Doctor Mandelet
is Léonce and Edna's family physician. He is a fairly enlightened man, who silently recognizes Edna's dissatisfaction with the restrictions placed on her by social conventions.
What does Dr Mandelet represent?
He perceives Edna's awakening, yet his character symbolizes
an anesthetic, not a cure
, for her pains of bondage. When a frustrated Mr. Pontellier, Chopin's stereotypical male, visits the Doctor regar…
Why does Mr Pontellier go to the doctor?
By Kate Chopin
Mr. Pontellier decides to visit to their family physician, Doctor Mandelet. He tells the doctor
about Edna's odd behavior in the hopes of getting some advice
.
Who is Madame Antoine in the awakening?
Who is Madame Antoine?
A fat woman who can't speak English, but is very hospitable
. Friend of Robert's.
Who is Madame Ratignolle to Edna?
Madame Adèle Ratignolle The epitome of the
“mother-woman
,” a devoted wife and mother whom Edna befriends on Grande Isle; their friendship continues while back in New Orleans.
What is Edna's relationship with her father?
He is a strict Protestant and believes that husbands should manage their wives with authority and coercion. While Edna's relationship with her father
is not affectionate
, she is surprised by how well she gets along with her father when they are together.
Do Edna and Alcee sleep together?
A:
Yes
. The language in Chapter 27 reflects literary conventions of the 1890s. The text shows that Edna and Alcée have sex in the house on Esplanade Street (in Chapter 27), after the party when they go to the pigeon-house (in Chapter 31) and, apparently, in Chapter 35.
Why are Creole husbands never jealous?
A Creole husband is “never jealous”
because the fidelity instilled in Creole women from birth ensures that a man's possession of his wife will never be challenged
. Robert's affectionate interactions with the women of Grand Isle mimic those of the medieval practice of courtly love.
Why is Edna's father upset with Leonce?
Why did Edna's father and sister oppose her marriage to Leonce Pontellier?
Because he was a Catholic
. What is Edna expected to do every Tuesday afternoon at her home in New Orleans? Receive visitors.
Why does Edna not attend her sister's wedding?
Léonce reveals that she has abandoned her domestic and social duties, become moody, and has stopped having sex with him. Further, Edna is refusing to attend her sister's wedding, asserting that a wedding is a highly regrettable occasion.
Who is Madame Lebrun's favorite son?
Mademoiselle Reisz tells the truth about Madame Lebrun's relationship with her sons, revealing
Victor
as the favorite, and offers blunt, acerbic appraisals of everyone else.
Does Robert really love Edna in The Awakening?
Although he never consummates their relationship physically, Robert's
tender treatment of Edna proves that his love for her extends beyond
the superficial adoration he is used to showing his female companions.
Why did Edna marry Mr Pontellier?
Chapter 7 reveals much about Edna's history of rebellion: running away into the fields to escape her father's gloomy prayer services and marrying Léonce not out of personal passion for him but because
of her family's “violent opposition”
to her marrying a Catholic man.
Is Edna selfish The Awakening?
Edna has issues below the surface that
spawn her irrational, selfish
, and uncaring actions. The first root of Edna's downfall is that she puts herself in tempting situations. She does this numerous times throughout the book with both Robert and Alcee.
How is Adele Ratignolle described?
Adele Ratignolle is
Edna's close friend
, who represents the Victorian feminine ideal. She is what all women in her society should be like; she puts her husband and children first, centering her life around her family and her domestic duties.
Why are Edna and Adele friends?
Adele is Edna's close friend
and almost complete opposite. As the supreme example of a “mother-woman,” Adele represents the ideal that Edna is supposed to imitate. Adele spends all her time caring for her family and maintaining a state of marital bliss with her husband. … Edna tried to appease her friend, to explain.
