Blog #8 - Oh, Edna...

Although Edna Pontillier isn't the best mother, wife, or person that ever lived in the fictional world of The Awakening, I personally think she's being judged a little too harshly. If people were to literally step into her shoes (probably rather uncomfortable Oxfords), they might understand her a bit differently.

Women during this time had so much pressure on their shoulders. According to "Cult of True Womanhood" by Barbara Welter, women were expected to be pious, pure, submissive, and domestic. It was understood that while the husbands worked and provided for their family, their wives would cook, clean, and care for their children. It was also an unwritten rule that men could pretty much do as they pleased; however, women were to obey every wish or command given by their husbands. These expectations might have been acceptable for the time, but they were  too stereotypical. Could every woman really live up to them? In this novel, Edna really cannot. Edna is a whole new breed of woman. She's care-free, a bit self-absorbed, and she doesn't really think before she acts. These qualities are what give her this desire to be an individual. She wants release from the chains that hold women back. She wants to fly away from what is acceptable. Her acts of rebellion may get her into trouble along the way, but I think it's really rather brave.

Despite Edna's bravery, she does have a habit of doing things without thinking them through. First she finds herself infatuated with Robert. Then when both he and her husband leave, she begins spending a lot of time with yet another man, Alcee Arobin, meanwhile continuing to completely forget that she has children. It's easy to understand why some people think Edna is a terrible person; however, I look at it a little differently. Edna's mother died while she was a child, resulting in her never having to see what a marriage is really like. Her older sister had to take over as the mother figure in their family, so Edna really never even knew what it was like to have a mother. Can we really blame her for not wanting to be a "mother-woman?" Can we blame her for not being prepared for her marriage with Leonce? She married him quickly without really knowing what she was getting into, and now she's trapped. If I were trapped in this not-so-loving marriage during a time when divorce just didn't happen, I would probably feel suffocated and hopeless. These feelings lead me to believe that Edna is depressed. Maybe these drastic and hasty decisions come from her search for happiness and freedom. She's really just setting herself up for failure. Each time her plan fails she just sinks down deeper.

Edna could probably be a better mother, a more obedient wife, and a more reliable person, but she is the way she is for many reasons. She wasn't taught how to be a mother or wife or good person. Is it really her fault? We really shouldn't judge her until all the facts are taken into account.