1) Klein, Sarah. “Kate Chopin’s Ecofeminism: A Dialogue Between The Awakening and Contemporary Women.
2) Ecofeminism
3) The Awakening is considered as feminist theory because Edna’s journey would not have progressed nor ended as it did had she not been female; the events occurring as they did as a result of Edna’s being female. 4) Ecofeminist beliefs incorporate a woman’s close tie to nature and its ability to provide spiritual empowerment to women. Nature’s appearance in The Awakening is in Edna’s connection to the sea which provides here empowerment to begin her self discovery. 5) Edna’s tie to nature through the sea can be explained by ecofeminist beliefs that both woman and nature are reduced to object status under a patriarchal system. Edna and the sea are both equally disregarded in her society, therefore it is sensible that the sea would lead her into her awakening. Ecofeminism can also explain the choice to use a storm as a symbol of Calixta’s adultery. A parallel between the actions of Calixta and height of her passion are conveyed by the violence and changing nature of the storm. 6) Klein supports her ecofeminist argument by claiming that a “parallel between the condition of women and nature under patriarchy” exists. 7) (Paragraph: 7) 8) The sea is speaking to Edna, and its voice that seemingly only Edna hears has a sensual quality. The sensuality can be explained as the allure of emancipation from patriarchal confinement. Edna has a relationship with the sea in that their discourse initiates her awakening, and her awakening ends in the sea. It is what excites Edna, a similar objectified item that is seemingly living and whispers to her, and tempts her into finding the freedom that the objectified woman desires. Calixta has a relationship with nature, however not as correspondent as that of Edna with the sea. Calixta does not interact with the storm; rather her actions imitate the storm. As the storm intensifies Calixta’s desire for Alcee re-emerges and becomes uncontainable. The level of passion between the adulterers increases as does the violence of the storm, shown best when a lightning bolt pushes them together and the longing is consummated in action. At the peak of the sexual act the storm similarly peaks. Although it is not the primary focus of the short story, Chopin is displaying a relationship between woman and nature.
1) Jehlen, Myra. ‘Archimedes and the Paradox of Feminist Criticism.’. 2) Destruction of Patriarchy 3) In order to discover herself, each protagonist must realize that she is surrounded by something that will not allow her growth; and that that thing which inhibits her must also be eliminated, or destroyed. 4) Calixta and Edna are both confined women in the sense that the patriarchal system in which they live short changes and discounts their humanity as a result of their genetic sex, and the gender role which they chose to fit. 5) In Chopin’s writings, each woman must deconstruct what she knows to find a different part of herself. That deconstruction is either methodical like Edna’s, or spontaneous like Calixta’s. 6) Jehlen states that a woman must “destroy in order to create.” 7) (82) 8) In order to “create” herself, both Edna and Calixta must deconstruct the values that surround the patriarchal system in order to experience awakening or a different reality. Although the reality into which both women emerge is one that they have created for themselves, and one that only works exclusively for them. Calixta’s new reality which is that of a married woman carrying out passionate sexual relations with another man disregards the values of patriarchal and brings Calixta into a new era of being. This is considered a reality in that it is in fact real, and happening to the character. Edna similarly creates the death of patriarchy by disregarding and disengaging from that society and its beliefs and exchanging them for her own. By having women creating for themselves their own realities, it portrays a side of woman that men did not want to acknowledge, much less accept. Man’s refute and rejection therefore reinforce Chopin’s ideology that women are oppressed by the society in which they live.
1) Gardiner, Judith Kegan. “On Female Identity” 2) Female Identity in Chopin 3) As a result of having different experiences than their male counterparts, feminist writers are consistently concerned with the female identity. 4) By creating Edna as a character that gradually develops her identity, Chopin deliberately sloughs convention and the deliberate intent is clear. 5) “The hypothesis of the processual nature of female identity illuminates diverse traits of writing by women, particularly its defiance of conventional generic boundaries and of conventional characterization.” 6) 179 7) A level of dependence is created upon the stability of gender definition, and when this is offset, as was by Chopin, it creates the urgency to reevaluate and therefore the culture to experience change. Although Chopin’s culture did not immediately alter its structure in wake of her works, the level of protest and criticism display a rupture in the thought process which aided in the initiation thereof. In accordance with the trend that develops in Chopin’s time (post 1898) there is little concern by the women with sexual betrayal and seduction. The absence of the husband had developed into a blessing in woman’s existence. Therefore, the protagonists’ sexual activity in their husbands’ absence is not a source of guilt, however of enjoyment and excitement. Both Calixta and Edna enjoy their sexual encounters in the absence of their husbands. Edna also experiences the full spectrum of her awakening and self discovery in the absence of male influence. The absence of the man not only follows the style of feminist writing; but also enforces its ideology of a strong, capable woman who determines her own path. In this respect, Chopin’s protagonists are seen as heroine to the ideals of feminism.
