Edna Pontellier's Sexuality In The Awakening

In order to show the male-inflicted oppression of women in the late 1800’s, Chopin develops the sexuality of her protagonist towards both male and female characters in the novella based off of each one’s influence. The initial character that affects Edna Pontellier’s sexuality is the first person she ever had relations with—her husband. In the opening of the novella, Mr. and Mrs. Pontellier have physical evidence of their love in the two young boys that they are raising in Grand Isle. Edna is a better mother than husband and explains that “she would give everything for her children, even life, but she would not give herself.” (Ziff, 23). This claim presents the very onset of Mrs. Pontellier’s mental awakening; she loves her family and would

die for her children, yet she would never give up the fundamental part of her being. Chopin utilizes her protagonist to reveal her ideology on the differences between physical life and mental life. Kate Chopin ultimately yearns for her audience to understand that women have the capability for thought and understanding, just like men, yet can still be the foundation of every family. However, her protagonist begins to lose interest in her husband, Leonce, due to the dominance and control that he holds over their marriage. Mr. Pontellier is often condescending towards Edna and treats her as a child, requiring her to meet with family friends on a regular basis. However, once Edna begins to become spiritually cognizant, she rejects Leonce’s agenda. This rejection represents Edna’s “first act of rebellion—and the beginning of the end of her relationship with Leonce.” (Skaggs, 61). The aforementioned quote reveals that Edna’s dissent portends her gradual retraction from society and denial of the southern ideals for women. A wife was not permitted to take action against her husband’s wishes, yet Edna withheld her body to ensure that she would no longer have to do Leonce’s bidding. The protagonist’s sexuality allowed her to keep an illusion of control in her marriage. Although a typical southern belle would have an air of accustomed sexual submission to their spouse, Edna Pontellier would “challenge her husband by refusing his sexual entreaty.” (Schraufnagel, 2). Just like Chopin, Edna had no power in her marriage except in regards to her physical body.

It was impertinent for a wife to dismiss her husband’s advances, yet Mrs. Pontellier took the risk anyways in order to maintain some possession of herself. However, as a woman, Edna had no asserted authority over her own body, therefore Alceé Arobin had no problem with taking advantage of Mrs. Pontellier during her times of loneliness. Chopin stresses the fact that Mrs. Pontellier has no intention of eliciting an immoral, physical relationship with Mr. Arobin, yet her strikes at her most vulnerable moment: “He stood close to her, and the effrontery in his eyes repelled the old,vanishing self in her, yet drew all her awakening sensuousness.” (81). The intimacy present between Edna and Alceé was not based off of the protagonist’s desire for happiness, but rather her lust for freedom. Alceé makes Edna feel alive; as though her senses finally awakened from the dreariness of her arranged marriage. Mrs. Pontellier does not distinguish her relationship with Mr. Arobin as an affair, yet merely viewed the young playboy as a source of entertainment. Her real awakening, however, was inspired by her the only man she ever truly loved, Robert

Lebrun. Edna and Robert are first acquainted in Grand Isle, where both the Pontellier and Lebrun summer houses reside. The Pontelliers, Lebruns, and Ratignolles all live in various locations within Louisiana, yet reunite every year to spend the summer together in Grand Isle. The protagonist becomes fast friends with Adele Ratignolle, a woman who epitomizes the idea of the southern belle, who teaches Edna to give up her former bluegrass propriety and accept the conduct of southern living. However, when Edna is first introduced to the flirtatious disposition of Robert Lebrun, she struggles with her emotional welfare. Robert, a soon to be lover, treats Edna as a sort of plaything and gains pleasure out of her confusion on the nature of their relationship. Adele even chides Robert for his waggish behavior, explaining that “‘[Edna] is not one of us; she is not like us. She might make the unfortunate blunder of taking you seriously.’” (Chopin, 24). Chopin includes this comment from Adele to show Edna’s true naivety and Robert’s fickleness in reference to Creole women. Edna Pontellier, born and raised in Kentucky, is not yet accustomed to the sensuality of the south, while Robert Lebrun, a Creole, is the physical embodiment of this passion. Robert is merely infatuated with Edna, just like he was with Adele, yet the protagonist forms an undeniable affinity for the bachelor. Through the use of tone, Chopin is able to discern the relationship Edna has with Robert versus her relationship with Alceé; love versus lust. Unlike Alceé Arobin who serves to physically rouse, Robert Lebrun’s character is meant to incite a mental awakening within Edna Pontellier. Just as Chopin did, Edna urges forward in her pursuit of rebirth as a result of experiences related to both mind and body to realize the figurative fetters placed on her by a male dominated world. Kate Chopin demonstrates her own suppressed silence through Edna Pontellier’s sexual microcosm and the men who took advantage of her vulnerability and interest in awakening.