Beyond emotional, Edna more so becomes a victim of this psychological duality because of the pressures that come along with it. But has she done anything wrong? Edna has simply realized that she would much rather live her own free will than what society is forcing upon her. She decides later on in the story that she doesn’t want to attend certain dinner parties or friends’ houses and she is condemned by her social peers in whispers behind her back for it. She is often battling between what society expects her to do and what she expects or wants from herself. Psychologically, too, Edna has a dual existence. Duality again, she has to deal with the fact that there are two sides to her emotions whether she loves Leonce or not, whether she loves Leonce or Robert and whether Robert loves her at all. It’s not to say that it’s a love-hate relationship, but more a question of if she loves him or not. She also questions her relationship with Leonce, her husband. She often finds herself being an outside, listening to music outside or swaying on the hammock by herself. There are times where she puts up with those who are with her at the summer cottages but she doesn’t necessarily like them or like to be with them. Perhaps the best example of her emotional duality is how she feels towards other people. Ultimately, Edna becomes a victim of duality, as she constantly has to manage between emotional, psychological and literal manifestations of her dual existence.įrom the beginning of the story, it’s clear that Edna is in emotional distress. There is a constant struggle in the story between different ideals and extremes that become apparent through the main character of Edna Pontellier. Much of the novel’s appeal lies in the themes that Chopin explores, largely one of duality.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |