Abstract  This thesis analyses the love, marriage and family ethics of Kate Chopin in The Awakening, from the perspective of close reading。 Through combining the social background of the novel and the social status of women, it makes an emphasis on analyzing the ethical issues of relationship between Edna and Mr。 Pontellier, Edna and Robert and the comparison of family members between Pontellier family and Ratignolle family as well as probing the ethical imbalance due to the influences of social patriarchy of that time。 At last it reveals the love, marriage and family ethics of Kate Chopin。 It aims to awaken people that they should strive for freedom and love and realize that parents’ exemplary role is so important to the growth of children。75097

Keywords: Kate Chopin; The Awakening; love, marriage ethics; family ethics

摘要本文运用文本细读的方法来分析《觉醒》中所体现出的凯特肖邦的婚恋家庭伦理观。通过结合小说发生年代的社会背景以及女性当时的社会地位，从婚恋家庭伦理的角度来分析《觉醒》中出现的艾德娜与庞德烈的夫妻关系、艾德娜与罗伯特的恋人关系以及通过对比庞德烈家庭和拉蒂诺尔家庭的成员关系来发现人物关系之间存在的伦理问题，探讨由于当时社会父权制的影响造成伦理失衡，最后总结出凯特肖邦的婚恋家庭伦理观。本文旨在提醒人们勇于追求自由和真爱以及需要意识到父母的表率作用对子女成长的重要性。

毕业论文关键词：凯特肖邦；《觉醒》；婚恋伦理；家庭伦理

Contents

1。 Introduction 1

1。1 Kate Chopin and her works 1

1。2 Close reading and the study of significance 1

2。 Literature Review 2

3。 The Background of The Awakening 3

4。 The Love and Marriage Ethics in The Awakening 5

4。1 The loveless marriage -Edna and Mr。Pontellier 5

4。2 The pursuit of free love -Edna and Robert 7

5。 The Family Ethics in The Awakening 9

6。 Conclusion 10

Works Cited 12

1。 Introduction 

1。1 Kate Chopin and her works

     Kate Chopin (1850-1904), an American female writer, is famous for the portrayal of daring images of woman in her novels and short stories。 Her novel The Awakening is famous today around the world。 She is considered as the one of the America’s essential authors。论文网

     After the death of her father when Kate Chopin was four, she was brought up by her mother and grandmother。 They were both French and Kate Chopin was deeply influenced by them。 In her family the different languages, cultures and values existed。 The French culture and literature had much influences on her thinking shown in her works。 

     From 1889 to 1902, she focused on writing short stories for both adults and children。 And the short stories were published in many famous magazines。 Her short stories collections Bayou Folk (1894) and A Night in Acadie (1897) had received much praise among the critics in America。 Until in 1899 The Awakening was published she suffered much condemn。 In the novel her description of the sexual consciousness of heroine in the sympathetic tone shocked the American reviewers and readers。 The novel was even taken off from the shelf of the library。

     The Awakening is a novel about the heroine Edna who dares to pursue free life and love regardless of her marriage and family。 At the end of the 19th century, her family has a vacation on Grand Isle。 After meeting Robert who is gentle, caring and totally different with her husband, Edna’s female consciousness begins to awaken。 When her family come back to New Orleans, Edna can not tolerate her marriage any more。 She has many changes and does not want to live like before。 She decides to move into the pigeon house and breaks off relations with her family。 Although Edna wants to have free love, Robert leaves due to the oppression of society of that time。 At last Edna chooses to end her life in the sea。 The heroine Edna is a tragedy of the times。