Edna, the Anti-Mother-Woman in Chopin’s The Awakening :: Chopin Awakening Essays

Edna, the Anti-Mother-Woman in Chopins The AwakeningIn short, Mrs. Pontellier was not a mother-woman. The mother-women come alonged to prevail that summer at Grand Isle. It was easy to know them, fluttering about with extended, defend wings, when any harm, real or imaginary, threatened their precious brood. They were women who idolized their children, worship their husbands, and esteemed it a holy privilege to efface themselves as individuals and call on wings as ministering angels. (29) She had all her intent long been accustomed to glide by thoughts and emotions which never voiced themselves. They had never taken the form of struggles. They belonged to her and were her own, and she entertained the credendum that she had a right to them and that they c at one timerned no one but herself. Edna had once told Madame Ratignolle that she would never sacrifice herself for her children, or for any one. Then had followed a quite a heated argument the two women did not appear to u nderstand each other or to be talking the same language.I would give up the unessential I would give my money, I would give my life for my children but I wouldnt give myself. I cant make it more clear its something which I am graduation exercise to comprehend, which is revealing itself to me. (69-70) In the first passage, Edna is clearly set apart from what appears to be the status quo of female behavior in her society. She is not a mother-woman. The term, mother-woman is a reductive one which implies a singular purpose or value. The mother-woman is a mother being one defines and regulates every aspect of her life. They esteemed it a holy privilege to efface themselves as individuals and grow wings as ministering angels. Chopins use of religious words and imagery is interesting it for sure alludes to Victorian ideals of womanhood in which the woman is a vessel of whiteness and piousness. Viewing women as angels or pure, infallible beings elevates them, but also robs them sensibl y of their humanity. In addition to this, it places restraining and unnecessary imperatives on their behavior, and encourages them to strive for the unattainable-a pursuit that leave probably leave them feeling inadequate. The mother-women are described generally, however, in this passage, and seem entirely one-dimensional. Also, they possess an almost absurd and quality, fluttering about later their children, perceiving imaginary dangers everywhere. Chopin deals with the mother-women more complexly later through the character of Madame Ratignolle.