Eternal Myth

Kate Chopin is one of the excellent novelists in American literature. She was widely accepted as a local colorist, and was generally successful until the publication of her scandalous novel The Awakening, in 1899. It drew a storm of criticism for its "shocking, morbid, and vulgar" story and quickly went out of print. The novel was not resurrected until thel950s, when its importance was recognized by participants in the growing women's movement. Today, The Awakening is among the five most-read American novels in colleges and universities and is considered an early example of American realism.This thesis analyses the mythological archetypes in The Awakening, and compares the characters, plots, and element motifs with the story of Ancient Greek and Roman Myths to study the story of the Greek goddess Venus and the story of Edna and Eve in the Bible. A conclusion arrives that The Awakening is inspired by the myths and created the new explanation about the traditional archetypes, such as the new American woman, heroine Edna, who is beautiful, brave, and independent. The creation of The Awakening originates from the myths and is higher than the myth. The novel figures a completely new image. It is superior to the contemporaneous works and becomes the elaborate works of American literature.Part One introduces the author, Kate Chopin and her novel The Awakening, providing the reader with a general idea of the work and the author.Part Two provides an overview of the theory of Myth and Archetypal Criticism, and a simple review of the literature which studies this novel abroad and in China. Few critics have analyzed this novel using the theory of Myth and Archetypal Criticism. After this brief introduction, the operability of analysis of this novel on the basis of Myth and Archetypal Criticism is explained.In Part Three, Mythological character elements of The Awakening are compared with the story of Venus who is also called Aphrodite in the ancient Greek and Roman myth, and arrives at the conclusion that though this novel give us a completely new American woman. The story of Venus provides the reason why Chopin chooses the traditional death at the end of Edna. The Mythological plot and setting elements of The Awakening are compared with the story of Adam and Eve, and show the creation a completely new American woman. Chopin is brave enough to love and hate, looks down upon all the tradition and authority, and has the courage to pursue her freedom and farewell. At the same time, Feminine Consciousness and the feminine sexual liberation are mentioned in this part.Part Four discusses why there are many mythological archetypes in the novel from the aspects of Myth and Archetypal Criticism, the function of myth in literature and the life experience of the author.Part Five summares the contents mentioned above. The thesis concludes that the ancient Greek and Rome myths and the Bible have an important part on the European and American novel. The Awakening is not the exception. The myths have a great influence on the creation about the novel. According to the comparison we can find the completely new elements of the novel, which is creates new Americans and influences new American life styles.