Kate Chopin's The Awakening (1899) conveys Edna Pontellier's rebellion against nineteenth-century American society's constrictions in feminine roles. The novel's emphasis on Edna's social awakening helps to illuminate societal expectations of women during this time period and the sacrifices they must make to either conform to society or follow their hearts. There were four cardinal virtues-piety, purity, submissiveness, and domesticity that were the most important for women during this time except for Edna. As she begins to experience her different forms of awakenings, she begins to realize that societal expectations are not how she wants to live her life.
Literature containing how women should and should not act was very well known by women and men alike during the nineteenth-century. "The true woman's place was unquestionably her own fireside-as daughter, sister, but most of all as wife and mother, therefore, domesticity was among the virtues most prized by women's magazines" (Welter 5). One of the most well-known pieces of literature was "The Cult of True Womanhood" or "Cult of Domesticity" which came sometime between 1820 and 1860. It identified that "true womanhood, by which a woman judged herself and was judged by her husband, her neighbors, and society could be divided into four cardinal virtues-piety, purity, submissiveness, and domesticity" (Brannon 161). In other words, "put them all together and they spelled mother, daughter, sister, wife – woman" (Welter 1). In addition to that piece of literature, there was another well known 'ideal' for what a woman should aspire to be. "The popular Victorian image of the ideal wife/woman came to be known as 'the Angel in the House,' who was expected to be devoted and submissive to her husband. The Angel was passive and powerless, meek, charming, graceful, sympathetic, self-sacrificing, pious, and above all--pure.