restrain; the blue eyes that were like nothing but sapphires; two lips that pouted, that were so red one could only think of cherries or some other delicious crimson fruit in looking at them." (8) Chopin describes Madame Ratignolle using vibrant adjectives and lucid images in order to create a sound picture in the reader’s mind. Images such as cherries and sapphires serve as references for the reader and give the writing a very poetic feeling. Chopin conveys this feeling later when describing Doctor Mandelet: "He was quite portly, with a profusion of gray hair, and small blue eyes which age had robbed of much of their brightness but none of their penetration." (65) Again, Chopin grasps the reader’s attention with a bold, clear image. In another respect, Chopin is able to let the music of Mademoiselle Reisz float off her pages. "The music grew strange and fantastic -turbulent, insistent, plaintive and soft with entreaty. The music filled the room. It floated out upon the night, over the housetops, the crescent of the river, losing itself in the silence of the upper air." (64) Chopin conveys the feeling and majesty of the music and the effect that it has on Edna and the other characters. The reader can almost hear the joyous sounds and the booming crescendos.
Chopin includes several recurring images at the end of the novel to complete the effectiveness of her work. The novel ends with Edna returning to the ocean. Like a refrain of a poem, Chopin again repeats her description of the sea, transporting the reader to a spot beside Edna on the sand: "The voice of the sea is seductive, never ceasing, whispering, clamoring, murmuring, inviting the soul to wander in the abysses of solitude." (115) Chopin also includes the natural image of a bird to serve as a symbol in a very poetic line of the work: "A bird with a broken wing was beating the air above, reeling, fluttering, circling disabled down, down to the water." (115) As the novel closes the reader will learn how Edna’s life and death compares to the bird. The last paragraphs of the novel end with the aura of contentment that was evident throughout the novel, without the inclusion of any harsh images. Chopin stimulates the senses one final time within the last line of the work: "There was the hum of bees, and the musky odor of pinks filled the air." (116)
Chopin writes a novel of poetic form and beauty in The Awakening. She eloquently describes each character, location, and situation, allowing the images to come to life in the reader’s mind. The emotions of Edna, as well as other characters, are felt through the poignant phrases and dramatic images which Chopin conveys. The constant inclusion of heavy description and poetic form makes The Awakening a very effective piece of writing.
Adam Crescenzi
Avian Symbolism in The AwakeningKate Chopin underscores the expression "free as a bird" in the novel The Awakening through the consistent use of aviary symbolism. Throughout the story she cleverly weaves images and descriptions of birds to express the psychological state of mind of her main character, Edna Pontellier.
Perhaps the most obvious example of this symbolism is in the first spoken sentences of the novel, which, strangely enough, are not uttered by a human, but rather screeched by a parrot. "Allez vous-en! Allez vous-en! Sapristi! That’s all right!" (1) are the words hollered by this maddened, caged bird. When translated into English, they are, "Go away! Go away! For heaven’s sake!" These expressions aptly represent the forbidden thoughts racing through the mind of Edna Pontellier, the novel’s heroine. She wants to go away, for she is bored with her mundane life. Tired of dealing with her insensitive husband and her ordinary children, she longs for something more exciting. Ironically, Edna probably should have taken the parrot’s advice and escaped from her hellish world immediately. Yet, she did not, and because of this, she was forced to meet her tragic end. Plus, in addition to the words of warning, the image of this hostile, shrieking bird is a symbol in and of itself. For like the parrot, Edna is also trapped, not within a metal cage, but by the standards and traditions of society.
The next demonstration of the avian image comes in the form of a young man named Alcee Arobin, a man whose surname syllabicated slowly is pronounced "a - robin". This bird, the harbinger of spring, is able to fly freely. Arobin matches this description, for he, like his counterpart, flies freely through society. Admittedly, with"... ingenuous frankness he spoke of what a wicked, undisciplined boy he had been. ." (76) and to Edna he, "talked in a way that astonished her at first and brought crimson to her face." (78) Later on, he has no qualms or remorse when he has an affair with Edna, a married woman. Alcee Arobin is a vicious playboy who soars through society with no morals or constrictions, simply doing what he wants when he wants. Edna greatly admires these qualities and longs to have them so that she too will be able to glide through life without barriers before her or chains holding her back.
