Essay Database

Kate Chopin's "Awakening", depicts the life of a woman, Edna, in the early 1900's who revolts against the social status quo and leads the life of an independent female regardless of all the risks. It is a story that unfolds the two parts of her life, only to see them both fall apart. Thus we see the unreasonable conflict between her exterior world, the role of a wife and a mother that society has imposed …

…love you" (p.742). Her dissuasion to commit suicide, is according to Freud, a death wish towards another person of which one feels great anger and regrets for feeling that particular way. Edna interjected the lost "object" and her anger was turned inward as a defense mechanism called sublimation. When Edna swims out into the water until death, she actually drowned Robert along with her hopes. Her death was liberation and an act of great courage.