The Awakening

Constrained and confined by the limitations surrounding marriage and motherhood, Edna Pontellier begins to challenge the notion of femininity - questioning her love for her husband, and opening herself up to the possibilities of other men and a life outside of societal convention. Heralded as one of the first instances of feminist literature, Chopin's fascinating exploration of a woman's gradual awakening of her own desires is powerful, daring and ultimately tragic in its conclusions.