"The bird that would soar above the level of plain tradition and prejudice must have strong wings. It is a sad spectacle to see the weaklings bruised, exhausted, fluttering back to earth." (83) This is the advice, given to Edna by the mysterious Mademoiselle Reisz, that also fails into the pattern of avian imagery to represent a deeper meaning for the novel’s heroine. Though Edna does not comprehend the message behind Mademoiselle Reisz’s warning, the reader realizes that if Edna is determined to break through the stereotype of the submissive, passive housewife, and to"fly free" in society, she must have strength in order to succeed. These lines are echoed later at the tragic conclusion. Prior to Edna’s suicide, she notices that, "a bird with a broken wing was beating the air above, fluttering,circling disabled down, down to the water." (115) The unfortunate wounded bird, injured and weak, plunging into the water, symbolizes her failure to escape the boundaries and limitations in her role as a woman. Thus, Edna quickly follows the bird to her death.
Thus, with consistent references to birds and flight, Kate Chopin’s trapped creature meets an untimely death, unable to heed the advice of the parrot, not ready to follow the loveless, amoral path of Arobin, and only half-comprehending the words of Mademoiselle Reisz. However, Edna now is freed from the barriers and obstacles in her life, which prevented her from attaining her dream. As she waded into the cold ocean water at the novel’s end, Edna Pontellier was "flying free" to her death
Lisbeth DiAntonio
The Pigeon House"In a little four-room house around the corner. It looks so cozy, so inviting and restful."(79) With this description Chopin introduces the reader to Edna’s new residence, which is affectionately known as the pigeon house. The pigeon house provides Edna with the comfort and security that her old house lacked. The tranquility that the pigeon house grants to Edna allows her to experience a freedom that she has never felt before.
The first taste of this newfound freedom is the satisfaction that Edna feels in being able to provide for herself with her own money. The fact that she no longer has to rely on her husband’s money breaks the last tie that she had with him: "I know I shall like it, like the feeling of freedom and independence."(80) In her mind now, her marriage is dead, and Mr. Pontellier has no control over her. Financial freedom is not the only thing the pigeon house gives to Edna; it also allows her both physical and spiritual freedom. When Edna kisses Arobin in her husband’s house, she feels "reproach looking at her from the external things around her which he had provided for her external existence."(84) Yet, her first night at the pigeon house she spends with Arobin, and this time feels no reproach or regret. As for the spiritual ramifications provided by her new home, Chopin writes, "There was a feeling of descending in the social scale, with the corresponding sense of having risen in the spiritual.., she began to look with her own eyes... no longer was she content to feed upon opinion."(94) The pigeon house provides a way for Edna to escape from the society that she hates. She has the freedom to make the decisions in her life now; and she decides that she is going to live life by her own rules, not the rules that society has laid out for her. When she is within her home, she is free from the pressures of being the "mother women" which society forces her to be. The pigeon house nourishes this newfound freedom, allowing it to grow and gain strength.
Without the environment provided by the pigeon house, it is doubtful as to whether Edna would have ever "awakened" from the stupefied state that society was forcing her to live in. The bold advances that her character makes are a direct result of her decision to change her surroundings. Edna no longer belongs to Mr. Pontellier, the children, or society; "She had resolved never again to belong to another than herself."(80) To belong only to oneself is the pinnacle of freedom, and this, the ultimate freedom from everything, is what the pigeon house bestows upon Edna.
Alana Harrison
The Love"It was when the face and figure of a great tragedian began to haunt her imagination and stir her senses. The persistence of the infatuation lent it an aspect of genuineness. The hopelessness of it colored it with the lofty tones of a great passion:" (17) a passion that eventually lost its newness and was relegated to the shelf that held vague, yet comfortably delightful remembrances. The tragedian keeps company with a visiting cavalry officer and an engaged gentleman. Though, in reality, the gentleman is probably no longer engaged, he will remain so in the mind of Edna Pontellier: one of the images of the infatuations of a "little miss." (17) With regard to her marriage to Leonce Pontellier, Edna is taken, not with the man himself, but with the notion he represents. By leaving Mississippi on Leonce’s arm, she defies her family’s wish that she marry a non-Catholic. Add to that equation a healthy dose of flattery from her intended and their union is as good as cemented. This is how Edna comes to be ensconced in the inescapable institution of marriage. One would suppose that the speaking of the vows would put an end to youthful enchantment, but that is not the case. Both the holy bounds of wedlock and the remonstrations of society fail to constrict her. Edna Pontellier experiences one last, great infatuation. However, this beat upon her soul reverberates into a feeling that far surpasses what she had previously thought to be "the climax of her fate." (17) The single-tiered fantasies of her youth are replaced with a sentiment that matures in nature as her awakening proceeds.
