Original scientific paper

BREAKING FREE: EDNA PONTELLIER AND ETHAN FROME

Melani Hadžić ; Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Mostar
Anđelka Raguž ; Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Mostar

Abstract

Social norms and conventions are often presented in literature as limitations
which curb the protagonists’ personal development. When personal
desires clash with societal expectations, the struggle to forge an identity
for themselves constitutes the conflict in these literary works. Two
such works are Kate Chopin’s The Awakening and Edith Wharton’s Ethan
Frome. Both Edna Pontellier and Ethan Frome feel oppressed by social
conventions and try to break free from the chains society has placed on
them. This paper will examine and analyse Edna Pontellier’s and Ethan
Frome’s relationship to their respective societies, their attempts to rebel
and the success of their endeavours to break free. It will consequently
show that irrespective of the society in question and the gender of the
protagonist, social conventions are iron-forged manacles that cannot be
easily broken, leaving the protagonists of these works with one option:
early death.

Keywords

Kate Chopin; Edith Wharton; Edna Pontellier; Ethan Frome; society

Hrčak ID:

216300

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/216300

Publication date:

16.12.2015.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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