1. Thomas, Heather Kirk. “Kate Chopin’s The Awakening: Screenplay as interpretation. 2. Adaptation of Chopin to the Cinema 3. Chopin’s works have not been adapted to the entertainment cinema, rather any film adaptations are the results of efforts for education or study. 4. Marilyn Hoder-Salmon produced a cinematic adaptation of The Awakening entitled “Edna”; however the adaptation is mainly an interpretation of the novel itself and it 5. “would be impossible to follow the screenplay without knowing the novel.” 6. (Paragraph 4.) 7. The screenplay directed by Hoder-Salmon is not an attempt to expose the ideas contained within Chopin’s literature, but a medium for her interpretation of the novel made for audiences who have already read The Awakening. To be considered as an adaptation to the entertainment cinema, the screenplay must be explanatory of the story line in addition to interpretive. The themes in The Awakening are not popular ideals, and therefore the works which contain them are not adapted to cinema for a wide general audience. By not being made available through entertainment cinema, the subversive nature of Chopin’s themes is being exacerbated, and the emergence of these themes into mainstream entertainment more unlikely. The ideas the Chopin presents will continually conflict with society until members accept them, and without exposure such as entertainment the will remain ignored. If Chopin’s themes are sublimated then the significance of her ideas and their contribution to the feminist literary canon will be recognized and begin to gain exposure. Until the subversive themes are exposed and no longer the subject of criticism, the issue of patriarchal ideals will still be existent in today’s society, and the traditional hierarchy being continually upheld.
1 Comments:
1) Klein, Sarah. “Kate Chopin’s Ecofeminism: A Dialogue
Between The Awakening and Contemporary Women.
2) Ecofeminism
3) The Awakening is considered as feminist theory because Edna’s journey would not have progressed nor ended as it did had she not been female; the events occurring as they did as a result of Edna’s being female. 4) Ecofeminist beliefs incorporate a woman’s close tie to nature and its ability to provide spiritual empowerment to women. Nature’s appearance in The Awakening is in Edna’s connection to the sea which provides here empowerment to begin her self discovery. 5) Edna’s tie to nature through the sea can be explained by ecofeminist beliefs that both woman and nature are reduced to object status under a patriarchal system. Edna and the sea are both equally disregarded in her society, therefore it is sensible that the sea would lead her into her awakening. Ecofeminism can also explain the choice to use a storm as a symbol of Calixta’s adultery. A parallel between the actions of Calixta and height of her passion are conveyed by the violence and changing nature of the storm. 6) Klein supports her ecofeminist argument by claiming that a “parallel between the condition of women and nature under patriarchy” exists. 7) (Paragraph: 7) 8) The sea is speaking to Edna, and its voice that seemingly only Edna hears has a sensual quality. The sensuality can be explained as the allure of emancipation from patriarchal confinement. Edna has a relationship with the sea in that their discourse initiates her awakening, and her awakening ends in the sea. It is what excites Edna, a similar objectified item that is seemingly living and whispers to her, and tempts her into finding the freedom that the objectified woman desires.
Calixta has a relationship with nature, however not as correspondent as that of Edna with the sea. Calixta does not interact with the storm; rather her actions imitate the storm. As the storm intensifies Calixta’s desire for Alcee re-emerges and becomes uncontainable. The level of passion between the adulterers increases as does the violence of the storm, shown best when a lightning bolt pushes them together and the longing is consummated in action. At the peak of the sexual act the storm similarly peaks. Although it is not the primary focus of the short story, Chopin is displaying a relationship between woman and nature.
1) Jehlen, Myra. ‘Archimedes and the Paradox of Feminist Criticism.’.