Upon the occasion of a summer escape to the Lebrun family pension on Grand Isle, Edna finds herself the object of another’s affection. Most of those having stayed at the pension before would vouch that the young man, Robert Lebrun, is notorious for becoming a fixture to a different woman at Grand Isle each summer. In this particular season, Edna is the sole recipient of his company. Together, they bathe at the shore and tour the sights. Robert is a constant companion, whether it is to retrieve a shawl or to lend himself as an easy conversationalist. They seem to compliment each other: each experiences the most pleasant moments when in the other’s association. Edna becomes more and more at ease being in the company of a man other than her husband. Their camaraderie is so apparent that at least one observer wonders if something more than a friendship may be brewing. The angelic Adele Ratignolle voices her opinion that should Robert not quit in his attentions, "she [Edna] might make the mistake of taking you seriously." (19) At this, the defendant fires back with an uncharacteristically sharp retort: "Why shouldn’t she take me seriously? ... I hope she has discernment enough to find in me something besides the blagueur." (20) From inference of remarks made about past events, we can gather that Robert has not felt so deeply for any of the other women to whom he has attached himself in years past. That Adele finds it necessary to impart a warning speaks of a more tangible attraction emanating from Robert’s quarter. However, things may progress no further than this point of casual friendship. Edna has always been a proprietary being. At this junction she could not fathom a betrayal of her filial responsibilities, though she has begun to question the state in which her life carries on. "A certain light was beginning to dawn dimly within her, - the light which, showing the way, forbids it." (13)
Edna’s feelings for Robert do not graduate to the second stage. Rather, an abrupt thrust causes the leap from appreciation of his presence to a marked yearning for it. Following the splendid Sunday on which the two while away the day by themselves, Edna seats herself at a dinner table at which controversy abounds. Robert has, in the only few hours he did not spend with Edna, decided to travel to Mexico City at the request of an associate. The dinner scene illustrates each attendant’s reaction to the news, save Edna’s. It is not until after the strained good-bye between the two that we are afforded the full effect of her despondency. "Edna bit her handkerchief convulsively, striving to hold back and to hide. For the first time she recognized anew the symptoms of infatuation which she had felt as a child." (45) It was to become her new companion, accompanying her back to the mainland. More enthralled with his existence than ever before, she is shadowed by a longing for the presence to which she had been so accustomed, for ‘absence makes the heart grow fonder.’ She rambles along the streets of New Orleans beset by this obsession; as if it were a fever. Conversations and quips replay in her head. The concept that he exists somewhere other than at her side heightens the sense of wretched futility. At other times she is assailed by a wave of ennui, a frustration that seems to know no bounds. It comes in undulations, sweeping over her brow and washing all motivation from her being. On one such melancholy day, Edna visits the pianist Mine. Reisz to find that the subject of her daydreams has written the older woman a letter in which she is asked after. This is all the provocation needed in order for a semblance of hope to be restored. Mine. Reisz finds the letter soaked with tears because Edna has realized that her moping has not been unjustified. From her perspective, her feelings are being indirectly reciprocated. The emotional torment has been somewhat relieved. All that remains is the desire for a physical representation of that which throbs within her breast. Edna makes little attempt to discourage the first opportunity that presents itself and begins an affair with the established playboy, Alcee Arobin. It is of the utmost importance that we understand that Edna’s attraction to Alcee is based solely upon the forum it allows for the fulfillment of bodily desires. Had another person made such advances, the outcome would not have been altered. Furthermore, there is evidence in a comment regarding the affair that the infatuation has not been resolved: "The thought was vaguely passing through her mind, ‘What would he think?’ She did not mean her husband: she was thinking of Robert Lebrun." (77)
"You are purposely misunderstanding me, ma reine. Are you in love with Robert?" "Yes,’ said Edna." (81) Thus commences the final stage of Edna’s regard toward Robert: love, and all that comes with it. From the moment she puts voice to thought, she is possessed of senses of happiness and self-reliance. Those whose paths happen to cross hers remark upon the joyousness of her expression as she takes decisive steps toward establishment in a house of her own. Elaborate plans for a dinner party with the theme, ‘farewell to the Esplanade Street house’ are set into motion. She is a woman of action: one without regard to consequences. However, for all that is keeping her busy, it is not stalwart enough to ward off that old disappointment. Of Alcee, she thinks, "There was the dull pang of regret because it was not the kiss of love which had enflamed her, because it was not love which had held this cup of life to her lips." (84) Even in the midst of the party itself, as she reigns at the head of the table like a gold-sheathed goddess, the wave is stirred. It gains in strength and pours forth until it strikes her in a freezing cascade. The independence she has taken for herself does not make her capable of retrieving the one thing she wants, but has yet to possess.
