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What Is The First Portrait Of Edna Pontellier's Character

331 Words2 Pages

When an individual looks at Edna Pontellier they see a fasciated woman, but they do not know the rebell Edna inside. She is a woman of many personalities, yet she always keeps her composure in front of others around her. The first portrait of Edna features her proper etiquette of being a lady like. Mrs.Pontellier makes sure to keep up her appearance in demonstrating having a good time with her friends. “It was very warm, and for awhile they did nothing but exchange remarks about the heat, the sun, the glare” (Chopin 15). The quote supports the image Edna creates for herself in how she spends time with Madame Ratignolle. Another one of Edna’s impression is showing the love between Mr.Pontellier and herself. In having a quaint town they often spend time with everyone around. “After Mrs.Pontellier had danced twice with her husband” (Chopin 24). Edna always makes sure to publicly show affection and love towards to her husband to those around her. …show more content…

It is a woman not carrying about leaving anyone behind. The first inner appearance shown in the novel is when Edna talks about she would not care if she forgot about her children. “she would sometimes forget them” (Chopin 18). The quotes expresses how Edna has no regard of being a mother or recognition of caring. This is interpreting the inner rebell of Edna in how she is not afraid to leave her family behind. Another side of her inner self showing was when she was refusing to get out of the hammock “With a writhing motion she settled herself more securely in the hammock. She perceived that her will had blazed up,” (Chopin 31). This expresses her attitude against her husband in which she does not care if she disobeys him. In conclusion, Edna has two very distinct personalities when it comes with what is on the outside and the inside of

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In nineteenth century Louisiana, Creole’s lived by strict rules to explain how Creole household’s run: “The man ruled his household and his wife was considered part of his property. He was permitted to take a[nother] mistress if he liked, though his wife was expected to remain faithful” (Kosewick 3). The wives of the household are also “expected to be of good character” and “loyal, passive, innocent lovers”, despite the fact that their husband can take another woman of his liking out and the wife sat back and watched her husband have a plentiful time with the other woman (Kosewick 3). If the wife of the household does anything outside of the norms within their Creole society, she was frowned upon and disgraced. Rarely, women rebelled against

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This is evidence that Edna can work for what she wants and Mrs. Ratignolle will be content with where she is at in life. Edna is also seen as “rather handsome than beautiful,” while Mrs. Ratignolle’s beauty was all there” (page 7, 19). Adele Ratignolle is a prime example of a proper woman from this time period and it benefits in showing how special, different, and free-thinking Edna is. It seems that Edna is covetous of Adele Ratignolle and her husband’s relationship; however, the younger wife knows that she wants more to her life than just taking care of a family. These comparisons show how different Mrs. Pontellier is from the regular, household keeping, rule-abiding women of the time.

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Mr. Pontellier, representing the typical husband of that era, looks at his wife “as one looks at a valuable piece of personal property.” As a wife, society expects you to listen to your husband and to take care of your husbands needs. Early in the novel, it is established that Edna is unique because she defies her husband’s commands. For example, Edna is asked to go inside with her husband when she is at Grand Isle, but she simply tells him that she is “going to stay out here.” However, when Mr. Potellier gets more demanding, Edna gets more confident, stating that she will not answer him if he continues to speak to her “like that.”

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The author uses a comparison and contrast between Madame Ratignolle and Edna Pontellier to show how these two ladies are different from one another. Chopin emphasizes how feminine Madame Ratignolle is to demonstrate how Edna seems to be an outcast from the Creole society. Chopin chooses to incorporate the appearance of the two ladies to support the fact that Edna feels like she does not fit in, especially when Leonce refers to Madame Ratignolle in some parts of the novel. How Conventionality is Being Challenged “She was blindly following whatever impulse moved her, as if she had placed herself in alien hands for direction, and freed her soul of responsibility.”

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Lèonce Pontellier shows a lack of interest and enthusiasm for Edna and her hobbies. When Lèonce say’s ‘“What folly! To bathe at such an hour in such heat. ”’(Chopin 2) you are able to see Lèonce has a degree of frustration built up for his wife, Edna.

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