Independence Changed History

Although Women's History Month is not celebrated until March, reading the novel The Awakening by Kate Chopin, and the play A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen made me think about how women should be celebrated for all of their great accomplishments.  The referenced pieces of literature above made it easy for me to realize that independence is the key to success, and the reason why women have overcome great feats and accomplished many things throughout history.

Women's History Month would never have been created if women seeking independence had not exerted themselves and taken initiative in their lives.  The authors of the two works above wanted to make it known how they felt about women being permitted to have independence.  Even though The Awakening may seem to some as a book that portrays a selfish woman, only seeking what is best for her, I feel that Edna Pontellier has a goal in life which she sets out to accomplish.  She wanted to be able to work like the men did in that time period.  Her final action of taking her own life, by drowning in the ocean, showed how she wanted to address the subject.  She was not able to do anything about the problem when she was living, so she probably figured, maybe if she was dead, people might change how they viewed women being independent and working.  In A Doll's House, Nora is living a life that she does not really want to live, just so she can make her husband happy.  She yearns to be an independent woman and rid the guise that she constantly displays because she knows she is capable of great things in life.  She hurdled one obstacle when she saved her husbands life when he was ill, and she realized that she is able to achieve anything she puts her mind to.  In the end she is able to work up the courage to leave her family, and provide for herself which was her ultimate goal.  Some critics believe that Edna and Nora are self righteous women who only care about the good they can provide for themselves.  These critics feel that leaving behind children and a husband is one of the worst ways to handle a situation.  I on the other hand believe that the authors of the novels were trying to represent through characters, the problem that in those time periods women were considered unable to be independent.

The main point of my blog is that Chopin and Ibsen wanted to address women's independence in societies that frowned upon the idea.  These authors were able to show how they feel as well as influence people by their works.  Women's History Month is dedicated to the women who fought to have equal rights. Susan B. Anthony, a 19th Century civil rights leader, fought to include women's votes in elections and important topics in the United States.  Her courage eventually led to states enabling women the right to vote.  Throughout history women have fought for independence from their duties set by men, and it has led to an entire month devoted to their accomplishments, as well as everything women have done to shape the country and world we live in today.