Edna does love Robert. She feels for him what a girl from the plains of Mississippi had expected to feel for her husband. However, she has grown enough as a character to be able to objectively analyze herself and come to the wrenching conclusion that she will never be satisfied. Eventually, another would have replaced Robert, and another after him. As a fundamentally caring person, it would have been difficult to continue to hurt others as her self-respect eroded. Waves have beat against the shores of this earth since the beginning of time: so would Edna be plagued by frustration that may well have driven her mad. As much as her heart strains with the burden of her love for Robert, she loves herself more. This is why a suicide is the only feasible manner in which to end this novel. If Edna were to be no more, then the wave would strike no more. It would simply crest and blend with the rush of foam to wash over the sandy shore and be tugged back into the immense "abysses of solitude." (13)
Jill Krikorian
The Parrot"Go away! Go away! For heaven’s sake! That’s all right!" (1) Chopin opens her poetic novella, The Awakening, not with the dialogue of a character, but with the ramblings of a brash parrot. Immediately, Chopin compels her readers to ponder what significance, if any, these seemingly random words will have in the following tale. Yet, it is not until the final pages that we recognize the bird’s true importance and meaning. The parrot, though seldom referred to within the text, comes to symbolize Edna’s role in society and the woman she becomes as she is spiritually awakened.
At first impression the parrot’s bold demeanor creates an image of eccentricity. His spirited exclamations give him an air of impertinence, defiance, and intelligence that one would not expect of such a bird. Chopin portrays Edna in the same light, showing that perhaps as the parrot may deviate from the norm, so does Edna, who digresses from the society in which she lives. She does not conform to the image of a typical woman in society, playing the roles of a devoted mother and wife. Edna ignores these standards by engaging in two extra-marital affairs and by placing her own life before those of her children. Her desire to live as she pleases lies in direct opposition to the duties she is expected to perform, and she refuses to put on this performance to satisfy society. As a result, Edna seems as brazen and audacious as the parrot that obviously does not mimic the sounds he hears and instead seems to create his own. Again squawking, "Go away! Go away!" at the bothersome piano playing of two girls, Chopin writes, "He was the only being present who possessed sufficient candor to admit that he was not listening to these gracious performances for the first time that summer." (23) Edna shows similar candor in her unwillingness to accept society’s burdening stereotypes. The seemingly intelligent bird "could speak a little Spanish, and also a language which nobody understood..." (1) Though the parrot’s remarks appear to fall on deaf ears, Edna is one who can identify with his presumable wisdom, as her existence too is misjudged. Both Edna and the parrot are depicted as extraordinary and misunderstood in their surroundings, yet they are not free:as the parrot must exist in a cage, so Edna is caged by the restrictions society places upon her. What she sees as living her life according to her own will those around her see as unorthodox and therefore unacceptable.
"Go away! Go away! For heaven’s sake! That’s all right!" (1) As Edna drowns herself to escape from a suffocating society, the parrot’s words seem to be have been a foreshadowing of her fate. Indeed he seems to be encouraging her to "go away" and leave a prison he knows all too well. ‘That’s all right!" he cries, reassuring Edna and justifying her exit. We perceive that, if he were able to, he might heed his own advice and fly from his cage as well.