2) Destruction of Patriarchy
3) In order to discover herself, each protagonist must realize that she is surrounded by something that will not allow her growth; and that that thing which inhibits her must also be eliminated, or destroyed. 4) Calixta and Edna are both confined women in the sense that the patriarchal system in which they live short changes and discounts their humanity as a result of their genetic sex, and the gender role which they chose to fit. 5) In Chopin’s writings, each woman must deconstruct what she knows to find a different part of herself. That deconstruction is either methodical like Edna’s, or spontaneous like Calixta’s. 6) Jehlen states that a woman must “destroy in order to create.” 7) (82) 8) In order to “create” herself, both Edna and Calixta must deconstruct the values that surround the patriarchal system in order to experience awakening or a different reality. Although the reality into which both women emerge is one that they have created for themselves, and one that only works exclusively for them. Calixta’s new reality which is that of a married woman carrying out passionate sexual relations with another man disregards the values of patriarchal and brings Calixta into a new era of being. This is considered a reality in that it is in fact real, and happening to the character. Edna similarly creates the death of patriarchy by disregarding and disengaging from that society and its beliefs and exchanging them for her own. By having women creating for themselves their own realities, it portrays a side of woman that men did not want to acknowledge, much less accept. Man’s refute and rejection therefore reinforce Chopin’s ideology that women are oppressed by the society in which they live.
1) Gardiner, Judith Kegan. “On Female Identity”
2) Female Identity in Chopin
3) As a result of having different experiences than their male counterparts, feminist writers are consistently concerned with the female identity. 4) By creating Edna as a character that gradually develops her identity, Chopin deliberately sloughs convention and the deliberate intent is clear. 5) “The hypothesis of the processual nature of female identity illuminates diverse traits of writing by women, particularly its defiance of conventional generic boundaries and of conventional characterization.” 6) 179 7) A level of dependence is created upon the stability of gender definition, and when this is offset, as was by Chopin, it creates the urgency to reevaluate and therefore the culture to experience change. Although Chopin’s culture did not immediately alter its structure in wake of her works, the level of protest and criticism display a rupture in the thought process which aided in the initiation thereof. In accordance with the trend that develops in Chopin’s time (post 1898) there is little concern by the women with sexual betrayal and seduction. The absence of the husband had developed into a blessing in woman’s existence. Therefore, the protagonists’ sexual activity in their husbands’ absence is not a source of guilt, however of enjoyment and excitement. Both Calixta and Edna enjoy their sexual encounters in the absence of their husbands. Edna also experiences the full spectrum of her awakening and self discovery in the absence of male influence. The absence of the man not only follows the style of feminist writing; but also enforces its ideology of a strong, capable woman who determines her own path. In this respect, Chopin’s protagonists are seen as heroine to the ideals of feminism.
1. Thomas, Heather Kirk. “Kate Chopin’s The Awakening: Screenplay as interpretation.
2. Adaptation of Chopin to the Cinema
3. Chopin’s works have not been adapted to the entertainment cinema, rather any film adaptations are the results of efforts for education or study. 4. Marilyn Hoder-Salmon produced a cinematic adaptation of The Awakening entitled “Edna”; however the adaptation is mainly an interpretation of the novel itself and it 5. “would be impossible to follow the screenplay without knowing the novel.” 6. (Paragraph 4.) 7. The screenplay directed by Hoder-Salmon is not an attempt to expose the ideas contained within Chopin’s literature, but a medium for her interpretation of the novel made for audiences who have already read The Awakening. To be considered as an adaptation to the entertainment cinema, the screenplay must be explanatory of the story line in addition to interpretive. The themes in The Awakening are not popular ideals, and therefore the works which contain them are not adapted to cinema for a wide general audience.
By not being made available through entertainment cinema, the subversive nature of Chopin’s themes is being exacerbated, and the emergence of these themes into mainstream entertainment more unlikely. The ideas the Chopin presents will continually conflict with society until members accept them, and without exposure such as entertainment the will remain ignored. If Chopin’s themes are sublimated then the significance of her ideas and their contribution to the feminist literary canon will be recognized and begin to gain exposure. Until the subversive themes are exposed and no longer the subject of criticism, the issue of patriarchal ideals will still be existent in today’s society, and the traditional hierarchy being continually upheld.
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