Edna Pontellier is a female empowering character in the eyes of Gilbert. Aphrodite was born from the white foam of the sea, this is a connection already to Edna because of her love for the sea. Edna is at peace when she is in the water. She feels that she is comforted, calm, and able to enjoy herself from hearing the sounds of the sea, or even being in the ocean swimming. Gilbert calls Kate Chopin's appearance of Aphrodite in Edna a "Creole Bovary," or a representation of Aphrodite through Edna. When speaking of the oceanic imagery going through Edna's head while the music was playing, Gilbert stresses how important and overlooked it is. She argues that while Edna probably feels free from the music, it is due to the fact of it reminding her of the calm, seductive sea that makes her feel free from it. In chapter seven Edna states that as a child she "threw out her arms as if she was swimming when she walked," (Chopin) It seemed as though ever since she was little the sea had been her escape. Going further into that meaning, whenever she had been associated with the ocean, she was running from something. Also going back to the origin of Aphrodite, it stated that she never had a childhood. Aphrodite was born as an adult. This is in a way much like Edna. Edna lost her mother at a young age forcing her to become a woman quicker, growing up much faster than she should have. Growing up so fast may have also caused the reason for Edna to feel like she should rebel against her parents in marrying Leonce. Aphrodite also had an unhappy marriage it is said, she was forced to marry a man she did not love. Her unhappiness caused her to reach out to others for love. This is like Edna as well, her unhappy marriage was in a way forced to "get back" at her parents. She reached out to people like Robert for her happiness since her marriage was unhappy.
Gilbert argues early on that this novel is a fantasy masque for the female. When Edna is spending her summer on "Grand Isle," it is owned and mostly occupied with women who's husbands visit them every so often. She feels that Edna's "awakening" happens when Edna learns of her position in the universe. This is meant by Edna's role as a women in society. Edna is expected to behave as a good mother figure, to be a good wife, and care for her husband as well as her children. Spending this much time however with a sort of female colony such as the one she spent the summer at changed her mood and outlook on the role of herself and who she was. Gilbert's take on the island the women resort on is that it's almost like a way for the men, their husbands to contain them and remain the dominant figure at the time. Yet even if that be the case, the women have their own little place to live, their own colony to have their own realizing self-actualization. Edna seems to be the one who independently is discovering herself and who she is. By her wanting to become an artist, it makes it easier for her to rebel. Artists are supposed to defy the rules and "color outside the lines," to make it in their business. Edna's attitude is becoming just that. Rebellious and independently thinking of herself and discovering who she is. Being in a female-empowered place, even if she is surrounded by mothering figured females helps Edna with it. She is able to enjoy and become exposed to the things that she likes, such as the ocean and the music symbolizing the ocean.
Gilbert is very persuasive in this essay. She provides in my opinion, many great points toward this argument she presents. Looking back and researching the history as well as the background of Aphrodite, it's easy to see how her thoughts were that she reflected her. Aphrodite being born from the sea, being unhappy in a forced marriage, and having no childhood resembles Edna. Edna, longing for and loving the sea, being unhappy in a marriage she was stuck in, and having what seemed like no childhood (or at least not quite a normal, memorable one) makes it easy to see the comparison between the two. Reading this connection between the two has made me take a deeper look and a different approach toward The Awakening. This essay was enjoyable and knowledgeable for me to read.
I also had this article. She brought up some good points, and I liked the way you romanticed Edna in your blog. I think that your blog is well written. But I wonder do you really think that Edna died?
ReplyDeleteDear Sarah,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed how you created parallel connections between Edna Pontellier and Aphrodite. The way in which you create an argument establishing Edna's rebellious behavior is admirable. You made a lot of references to the text of both Chopin and Gilbert, which allows the reader to understand that both authors create specific information for the character.
However, I wonder what might have happened if you explored Edna's passion for art a little bit more? I wonder if the way in which Edna uses her art forms has any connection to why she is so rebellious? Overall, I really liked your review. :)
The parallelism between Edna and Aphrodite is enormous! I would have never made that connection. It is interesting how someone can take the basic outline of a character that someone else created, tweak it, and make it their own. It reminds me of Mr. Currin's lecture on Archetypal Theory, and how there is only a few characters out there that are repeated over and over again. Edna and Aphrodite are essentially the same character!
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