Sarah Wardrop
Mademoiselle Reisz"She was a disagreeable little woman, no longer young, who had quarreled with almost everyone, owing to a temper which was self-assertive and a disposition to trample upon the rights of others." (25) This is how Kate Chopin introduces the character of Mademoiselle Reisz into her novel, The Awakening. A character who, because of the similarities she shares with Madame Pontellier, could represent the path Madame Pontellier’s life may have taken, had she survived old age.
Mademoiselle Reisz is first introduced at a party when she plays the piano for Edna Pontellier. Edna is described as being "very fond of music."(25) Music is described as having a way of "evoking pictures in (Edna’s) mind" and causing her to have visions of naked men, the beach, her children, and many other images, which in turn, she attaches various names to. (25) As Mademoiselle plays, a series of physical changes affect Edna. For example, upon the first chord, Chopin describes it as sending "a keen tremor" (26) down (Edna’s) back, and eventually, the piece moves her to tears. Days later, Mademoiselle Reisz and Edna coincidentally meet, and Mademoiselle invites Edna to visit her in the city. This invitation starts the beginning of a great acquaintanceship.
There are many symbolic parallels and occurrences that may contribute to the list of similarities between Madame Pontellier and Mademoiselle Reisz. The first similarity that can be seen between the two women was that of livelihood and talent. Mademoiselle Reisz, being the pianist that she was, based her livelihood solely upon her talent by teaching piano lessons. Edna, on the other hand, after becoming affiliated with Mademoiselle, finds herself painting and sketching more frequently and soon decides to sell her art as a basis for income.
Another similarity between the two women is in regard to their taste in men. At one point in the novel, Mademoiselle Reisz mentions that "If I were young and in love with a man it seems to me he would have to be some grand esprit; it seems to me if I were young and in love I should never deem a man of ordinary caliber worthy of my devotion." (81) This definition of Mademoiselle’s ideal love almost perfectly matches that of Edna’s. For Edna was searching for the same qualities within Robert; a change, something that goes astray from the ordinary. Mr. Pontellier, her husband, was simply that, ordinary, which she did not want.
A third parallel seen through the relationship between Mademoiselle Reisz and Madame Pontellier is their aversion to the water. Although Edna sees the sea as "whispering, clamoring, murmuring (and ) inviting," (13) toward the beginning of the novel, she is hesitant to completely submerge herself in it. This can be logically explained in that she cannot swim. However, she continues to walk along the shore and place her feet in the tide, but other than that, before she learns to swim, that is the extent of her bathing experience. Mademoiselle Reisz is also described to have some sort of physical aversion to the sea as well. This can be seen when she blatantly refuses to follow Edna to the water claiming that she hasn’t "been in the surf all summer," and that to bathe in it at the end of the season would be pointless. (48)
Another key element that may not be seen as a similarity but is noteworthy is the change in disposition seen between the ladies when they are together. Chopin narrates that when touched or spoken to by Mademoiselle Reisz, "the woman seemed to echo the thought which was ever in Edna’s mind; or better, the feeling that constanly possessed her." (46) Chopin also writes that "There was nothing which so quieted the turmoil of Edna’s senses as a visit to Mademoiselle Reisz. .. . That the woman, by her divine art, seemed to reach Edna’s soul and set it free" (78) Through these confessions, the reader may interpret that the presence of Mademoiselle Reisz and her piano playing sent a feeling of composure and lightness through Edna that was not present anywhere else. This statement may also pertain to Mademoiselle as well. She, being seen by society as miserable, disagreeable, and persnickety appears to become a more open, affectionate, jovial woman in the presence of Edna in that she is frequently described to be laughing and smiling.
A final parallel seen between the two characters is through the way in which they live and the way in which society, as a whole, views them. Mademoiselle Reisz lives alone in a very small apartment on the top floor, away from spectators and passersby while Madame Pontellier has moved away from her husband and children to live in her own, small home. Both women live in modest, isolated living quarters and both are perceived by society differently. Mademoiselle Raisz is described as "the most disagreeable and unpopular woman who ever lived in Bienville Street." (59) She is snickered about and talked of because of her "false hair", mocked that she does not swim so not to get the fake violets in her hair "wet" (48) and is seen as having poor taste in dress because her lace is rusty and her flowers are worn. (25) It is insinuated that Mademoiselle holds very little respect in her community and is probably seen as the town recluse, regardless of whether or not she possesses this powerful musical talent. Either way, Chopin makes her appear as an outcast. Madame Pontellier, on the other hand, would be labeled as such if her thoughts and actions were revealed to the community. Infidelity, looseness, disloyalty to one’s husband and their children, and further inappropriate behavior in such an era would result in excommunication and estrangement from the community. Herein lies the similarity of character between the two women; that because of their past actions both Mademoiselle Reisz and Madame Pontellier would be labeled as outcasts by society. The only difference is that the actions of Edna Pontellier have yet to be revealed.
