Abstract

Kate Chopin, as a feminist forerunner in the late 19th century in America.She penetrated deeply women’s consciousness of independence by created a successful female image Edna in The Awakening. As a classic work of character shaping, the paper mostly will be discussed about the great feminism. Through the paper to know women’s self-consciousness resisting to the Victorian era’s moral codes. To probe into women’s standing in a patriarchal society, especially the process of development about feminist movement. To discover between Kate and Edna’s similarity, to reckon Kate’s personal understanding of feminist awareness and what she wanted to stress. The development of feminist movement will help us find the realistic significance that ‘people are equal’ in today’s society. The paper aims to discuss the feminism in The Awakening. The author Kate Chopin and the character in the book Edna are the most important objects of study. Kate has her own specific understanding about feminism; it can be found in her character shaping Edna, the successful female image. The paper will analyze the background of the women’s liberation movement in the late 19th century in America. Through her process of awakening， to find the change of women’s thoughts. Find out their similarity including growth environment, marriage experience and so on. 

Key words: feminism, self-consciousness, similarity.

CONTENTS

中文摘要

Abstract

1. Introduction1

2. Feminist movement and Kate Chopin1

2.1Social background of the feminism1

2.2Struggles against Patriarchy2

2.3Kate Chopin and her feminist consciousness2

3. The Awakening and Edna4

3.1The social background of The Awakening4

3.2The important characters image of Edna’s friends5

3.3The consciousness of Edna’s awakening.6

4. The similarity of Kate Chopin and Edna Pontellier.7

4.1The similarity of their Creole’s culture and personal thoughts7

4.2The similarity of their life experience7

5. Edna’s minds and behaviors in The Awakening .8

5.1Edna’s desire and fight to tradition.8

5.2Edna’s fight reflect Kate Chopin’s consciousness8

6. Conclusion.9

Works Cited10