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Social Background of The Awakening by Kate Chopin Set in New Orleans and on the Louisiana Gulf Coast at the end of the 19th century, The Awakening has been described as a case study of 19th-century feminism. The central theme of the novel is self-ownership. Self-ownership signified a woman’s right to have control over her own body and identity. The heroine of The Awakening longs for this kind of bodily autonomy. The Significance of 1899 The Awakening takes place during a time when a woman was still considered her husband's property. Louisiana, where the novel takes place, was a largely Catholic state and governed by Napoleonic law. And the Napoleonic law robbed women of all their rights. Napoleonic Code The Code stated, “A husband owes protection to his wife, a wife obedience to her husband,” An adulterous wife got two years in prison while an adulterous husband got a modest fine. A wife could only sue for divorce if the husband attempted to include his mistress in the family hous

A feminist reading of the play "Medea" by Euripides Source: Google Images This Greek tragedy, known for its protagonist's astounding actions, is considered to be a proto-feminist play. Medea plans out a calculated murder plan to kill Glauce and her own children. The reason for such an act of cold-hearted revenge is due to her passionate love for Jason. Though her actions are not something a person with genuine love would do, Medea, a woman with a savage temper does not shy away from giving justice to her thwarted heart. What Jason did is ethically and morally wrong, but what Medea did is still a debated topic. Medea is a headstrong woman. Her words and fierce temper stands out throughout the play. And the play provides a sophisticated treatment of the female gender. The relationship between the chorus and Medea is one to be noted. The women of the chorus are horrified and enthralled by Medea’s words and deeds. They have pity for her, but they do not interfere or stop Mede