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Edna's Escape The ending of Kate Chopin's The Awakening is both controversial and thought provoking. Many see Edna Pontelliers suicide as the final stage of her awakening, and the only way that she will ever be able to truly be free. Edna's suicide, however, is nothing more than her final attempt to escape from her life. Edna Pontelliers life has become too much for her to handle, and by committing suicide she is simply escaping the oppression she feels from her marriage, the suppression she feels from her children, and the failure of her relationship with Robert.
Edna Pontelliers marriage is a failure in her own eyes. Although when thinking of other husbands she at one time admits that, she knew of none better (Chopin 7) than her own, she is in no way happy with her married life. When describing the feelings Edna had regarding her marriage Chopin describes the marriage as, An indescribable oppression, which seemed to generate in some unfamiliar part of her consciousness, filled her whole being with a vague anguish. It was like a shadow, like a mist passing across her souls summer day (6). Throughout the course of this novel Edna is coming to the realization that she is extremely unhappy with her married life, and she wishes to be free from the oppression that she feels with the relationship with her husband. Unfortunately for Edna divorce at this time is unheard of, and would be regarded as a disgrace to Edna as well as her family.
Edna's unhappiness with her marriage leaves her with few choices; she can remain in her marriage and be miserable, or she can leave her husband and face the consequences. Edna, however, does not have the heart for either of these choices, and escapes the pain of her marriage by killing herself. Edna's suicide is not only an escape from her marriage; it is also an escape from the suppression she feels from her children. Edna's children are different from other children, if one of her boys fell he was not apt to rush crying to his mothers arms for comfort; he would more likely pick himself up, wipe the water out of his eyes and the sand out of his mouth, and go on playing (7).
Edna is not a typical Creole mother-woman who idolized her children (and) worshipped her husband (8) and at times that results in her husbands claims that she neglects her children. Edna's children leave her attached to her husband, and even if she is somehow able to escape the relationship with her husband she will never be able to escape her children. She realizes this and whether consciously or not, doesnt care for her children the way this is expected of a woman in her time period. When Adele Ratignolle reminds her to, Think of the children! Oh think of the children! Remember them! (111) Edna finally realizes her decisions affect her and her children.
Instead of accepting her responsibility as a mother Edna decides to give up, and does so by committing suicide. The final reason for Edna's escape from her troublesome life is the failure of her relationship with Robert. Edna was able to find some form of escape through her desire and hope of being with Robert, but when those plans fell through Edna feels as if she has nothing to look forward to, nothing to live for in life. Robert realizes that he and Edna will never be able to have a true relationship and leaves her a note saying, I love you. Good-by- because I love you (112). Robert is able to accept the fact that a relationship with Edna would never work despite the love they feel for each other, but Edna is unable to do so.
This is because Edna's true disappointment in the failure of her relationship with Robert is not simply on a realistic level. Her true disappointment is because Robert represented more than a new love, he represented a new way of life, a new beginning, and Edna's hope of a true awakening. The failure of her relationship with Robert makes Edna realize that she will never be able to live the life that she wants to live. Edna will never be able to escape from her feelings of oppression from her marriage no matter what house she may live in. She will never be able to be a mother-woman as everyone expects of her, and she will never truly be free as she wishes she may be. Edna realizes that happiness for her will not result from a new house, or her painting, or even her love for Robert, but instead will be much more difficult for her to obtain.
It is this realization, as well as the oppression she feels from her marriage and the suppression she feels from her children that lead Edna to commit suicide, for she realizes that is the only way she will truly be able to escape her troublesome life. Edna Pontelliers suicide at the end of The Awakening is a result of her failed attempt at a new life. Edna's suicide was her last resort, and was simply a way to escape from the troubles that resulted from the unhappiness she felt with her life. Edna's suicide was not representative of the final stage of her awakening, but was merely an escape from the oppression she felt from her husband, the suppression she felt from her children, and from her failed relationship with Robert 33 e
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