Jesus DeJesus
February 19,2013
AP Literature 2nd Period
Critical Analyzing: The Awakening by Kate Chopin and A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen
By analyzing these two well-known arts of literature in a feminist perspective, or point-of-view of females, one can notice a pattern in women’s desire for freedom that men have in depicting their sexual desires. During both of these literary time periods women felt obligated to do what was their role back then: cook, clean, maintain children, etc, but Edna Pontellier from The Awakening felt different, as well as Nora Helmer from A Doll’s House. Mrs. Pontellier felt extremely confident in the way of how she was pursuing her freedom and did not approach her human behavior of neglecting her children. This psychological perspective can be added with A Doll’s House in Nora’s obsession for material possession and implies “that she has the courage to kill herself if it means she will absolve Torvald of the need to cover up her crime.”
The story starts off by showing how Mrs. Pontellier was married and had children. In early1900s, Edna Pontellier is a women that was well-respected around her town. Her husband was very materialistic and provided random gifts to the children; Edna’s friends even claimed that Edna had “the perfect life” (20).
The Essay on On Henrik Ibsen’s Nora in a “Doll’s House”
Henrik Ibsen displays the effect of society’s standard on an ideal family through the interesting characters in his play. Its story lingers on the loveless marriage of Nora and Torvald, and the lives of the supporting characters of the play as they portray society’s take on sexual prejudice and the role it plays on the family unit. Moreover, the story brings out a message that people are not ...
When reviewing this in a feminist perspective way around this time period one can notice that being pampered the way Edna and her children were needed a faithful commitment to her husband Leonce Pontellier. Kate Chopin introduced one of Edna’s friends Adele Ratignolle as a flat character in which stayed the same from the beginning to the end of the story. Mrs. Ratignolle is a prime example of how women were viewed by society back then, which was to do whatever it took to make her family happy and raise her children with love and care. Edna Pontellier did not believe in the natural force of society of being a stay-home mother.
This force was coming from her sexual desires which is backed up by Kate Chopin’s gloomy tone showing how Edna began seeing her relationship with her husband Leonce Pontellier as the end of her passion. She believed it was the end of her passion because Leonce believed that he can buy Edna’s love. Soon Edna Pontellier started gathering herself together and began experimenting going out alone to acknowledge her passion. Throughout this journey she meets a man by the name Alcee Arobin. Her first awakening throughout the story is the sexual wants that she is craving, and started with Alcee Arobin. He is considered as a successful ladies-man, in which she has temptations in mind to commit an affair with. “He possessed a good figure, a pleasing face . . . and his dress was that of the conventional man of fashion” (220).
The kiss that they shared was a “flaming torch that kindled desire” (350).
In Edna’s head she does not really like Alcee or want anything to do with him for the future. Instead that kiss reminded her of Robert Lebrun, a charming and fascinating male who falls in love with Edna, “one summer on Grand Isle” (117).
The feminist view of Edna shows that being free and listening to your wants is what makes people truly happy, but what about her kids?
The Essay on The Awakening Edna Book Husband
The Awakening by Kate Chopin is a fiction book that tells the life story of Edna Pontellier, a southern wife and mother. This book presents many questions and very answers. In 1899 this book was banished from its publication because at this time in history, women did just what they were expected to do. They were expected to be good daughters, wives, and mothers. A woman was expected to move from ...
In A Doll’s House Nora Helmer was brought up the same time period as Edna Pontellier in which women were considered secondary to men. She also had a different view on the circumstance that she was in. The Doll House itself was a image and symbol showing how her house-hold had money but was still living in a traditional home. The Doll itself was symbolism of how Nora felt like a piece of property being pampered. She was handed down by her father to her husband Torvald. Because Nora wanted to make an impact in her marriage by providing money for her husband’s health benefits, she forged her father’s signature to take out a loan. When Nora’s husband finds out he reacts in a egocentric way which infuriated Nora which lead to the walking out on her children.
The psychological perspective is analyzing human behavior and understanding appropriately for undertaking this study. By analyzing Nora and Edna one clearly sees the neglecting of their children. Finding their passion and the love that they want has taken over their lives. Sexual desires has taken dominance, preferably to Edna, then seeing ones children grow. Edna Pontellier wanted to take chances in life, but the action or an affair that she took part of showed how psychologically people ask where did this study come from. As a mother she should have stayed strong with her kids and try talking to her husband instead of hunting for what she believes is necessary. Her sexual desires was taken complete dominance which eventually led up to her death.
In Nora’s psychological state however was to prove that she was actually trying to make a change in her family’s way of thinking about her. But the way she did it was also wrong of her in forging her father’s signature. The state of her husband at the moment of confrontation when he found out about the forged signature seemed to insult him in the way that he felt like he provided everything they needed. But Nora wanted to prove herself but did not feel appreciated by the cause of what she was doing. With all these things adding up she eventually walks out on her husband and children.
Taking care of one’s children should be the first priorities, which categorizes it in a need versus the wants and desires for personal pleasure and passion. Although the authors gives a lot of detail through the use of imagery and tone of the feminist perspective and how women felt during that time period that would provide reasons for these action, as parents one should never leave their children’s side.
The Essay on A Dolls House Doll
Doll s House Going through your young adult years you go from being young and foolish to mature and wise. You also learn a lot about your inner strength and power. When first reading the Dolls House by Henrik Ibe son, it was clearly evident that Nora and Torvalds relationship was unhealthy and unbalanced. Nora never made the dwelling on her feelings and weaknesses passover and exhibits no ...
Works Cited
1. Chopin, Kate. The Awakening. (1899) The Heath Anthology of American Literature Volume C. Ed. by Paul Lauter. Boston: Houghton, 2006. 363-453.
2. Culley, Margaret. “Edna Pontellier: Solitary Soul.” Found in The Awakening. Ed. by Margaret Culley. New York: Norton,
3. Elizabeth Sky, McIlvain. (2004) Literary Terms for English. Co. by Gaston Collin. New Hampshire: Conventis.
4. Ibsen, Henrik. A Doll’s House. Dover Thrift. New York: Dover Publications, INC, 1992. Print.
5. http://wiaam-majorcriticaltheories.blogspot.com/2010/08/when-henrik-ibsens-dolls-house-was.html
6. http://www.simplypsychology.org/perspective.html
