madame bovary
In the novels Madame Bovary and The Awakening, the protagonist is a woman who finds herself in an unfulfilling marriage. Both of these characters are unsatisfied not only with their husbands, but their entire way of living; thus, they gain new leases on life and transform themselves into independent, introspective individuals. As a result of their transformations the women begin to search elsewhere for the romance and passion that is lacking in their lives. Though the affairs and torrid relationships had by both Emma and Edna were different they were both driven by self-indulgence. Both women are in secure marriages and live respectable lives, however, what they yearn for is a difference from their drab existence. In the two novels Emma and Edna search for fulfillment, Edna’s lovers provide excitement, while Emma’s are based on superficial wants. In The Awakening, Edna is Mrs. Pontellier, wife of successful businessman Leonce Pontellier, who provides a life of comfort and conformity to his young wife. However, Edna is not content simply being a wife a mother, she longs to be her own woman and live life by her own rules, “I don’t want anything but my own way.