During the 19th century women were looked at as attributes to their husbands. Dorothy Hartman writes, “(during the 19th century) women’s God-given role was a wife and mother, keeper of the household, guardian of the moral purity of all who lived therein.” Women were expected to clean the house, take care of their children, look beautiful for their husbands, and nothing else. To some 19th century women this way of life was absurd and called for some change. This type of thinking lead

Edna Pontellier is the antagonist to mother-women. Edna is distance from her children and disagreeable to her husband. Edna is not admirable to her husband because she flirts with other men and even allows herself to explore sexual feeling towards one of the men. She partakes in this act when she, “leans over and kisses him (Robert)” (175). After kissing Robert, Edna exclaims, “ I am no longer one of Mr. Pontellier’s possessions to dispose or not. I give myself where I choose” (176). As a result of Edna’s behavior, Edna’s children are not seen as mother-tots, children who rely on their mothers. This is evident when the novel exclaims, “if one of the Pontellier boys took a tumble whilst at play, he was not apt to rush crying to his mothers arms for comfort; he would more likely pick himself up, wipe the water out of his eyes and the sand out of his mouth, and go on playing” (12). One might say that Edna’s children act in this way because Edna has her children “follow (her) at the respectful distance which they require her to observe” (18). Edna’s children learned to be independent and act like adults. When Edna becomes annoyed with her life at home she moves out of the house and sends her children to live with their grandparents. This act outrages her community and embarrasses her husband. Although Edna’s thinking is quite radical, I acknowledge both Edna’s and Adele’s viewpoint.

Adele Ratignolle is the protagonist to the perfect mother-woman. She idolizes her children, loves h

Some topics in this essay:
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