In the novel The Awakening Kate Chopin presents Edna Pontellier's struggle to defy the rules of her society and instead to follow her heart. Edna's perspective regarding society is beliefs toward women and her quest for finding love. During the nineteenth century women were thought of as someone whose only duty was to serve and protect the family. Edna's quest for happiness in life and love leads her against society and tests her strengths to the end which eventually led to her death.
             In the novel Chopin introduces intriguing ideas how a woman should play the role in society. She acknowledges women's sexuality and their rights in a time. Woman's identity isn't just being a wife or a mother but as an individual of her own; these changes can be seen in Edna Pontellier who begins the novel as Mrs. Pontellier and then is called just Edna. In The Awakening, Edna rebels against the norms and ideas and goes through a major transformation.
             Edna feels strongly about the injustices within her society and thinks that society needs to change its attitude toward women. Edna neglects her duties as a wife, mother, and as a woman of society. She is overcome with wonder, confusion, and guilt for what she does to express her beliefs. For her, the only solution out of everything was to end her life. Her decision to commit the suicide was unacceptable to her family. Her choices to have affairs and disregard her vows of marriage and her duties toward her children represent her impaired judgment.
             Chopin states "idolized their children, worshiped their husbands, and esteemed it a holy privilege to efface themselves as individuals and grow wings as ministering angels" (638) and this is thought to be the women's duty. It is the unwritten rule that a woman should marry, have children, and be happy and content with that as her life. We've moved from the perfect female character to the comp...