I've always thought that the water in The Awakening represents Edna's freedom. She spends a lot of time near the water, and begins to feel more impowered as a woman when she learns to swim under Robert's guidence. Most of her flirting with Robert exists near or on the water. She feels free in the dangerous ocean waves. I found it interesting when she remarked about feeling like she may drown, and her husband says that he was watching, so she was safe. It is almost as if she was warning him about her future independence from him, but he doesn't really care because he believes he is watching her closely enough. This clues her into more about their relationship and she feels that he wouldn't really care if she drowned, or in this case, fell in love with Robert. She wants to "drown" in this way. The ocean, and perhaps Robert's love, are pulling her away from her family.
Her story of the woman running away with her lover involves water. And by telling this story, she is testing out how the others feel about her awakening. She is awakened to her love with Robert and she wishes for her freedom from her husband.
It is also interesting to note that the book opens near the water and ends with Enda finding her only true freedom in the water when she, assumedly, drowns/commits suicide, as the ending is really unknown. I personally think that she killed herself to find that freedom from her confining life.
It is very interesting that you made these connections to the water and representing Edna's freedom. I also thought of it this way but I did not closely into the symbolism of the water. I agree that there are many references to a sort of drowning as if Edna was being held captive by her husband in a sense. Or even in the aspect of drowning or being over-taken by Robert and her love for him.
ReplyDeleteGreat points! Now that you mention it, water was a very constant factor throughout the book, and I see the deeper meanings found in the depths of the ocean. Water was like a great unknown to her, like she was "testing the waters" of a new style of life and her inner self. In the end, she ends up drowning in her freedom - a fate that she pursues, trading her life for the exhilaration she finds in this nonconformity.
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