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Transcript

The Role of Mademoiselle Reisz

in Edna's Awakening

Purpose of the paper

To see Edna's awakening in the

relationship between Edna Pontellier

and Mademoiselle Reisz.

Thesis Statement

In the process of Edna's awakening, Mademoiselle Reisz plays an important role because her playing the piano has a great effect on Edna's art career; Mlle. Reisz supports and helps Edna with her relationship with Robert Lebrun; also Mlle. Reisz warns Edna that she must have "courageous soul" and "strong wings" to survive.

Women in the late 19th century

The Heroine Edna Pontellier

How does Edna react to Mlle. Reisz's music

and Madame Ratignolle's music?

Edna pictures when she listens to

Ratignolle's music.

"She waited for the material pictures which

she thought would gather and blaze before

her imagination. She waited in vain. She

saw no pictures of solitude, of hope, of

longing, or of despair. But the very

passions themselves were aroused within

her soul, swaying it, lashing it, as the

waves daily beat upon her splendid body.

She trembled, she was choking, and the

tears blinded her." (Chopin 47-48)

"she begins to perceive music according to its own

abstract nature, not in mental, sensual pictures."

---Melanie Dawson

Edna feels like a thousand

emotions have swept through her.

(Chopin 50)

What role dooes Mlle.Reisz play between

Edna and Robert?

Even an unattractive, disagreeable artist needs love,

and Mademoiselle Reisz seems to be cut off from any

possiblity of directly fulfilling that emotional need.

She therefore resorts to vicarious satisfaction through

Edna's intense emotional reactions."

(Skaggs 95)

The "courageous soul"

The "strong wings"

Economic Independence

The Ability to Bear Solitude

Even though Mlle.Reisz has the "courageous soul" and she is flying on her own sky, she lacks love, friends and warmth in her life.

(Skaggs 96)

The courage of Edna's finding her identity

and position as a woman in the world is of

great value to women's world.

Thank you

Zi Yang

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