"He did not know; he did not
understand. He would never understand." (176)
The irony in Edna’s final thoughts before
she commits suicide is rather comical. All throughout The Awakening Edna
was a naïve character. She didn’t understand her feelings for Robert until she
left. She didn’t understand that Robert loved her back. She probably didn’t
even understand that her feminist actions were improper and would lead to
repercussions. However in nature of being a dynamic character, Edna changes. In
the short time before her suicide, Edna finally understands how confined she
really is. Edna would rather keep her “body and soul” (176) over being in a
relationship with the man she loves. In order for Edna to truly have control
over her life, she understands that she has to take it away.
The last part of the book really focuses
on Edna’s true awakening from a naïve girl to an experienced woman. Chopin uses
very specific diction in order to capture how different Edna is from the rest
of her society. Edna witnesses Madame Ratignolle “with a flaming, outspoken
revolt against the ways of Nature” (170). It was the very nature of women to
have children during the time period, yet watching her friend give birth gives
Edna “inward agony” (170). Edna’s suicide itself though is very anti-climatic.
Edna simply sinks while there is “the hum of bees and the musky odor of pinks”
(176). Chopin may be suggesting that while Edna’s suicide is a major decision
for Edna, it ultimately doesn’t stop the nature of things from
continuing. However drowning was a very common way for Victorian women to
commit suicide. Chopin, through Edna, could also be alluding to the deaths of
actual Victorian women who committed suicide by drowning themselves.
Edna's mindset was completely different from the rest of her society's. She described Madame Ratignolle's childbirth as a "scene of torture" (170). Most Victorian women would have admired Madame Ratignolle for giving birth. Yet, Edna believed childbirth was "torture," something forced upon women, not something women truly wanted (170). No one back then would have agreed with Edna's views. However, today, there is an abundance of feminists who preach the same things as Edna.
ReplyDeleteEdna's was ahead of her time. Her way of thinking would not be appreciated until feminist ideals came to be debated. Edna's suicide makes so much sense because it truly was the only way for her to fully free herself during that time period. Bearing children was seen as the sole purpose for women and the fact that Edna finds it unnecessarily painful points out just how different her mindset was.
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