Mademoiselle Reisz states to Edna that in order to be considered an artist, "one must possess many gifts-absolute gifts-which have not been acquired by one’s own effort. And, moreover, to succeed, the artist must possess the courageous soul." (63) Although Edna and Mademoiselle share many characteristics that may possibly contribute to their future paths, they have one stifling difference; Mademoiselle Reisz possesses the wisdom to live the way that she does, Edna Pontellier does not.
Chris Nespola
Mademoiselle Reisz"The very first chords which Mademoiselle Reisz struck upon the piano sent a keen tremor down Mrs. Pontellier’s spinal column. It was not the first time she had heard an artist at the piano. Perhaps it was the first time she was ready, perhaps the first time her being was tempered to take an impress of the abiding truth." (26) Madam Reisz was a predominant factor in the life of Edna, compelling her to arouse her courage and supplying her with the proper motivation to do so. She was admired by Edna, impelled to be an artist by her. Madam Reisz, in response, also portrayed a considerable amount of gratitude towards Edna and her "awakening": "You are the only one worth playing for. those others, Bah!" (26) Madam Reisz had a profound influence upon the lifestyle of Edna, along with supplying a pillar for moral support.
Madam Reisz influenced the existence of Edna by acting as a form of sanctuary for her in which Edna would have to seek her when placed in a state of misfortune, or when being inundated with boredom. "It was during such a mood that Edna hunted up Mademoiselle Reisz." (58) When Edna returns to the city, she is dominated by the premonition to seek Mademoiselle Reisz, yet the purpose is indistinct. By seeking madam’s residence Edna is supplied with two factors of appeasement that are able to suppress her boredom: Robert’s letter’s, and Reisz’s music: ‘The shadows deepened in the little room. The music grew strange and fantastic, turbulent, insistent, plaintive, and soft with entreaty. The shadows grew deeper. The music filled the room. It floated out upon the night over the housetops, the crescent of the river, losing itself in the silence of the upper air." (64) No other individual possesses the ability to pacify and appease Edna more than Madam Reisz. Edna, by reading Robert’s letters, was almost enriched with an incarnation of Robert’s presence. Edna portrays such enthusiasm in receiving the letter from Robert to madam Reisz by her occasional, subtle exultations; "Another so soon!" she exclaimed, her eyes filled with delight. "Tell me, Mademoiselle, does he know that I see his letters?" (80)
Not only does Madam Reisz pose as a form of sanctuary for the pacification of Edna, but she also acts as a template for her endeavors, impelling her to transgress the oppressive borderlines of society. One way in which Reisz does this is defining the requirements of a genuine artist, which Edna aspires to become. "I do not know you well enough to say. I do not know your talent or your temperament. To be an artist includes much; one must possess the courageous soul." (63) Reisz has undoubtedly supplied Edna with education that she has not been enlightened to in the past, informing her to not be an artist in just the literal meaning, but acknowledging all that the term conceptually entails. Madam Reisz possesses the ability to fully understand Edna, strengthening the moral support that she provides her with. Reisz tells Edna that Robert loves her and explains the reasons for his leave of absence. "It’s because he loves you, poor fool, and is trying not to forget you, since you are not free to listen to him or belong to him." (63) Reisz serves as a consultant for Edna on romance.
Reisz’s most drastic influence upon Edna is the recognition of her awakening. "Well, for instance, when I left her today, she put her arms around me and felt my shoulder blades, to see if my wings were strong, she said. ‘The bird that would soar above the level plain of tradition and prejudice must have strong wings. It is a sad spectacle to see the wealdings bruised, exhausted, fluttering back to earth." (83) Reisz discerns that Edna is pursuing a path that no other individual has showed the audacity to in the past, and she must remain morally strong in order to avoid a futile conclusion to this journey.
