The Awakening of Kate ChopinKate Chopin is one of the first writers to address female issues, mainly sexuality. Chopin declares that women are capable of overt sexuality in which they explore and enjoy their sexuality. Chopin demonstrates that his women are capable of loving more than one man at a time. They are not only attractive but sexually attracted (Ziff 148). Two of Chopin's stories that reflect this attitude towards sexuality are The Awakening and one of his stories “The Tempest”. Although critics now hail these two stories as great achievements, Chopin was condemned during her lifetime for writing such vulgar and risqué pieces. In 1899 Chopin published The Awakening. It is censored for its “decidedly unseemly” theme (Kimbel 91). Because of the negative reception of The Awakening, Chopin never attempted to publish “The Tempest.” He feels that the literary establishment cannot accept his bold vision of human sexuality (Kimbel 108). Chopin certainly proves herself to be an author far ahead of her time. The Awakening is considered Chopin's best work, as well as an unlikely novel written in the 1890s in America. The Awakening is the story of a woman, Edna Pontelier, who is a conventional wife and mother. Edna experiences a life-changing spiritual awakening of independence. Edna Pontellier began her revival on Grand Isle when she was 28 years old. She has been married for ten years and has two children. This situation proves to be different from male characters in most other novels because they almost always do not have to deal with the complications of marriage and parenthood to achieve self-determination (Bogarad 159). Chopin is able to portray this awakening through Edna's relationship...... middle of paper ......Turkish literary criticism. Ed. Sharon Hall. vol. 5. Detroit: Gale Research Company, 1981. 150-54. 76 vols.Skaggs, Peggy. Kate Chopin (1985): 130p. Rpt. in Criticism of short stories. Ed.Thomas Votteler. vol. 8. Detroit: Gale Research Company, 1991, 88-102. 29 vols. Spangler, George M. “Neglected Fiction: Kate Chopin's 'The Awakening': A Partial Dissent.” Novel: A Forum on Fiction (1970): 249-55. Rpt. in twentieth-century literary criticism. Ed. Sharon Sala. vol. 5. Detroit:Gale Research Company, 1981. 154-55. 76 vols.Ziff, Larzer. “An Abyss of Inequality: Sarah Orne Jewett, Mary Wilkins Freeman, Kate Chopin.” The American 1890s: The Life and Times of a Lost Generation (1966): 275-305. Rpt. in twentieth-century literary criticism. Ed. Sharon Sala. Vol.5. Detroit: Gale Research Company,1981. 148-49.