Critical Insights: The Awakening

This classic novella, published in 1899, is considered a landmark work of early feminism. Although never technically banned, Chopin’s work was censored for its depictions of female sexual desire and for a protagonist who resisted social norms and traditional gender roles. This work surveys the critical conversation regarding The Awakening from all standard critical perspectives – social, gender, post-modern, psychological, and cultural as well as the more traditional historical and close readings.