Why did Edna marry Leonce in The Awakening and is he a model husband?
- print Print
- list Cite
Expert Answers

briefcaseTeacher (K-12)
bookPh.D. from University of Miami (Fla.)
calendarEducator since 2016
write739 answers
starTop subjects are Literature, Arts, and Law and Politics
When we first meet Edna and Leonce Pontellier, they seem to have a typical marriage of the late nineteenth century. He goes to work and to the club, while Edna spends her time mostly with other women and with her children. Edna is surprised to find herself upset one night when Leonce wakes her to take care of the children, one of whom he insists is sick, after he's returned home from the club. She recognizes that the scene is not out of the ordinary but for some reason, she feels devastated about it this time. Her awakening has begun, and she slowly becomes conscious of her unhappiness in her marriage and in her position as a woman in this society.
As far as classifying Leonce as the ideal husband, it seems that he is considered so by the community in which the Pontelliers live. When he sends some chocolates to his wife, "the ladies. . . . all declared that Mr. Pontellier was the best husband in the world. Mrs. Pontellier was forced to admit that she knew of none better." The word "forced"...
(The entire section contains 4 answers and 1,063 words.)
Unlock This Answer Now
Start your 48-hour free trial to unlock this answer and thousands more. Enjoy eNotes ad-free and cancel anytime.
Related Questions
- Discuss the relationship of Leonce and Edna in Chopin's The Awakening with examples.
- 1 Educator Answer
- Why do Edna dislike her husband Leonce Pontellier ?Leonce has a lot of money
- 1 Educator Answer
- What incidents in the novel reveal that Leonce may not be a good husband for Edna?
- 2 Educator Answers
- In The Awakening, what kind of mother is Edna?
- 2 Educator Answers
- What is Edna’s relationship with her children in The Awakening?
- 3 Educator Answers

calendarEducator since 2008
write2,689 answers
starTop subjects are Literature, History, and Social Sciences

calendarEducator since 2008
write5,649 answers
starTop subjects are Literature, Social Sciences, and Business