The Co Existence Of Feminism And Naturalism - 1625 Words

Claire Schenken Mr. Carroll English IV AP 20 October 2014 The Co-Existence of Feminism and Naturalism in The Awakening As the book that simultaneously killed Kate Chopin’s career and synthesized traditional literary features, such as romanticism, with their new opponents feminism and naturalism, The Awakening bares a weighted name. The Victorian-era setting in which it was also written can be greatly accredited to these ideas, as the influx of new ideas regarding society, gender roles, and human life and love were upcoming and increasingly present, especially in the free-thinking Creole society that The Awakening’s protagonist, Edna Pontellier, resided. Chopin implements these new ideas through both naturalist and feminist values in her†¦show more content†¦Chopin’s integration of naturalist and feminist values throughout Edna’s rebellion against society are key in understanding the repression Edna felt. Both values can be primarily seen in Chopin’s contrast of Edna and her close friend Adele. Edna goes to reject the feminist attributes of Adele, who fit i nto society as one of the mother-women who â€Å"†¦idolized their children, worshipped their husbands, and esteemed it a holy privilege to efface themselves as individuals and grow wings as ministering angels† (Chopin 51). Edna’s defiance of a standard patriarchal society embraces feminism as Chopin mocks society’s idea of women-as-angels and instead portrays her as a mother, but not a mother-woman, as her children do not define her like Adele’s do. Naturalist views are additionally seen through Edna’s relationship with Adele, a traditional Creole woman who â€Å"†¦[spoke] her mind, assert[ed] her sexuality, and otherwise [broke] loose from the constraints of convention (Fleissner 238). Viewing this complex combination of Creole’s freedom of speech and affection with restrictions on sexual autonomy, we must look solely to naturalism to understand Edna and Adele’s differences. While Edna is unfamiliar and confused by affecti on, as seen by Adele’s touch, Adele is comfortable with her identity as a sexual being and a mother-woman. This acceptance of life as a mother-woman can be explained by her natural