The Awakening

Unprecedented in its complex and sensual portrayal of extra-marital love, Kate Chopin's The Awakening is a classic feminist novel that heralded the arrival of modern American literature. A sensation when it was first published in 1899, Chopin's compelling prose continues to enchant readers with its beauty. The book centers on a New Orleans woman who, stifled by her commitment to a dreary marriage, discovers true love and creative passion when she begins a scandalous affair with a handsome young man. In addition to offering modern readers a window into Gilded Age sensibilities and social norms, The Awakening continues to present a nuanced and insightful portrait of early 20th Century femininity and one woman's attempt to break free from its confines.