The influence of Madam Reisz upon Edna is present throughout their confrontations. The Madam is one of the only characters in the novel that possesses the ability to perceive Edna’s true character, not the superficial image that she shows in public in front of shallow characters such as Madam Ratignolle. Reisz inspried Edna to such an extent in which her influence was recalled before her death. Edna, when transgressing the borderlines of society, swimming without acknowledgment of her physical state, recalls Reisz, stating, "And you call yourself an artist! What pretensions, Madam! The artist must possess the courageous soul that dares and defies." (116)
Rakhi Lahiri
Doctor Mandelet“The Doctor was a semi-retired physician, resting, as the saying is, upon his laurels. He bore a reputation for wisdom rather than skill.. .and was much sought for in matters of consultation.”(64-65) Although this description defines the role of the Doctor throughout the novel, it does not do him justice regarding the depths of his intuitive abilities. Doctor Mandelet was a healer indeed—not of the body but of the mind. In spite of being a male, he does not fit into the stereotype, and seems to understand, though not fully, the identity conflicts tormenting Edna Pontellier. In the beginning he is portrayed as the common man with hardly any comprehension of a woman’s emotions. By the end, he realizes that the society in which they live is full of stereotypes and can discern the adverse effects which the demanded gender roles can incur upon less-than-complacent individuals. He perceives Edna’s awakening, yet his character symbolizes an anesthetic, not a cure, for her pains of bondage.
When a frustrated Mr. Pontellier, Chopin’s stereotypical male, visits the Doctor regarding the ‘strange behaviors’ of his wife, Mandelet inquires about the symptoms of this ‘curious illness.’ Upon being told of her recent disregard of her duties to her husband and her new ideas concerning the eternal rights of women, Mandelet already perceives that there might be another man in Mrs. Pontellier’s life. During the conversation, however, he seems to keep the front of being a stereotypical male in the company of Mr. Pontellier and talks of the whimsical moods and idiosyncrasies of the female species with a hint of condescension. He candidly declares his lack of understanding of women, yet he is more knowledgeable than he admits or realizes.
In dining with the Pontelliers, Doctor Mandelet sees no trace of an abnormal condition in the mannerisms and countenance of his lovely hostess, Mrs. Pontellier. In fact, he notes in her a transformation for the better: “Her speech was warm and energetic. There was no repression in her glance or gesture. She reminded him of some beautiful, sleek animal waking up in the sun.” (70) In this scene, the Doctor begins to see Edna’s awakening; her realization of the powers of individuality. He still does not completely comprehend Edna’s determination in breaking free from her set role as an obedient wife and mother. Doctor Mandelet tells the story “. . .of the waning of a woman’s love, seeking strange new channels, only to return to its legitimate source after days of fierce unrest.” (70) Edna, however, has her own story to tell; one which Mandelet will never fully discover.
The last chapters fully awaken Edna Pontellier, and partially awaken Doctor Mandelet. He finds it very cruel of Madame Ratignole to insist upon Edna’s witnessing the birth of her child. He knows that Adele was trying to remind Edna of her own children and her responsibility to them. It seems that the Doctor repeats the word ‘cruel’ in describing Adele’s actions because he knows that Edna is already torn between her bondage to her family and her impending freedom: “The trouble is.. .that youth is given up to illusions. It seems to be a provision of Nature; a decoy to secure mothers for the race. And Nature
takes no account of moral consequences, of arbitrary conditions which we create, and which we feel obliged to maintain at any cost.”(111) Deep inside, the insightful man does not want to see the destruction of Edna’s spirit and watch it smothered by her surroundings. He believes she belongs somewhere else; she belongs in a society where gender builds no barriers.Doctor Mandelet seems to fear that he will not see Mrs. Pontellier again, and he insists that she come and see him soon. He wants to help her in some way and feels that she is in some sort of trouble: “I know I would understand, and I tell you there are not many who would—not many, my dear.” (112) He claims that their talking will do them both good and is basically admitting that he has still much to learn about women—a subject in which Edna can aid him. In this manner, the kind Doctor tries to alleviate some of Edna’s mental conflict, but it is not enough. Edna can only find peace in the sea where she swims to her final liberation; the liberation which only death can bring her.
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