1899 – The Awakening

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1899 – The Awakening is a landmark feminist novel by Kate Chopin that explores a married woman’s struggle for independence and self-discovery in late 19th-century Creole society.

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Statements (48)

Predicate Object
instanceOf feminist literature
novel
adaptation film adaptations
radio adaptations
stage adaptations
alternativeTitle The Awakening
author Kate Chopin
containsMotif art and music as expressions of self
the sea as a symbol of freedom
countryOfOrigin United States of America
surface form: United States
culturalContext Creole society in Louisiana
endingType ambiguous
focusesOn a married woman’s struggle for independence
conflict between individual desires and social expectations
genre novel of manners
psychological fiction
realist fiction
includedIn American literature canon
initialCriticalReception controversial
morally condemned by some contemporary critics
laterCriticalReception reappraised as an important work of feminist literature
literaryPeriod 19th century
literarySignificance landmark feminist novel
mainCharacter Adèle Ratignolle
Edna Pontellier
Léonce Pontellier
Mademoiselle Reisz
Robert Lebrun
movement Realism
surface form: American realism
narrativePerspective third-person narration
openingSetting Grand Isle resort
originalLanguage English
placeOfPublication City of Chicago
surface form: Chicago
protagonistGender female
protagonistName Edna Pontellier
publicationYear 1899
publisher Herbert S. Stone & Company
settingPlace Grand Isle, Louisiana
New Orleans
settingTime late 19th century
studiedIn American literature courses
women’s studies courses
theme female independence
marriage and identity
motherhood
self-discovery
sexual autonomy
social constraints

Referenced by (1)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Kate Chopin publicationYearOfWork 1899 – The Awakening