Forced Life vs Chosen Death in The Awakening by Kate Chopin

The paper aims at revealation of the human instinct of women, in general and in Edna in particular. Edna, the heroine of The Awakening by Kate Chopin, is an Elite woman rolling in luxury and leisure. The autocratic, assertive and indifferent nature of her husband makes her regret the time when she accepted the humble proposal of her husband. Edna lives a life of constraint and speechlessness. She speaks an incomprehensible language as expression has never been taught to her. She refuses to compromise her human status and self- respect in exchange of borrowed life style at expense of her husband. She makes her own money, her own love, her own friends, her own role model and her own home. Later on, she learns that her identity is because of her husband and a subservient role is her fate which she, primarily, refuses to admit. Her wayward impulse makes her indulge in unsocial activities e.g. extramarital affairs and hobby of painting while neglecting household cares; society offers her no opportunity to reform herself and even if she is given such chance, she is not willing to avail herself of it as she believe in self- care not in self- abnegation. The progression of paper will highlight the issue of her chosen death.