Abstract

The American female regional novel writer－Kate Chopin in her work The Awakening depicts the plight of women in the nineteenth century, who were in a dilemma between fulfilling their traditional role and searching for a new social order. Despite the difficulty of a new identity in a society where great pressure is placed on women to maintain the conventional social role, the protagonist Edna manages to resist conventional responsibilities, so as to achieve a level of autonomy, and realize self-growth, personal identity and spiritual awakening.
The thesis is divided into five chapters. First, the research background and research purpose of the thesis. Then it gives a brief introduction of the author Kate Chopin and the novel The Awakening. Later, it analyzes some female characters and symbolism. Furthermore, the thesis analyzes Edna’s revival of feminism from external and internal causes and then her struggle.
By launching an analysis to the female protagonist, the thesis explores her conscious and unconscious longing for awakening and autonomy in the nineteenth century patriarchal American society. With enormous courage, the female protagonist chooses to embrace her consciousness of her selfhood regardless of her inability to change the conventional social order. In this sense, Edna is a definitive frontier feminist. But, whether it is a wise act requires further study.

Keywords: The Awakening；struggle；revival；feminism

摘要

《觉醒》是美国女性地域小说作家－凯特肖邦的代表作。小说描绘了19世纪女性面临的困境,她们受制于传统贤妻良母的角色，却又试图寻求一种社会新秩序。尽管处于这样一个男性主导的社会，主人公埃德娜还是设法挣脱传统的枷锁,实现一定程度的独立自主，实现自我精神上的觉醒。
本文分为五个章节。首先是论文的研究背景和研究目的。然后是对作者凯特肖邦和小说《觉醒》的简要介绍。接下来是几个女性角色的分析和象征意象的介绍。紧接着从内部原因和外部原因分析女主人公女性意识的复苏和她的挣扎。最后一章是总结概括。
论文探讨了在19世纪男权主义的美国社会下，女主人公渴望自我觉醒和独立自主。尽管她无力改变传统的社会秩序，但她还是以巨大的勇气努力实现自我价值。从这个意义上说,埃德娜绝对是一个女权主义者。但是,她这样的行为是否明智呢？这还需要我们进一步的研究。

关键词：觉醒；抗争；苏醒；女性主义