The final episode of the novel is represented by Edna's solitary swim into the emptiness of the Gulf.
The metaphor of the water is relevant to the theme of self-discovery and expression of self. Throughout the novel, the sea becomes a symbol of sexual desire (Spangler 251): "She could see the glint of the moon upon the bay, and could feel the soft, gusty beating of the hot south wind. A subtle current of desire passed through her body, weakening her hold upon the brushes and making her eyes bum" (Chopin 149). Also, water symbolizes freedom and escape; with its vastness and power, the sea can be approached and understood by Edna only after she has discovered her own strength. She is intrigued and seduced by the depth and mystery of the water, and finds herself coming back to it throughout the novel: "The voice of the sea is seductive; never ceasing, whispering, clearing, murmuring, inviting the soul to wander for a spell in the abysses of solitude; to lose itself in mazes of inward contemplation" (Chopin 17).
Water can also symbolize rebirth, or represent a biblical reference to baptism. In this sense, the sea becomes a reference to the inner rebirth, i.e. The awakening that Edna seeks so desperately. However the ending brings about a transformation as far as this symbol as the water ceases to represent a space of spiritual awakening; in this sense, nonetheless, we can also argue that the sea which had enabled Edna to acquire self-consciousness and a profound understanding of life, teaches her in the end that independence comes at a high price, and that the vastness of the sea is in fact a symbol of Edna's inner void and feeling of hopelessness, as Chopin writes in chapter 39, "The water of the Gulf stretched out before her, gleaming with the million lights of the sun.
The voice of the sea is seductive, never ceasing, whispering, clamoring, murmuring, inviting the soul to wander in abysses of solitude. All along the white beach, up and down, there was...
From the point-of-view of society - especially contemporary nineteenth-century society - her passionate nature is what destroys her in the end. At the same time, however, Edna's demise in societal eyes is Chopin's great triumph. The force which compels Edna is felt rather than analyzed or explained (Spangler 251). The greatest triumph of the protagonist is her ability to convey her awakening through a deeply metaphorical linking of her desire with the symbol of the sea: "The voice of the sea speaks to the soul. The touch of the sea is sensuous, enfolding the body in its soft, close embrace" (Chopin 18). In this sense, Edna realizes that self-discovery leads to self-assertion, and that the latter involves solitude as others are not willing to abandon societal conventions. In conclusion, we can argue that Edna acknowledges the reality that independence and self-sufficiency cannot coexist with social expectations and norms.
Works Cited
Chopin, Kate. The Awakening. Kessinger Publishing: 2004.
Brightwell, Gerri "Charting the Nebula: Gender, Language and Power in Kate Chopin's 'The Awakening.'" Women and Language 18.2 (1995): 37-49.
Freeman, Jo. "The Origins of the Women's Liberation Movement." The American Journal of Sociology 78.4 (1973): 792-811.
Griffin Wolff, Cynthia. "Thanatos and Eros: Kate Chopin's the Awakening." American Quarterly 25.4 (Oct., 1973): 449-471.
Heuston, Sean. "Chopin's the Awakening." The Explicator (Summer 2006): 220-224.
Ringe, Donald a. "Romantic Imagery in Kate Chopin's the Awakening."American Literature 43. 4 (Jan., 1972): 580-588.
Spangler, George M. "Kate Chopin's "The Awakening": A Partial Dissent." NOVEL: A Forum on Fiction 3.3 (1970): 249-255.
Treu, Robert. "Surviving Edna: A Reading of…
