Rebellions And Transgressions:an Interpretation Of Kate Chopin’s The Awakening From The Perspective Of New Historicism

Kate Chopin’s masterpiece, The Awakening, is honored as a classic feministnovel and one of the most frequently required readings in American high schools andcolleges as well. Studies of this novel so far mainly focus on its heroine EdnaPontellier’s awakening from the perspective of feminism and symbolism. Theme ofrebellions and transgressions is mentioned by critics, it is not interpreted from theperspective of New Historicism. This thesis attempts to explore this theme from theperspective of New Historicism with the focuses on the historicity of text and thetextuality of history to explore the social impacts on the characters and demonstrateChopin’s reconstruction of women’s history. Through the analysis, the thesis reachesthe conclusion that The Awakening reveals characters’ rebellions and transgressionsdue to the changing ideology of that historical moment and echoes Chopin’sreconstruction of women’s social status in the19thcentury.