As I was reading The Awakening all I could characterize Edna as was a dramatic. She seems to be unrealistic and impractical in her fantasy of a romance with Robert as well as selfish and inconsiderate in her eventual suicide. Then I realized that what I was reverting to was another stereotype of women, the Drama Queen. Some interpretations of this work point to her behavior as a triumph over the status quo of her time, but I think it simply puts her in a different stereotype. Edna disregards traditional responsibility and practicality to, in my opinion rather dramatically, indulge in desire and self-centered actions. Does this not go against what many women writers worked for, to show women as intelligent and reasonable people and not over-zealous simpletons? Does this characterization of Edna as being passionate or dramatic play into the stereotype of women being simplistic and irrational, or is this a real example of female independence?
I think you are so right! I did not care for Edna at all. However, i feel that if one is looking for a stereotype in a character, they are always going to find a pigeon-hole to stick the character into. I do feel that Chopin was simply writing about what she knew and trying to make a statement. But i agree with you that she may have missed the mark.
ReplyDeleteMaybe Edna didn't know what to do with her freedom once she had it...? I'm not excusing her actions, but in a way, freedom is terrifying. As much as Edna may have embraced her liberty, maybe she didn't know quite how to handle it. Having rejected Dr. Mandelet's offer for help, she didn't really have anyone to serve as an example of how to be free and not self-destruct. Even Adele, who had more freedom to express her opinion and her affection, wasn't entirely "free" because she was under the constraints of motherhood - constraints that she seemed to embrace. Edna wanted to be free from all constraints - something that isn't possible in a world in which other people are involved.
ReplyDeleteI think Bethany is onto something with her comment.
ReplyDeleteAnd again, I think the book "works" (for lack of a better word) even IF Edna is a "drama queen" or we don't like her all that much because we still have (or should have) sympathy/understanding for someone in her position--the position of the newly awakened.
I also think that it is important to realize that whether a woman wants to fit into a stereotype or not, it is the choice that matters. I do agree with Bethany that Edna was clueless as to what her new freedom entailed. I don't think Edna's character goes against what female writers work for. On the contrary, I think that she is a model of free will and acceptance of imperfection.
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