;Critical Condemnation; and Vindication: Critical Perspectives of ;The Awakening;.
This 5-page, 5-source article traces studies how Kate Chopin's "The Awakening" was received by critics when it was first published in 1899. The paper traces how critics reviled against the work because its style and content were highly critical of how women were manipulated and shaped by the society in which they lived. Also, many critics saw only the sensual and sexual aspects of the novel, missing its larger themes. The author then analyzes the text, showing how the protagonist, Edna, shocked readers in the early 20th century by reviling in her own sensuality, having numerous affairs, desiring a career, and being indifferent toward raising children. Finally, the author shows the novel's thematic content would predate the feminist and impressionist literary movements. 5 pgs. Bibliography lists 5 sources.
