The Awakening (Kate Chopin novel)

The Awakening is a novel by Kate Chopin, published in 1899. The novel examines the smothering effects of late 19th-century social structures upon a woman whose simple desire is to fulfill her own potential and live her own life. It is a story of both courage and defeat, lyrically written and boldly poignant.

Primary characters

Edna Pontellier

Edna Pontellier is the 28-year old wife of L?once Pontellier, a successful New Orleans businessman. She is richly beautiful. Edna is the only character in the novel to undergo a significant change in perception. She develops by dropping the pretense of being a "model wife" in the New Orleans Creole community and liberating her inner emotions and artistic ambitions.

Related Topics:
New Orleans - New Orleans Creole

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The other characters tend to consider Edna as a flawed wife (mother-woman), and she herself denies the idea that she should conform to the community standard of wifehood/motherhood. Whether she is a success or a failure in her new role has been the debate of many literary critics over recent decades.

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Leonce Pontellier

Leonce Pontellier is a rather stuffy, traditional, 40-year-old male member of the New Orleans Creole community. As a highly successful business man, he expects his wife, Edna, to fulfill the role of perfect wife, mother, and socialite. Indeed, he views Edna as a part of his personal property. In his plans to counter Edna's bid for freedom, he reveals himself to be quite clever, though certainly unfeeling.

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However, Leonce is not particularly restricting on Edna, allowing her to follow her whims for a while. He is seen as the traditionalist's ideal husband, never beating or intentionally upsetting his wife.

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Robert Lebrun

Robert Lebrun is young, romantic, intelligent, and conservative. Robert has an all-consuming love for Edna, but is unable to express these true feelings, since she is a married woman.

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Alcee Arobin

Alcee Arobin is a womanizer who pursues Edna Pontellier in a casual relationship that stimulates Edna's awareness of her own sexuality. He is fundamentally shallow and self-centered.

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Adele Ratignolle

Adele Ratignolle, an acquaintance of Edna Pontellier's, is Edna's foil, or opposite. Adele lives to serve her husband and children, and dares not dream of anything else. Her attempts to counsel Edna ultimately fail.

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Mademoiselle Reisz

Independent, bitter, and unattached to anyone, Mademoiselle Reisz is an accomplished pianist whose playing can move Edna Pontellier to tears. She comes to play the role of go-between for Edna and Robert Lebrun's relationship, and offers no judgment. Content with her own life, she becomes a role model for Edna in some ways.

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Doctor Mandelet

As the Pontellier family's doctor, Mandelet is perhaps the only person in the book who has the potential to understand Edna's awakening to her inner self, but the opportunity is missed.

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