Female Freedom Fighters

Social issues imbed themselves not only in history §books, but also in the literature that is written §during the time period. This book traces the §discussion of female suicide that was taking place in §America between the years 1870-1900. Some attributed §suicide to insanity and imitation, while others §ascribed the act to individuals with an intelligent §disposition. Some theorists, however, believed the §act was directly connected to social consciousness §and the plight of women. Kate Chopin s The Awakening §(1899) can be read as a response to this conversation §concerning women who commit suicide. She contends §that her female protagonist, Edna Pontellier, takes §her life because she is an individual woman trapped §in a confining culture. Edith Wharton s The House of §Mirth (1905) further adds to Chopin s foray. §Wharton s Lily Bart, like Edna, establishes herself §as an independent woman. In the end, Lily commits §suicide in an act of free will and sound mind to §escape the misery her society imposes. This §analytical read of both the issue of suicide and the §response of these two female authors adds fresh §dialogue to the genre of women s literature and §feminist studies.