A Solitary Soul: A Psychoanalytical Reading of Edna’s Identification in The Awakening

This thesis attempts to interpret the failed self-identification of Edna, the protagonist in The Awakening by applying the Lacanian theories of the Mirror Stage and the identification of subjectivity. By dissecting Edna’s identity formation into two stages: no clear self-identification and refusal to identify with typical female subject Adele, this thesis tries to demonstrate the ego of Edna is still an innocent and immature child and her death is an inevitable but brave choice in the patriarchal society.