“The voice of the sea is seductive, never ceasing, whispering, clamoring, murmuring, inviting the soul to wander in abysses of solitude.”
―Kate Chopin, The Awakening
―Kate Chopin, The Awakening
The Awakening was published in 1899 and written by author Kate Chopin. The novel portrays Chopin's controversial views about the lack of women's rights during the time period in which it was written. The story is told in third-person, and it mostly focuses on Edna Pontellier, the wife of Léonce Pontellier. Throughout the novel, her desire for independence gradually awakens, and she struggles against society for her freedom. The novel demonstrates both realism and modernism and acts as a platform for author Kate Chopin's bold social commentary. The work generated largely negative reactions when it was released due to the prevailing views of the time period, but it is now regarded as both a literary classic and one of the earliest American feminist novels.