摘要

在《觉醒》中，作者凯特•肖邦描写了一个已有两个孩子的28岁的年轻少妇，在多种因素的影响下，自我意识逐渐觉醒，走上一条违背传统妇道的离经叛道之路，无拘无悔且不顾一切地追求人身自由、人格完整与本性地释放。小说的主题在当今很容易被人们接受，但在19世纪的美国社会却掀起过轰然大波。在当时的极端男权社会里，自我与妇道是互不相容的。寻求自我即意味着对妇道的背叛。小说女主人公对传统女性角色的背叛，开始于其对婚姻生活的朦胧的不满情绪，发展为一种对自我的搜寻，她最终完全觉醒，认识到了真正的自我并致力于实现自我。本论文描写的就正是小说女主人公艾德娜的觉醒过程，其实也正是艾德娜寻找自我的过程。
本论文将从故事情节、故事人物、故事当中的意象入手，分析刺激女主人公艾德娜觉醒的因素和在她寻找自我过程当中的自我意识和性意识的觉醒。而作者肖邦夫人对艾德娜的最终命运的安排也可以看出她对于那个时代的女性实现自我的可能性与代价的观点。作为同时代女性的代言人，肖邦夫人试图通过艾德娜的故事来揭示出处于传统的男权社会的女性的困苦与挣扎。她的《觉醒》有如一声春雷，预示着新时代的到来。

关键词：《觉醒》， 艾德娜， 觉醒，自我意识，性意识

Abstract

The Awakening as a short novel,  published in 1899，is widely considered to be a proto-feminist precursor to American modernism. The story is about a woman named Edna, who betrays her husband mentally and bodily, which is a scandal to the racist and sexist values of the patriarchal South. Kate Chopin’s bold accomplishment in creating a character who tries to break through the strict social code of feminine purity and entangling web of custom that constricted women’s individual lives gives The Awakening historical importance as well as social interest.

This thesis analyzes Edna’s self awakening and sex awakening process from the story plot, narrative method, story characters, symbols and other factors. Through these analyses, we can find the novel is not simply about the sexual awakening of a woman in traditional society. It is also about the emerging individuality of a woman who refuses to be defined by the prevailing stereotypes of passive femininity, who lacks the psychological and mental power to resist the traditional of enforced passivity.

Keywords: The Awakening，    Edna，awakening，self awareness，sex awareness

 Introduction
1.1 A Brief Introduction to Kate Chopin
Kate Chopin, born Katherine O'Flaherty on February 8, 1850, was an American author of short stories and novels, mostly of a Louisiana Creole background. She is now considered to have been a forerunner of feminist authors of the 20th century.