MAIN CHARACTERS

EDNA PONTELLIER

Edna, the main character of the story, is a young woman of twenty-eight. She is married to a New Orleans businessman, who is twelve years her senior. She is bored with her life of domesticity, and through her exposure to the liberated society of Creole women, she realizes the constraints of her own lifestye. She starts to realize that she has an identity outside of that as wife and mother. She takes a series of important steps and on each occasion she breaks the rules of her society an experiences an awakening. She is encouraged by Mlle. Reisz and through her meets Robert with whom she has an affair.

L'ONCE PONTELLIER

He is a wealthy New Orleans businessman and his work makes great demands on his time. He loves his wife, Edna, but he fails to understand her. As a consequence of his work, his home-life suffers and due to his long absences, Edna is tempted to explore an alternative way of life. He often compared Edna to Ad'le, which causes resentment with his wife. She is hurt by he fact that he is more concerned with social appearances rather than her welfare.

ROBERT LEBRUN

Robert is single and two years younger than Edna, with whom he falls in love. Whilst Edna is prepared to sacrifice all in order to pursue her love for Robert, he is more tightly bound to the conventions of the New Orleans society. In his eyes, Edna can never be free from being one of L'once's possessions, and so he can never see his love for Edna consummated.

MADEMOISELLE REISZ

Mademoiselle Reisz and Edna develop a connection.even though she is not very sociable. She has a habit of saying exactly what she thinks and doesn't care what other think of her. She is the only one of Edna's friends who is aware of Edna's feelings towards Robert.

MADAME AD'LE RATIGNOLLE

Adele becomes Edna's friend at Grand Isle. She exemplifies the perfect mother and wife and centers her life around her home. As a distraction, her main pastime is music, and she holds regular musical soirees. She is a Creole and her unique free expression starts Edna's awakening. Although Ad'le's flirtatious behavior initially shocks Edna, this type of behavior is typical of Creole women and is only cosmetic, part of a game. Creole men folk have a high level of trust and respect for their wives, and are aware of this type of behavior

ALC'E AROBIN

A New Orleans man-about-town, Alc'e Arobin is a renowned womanizer. He is good-looking, clever, and persistent. He becomes interested in Edna and tries to court her. He devotes himself to the game of romance.

VICTOR LEBRUN

Robert's younger brother, and the favored son of Madame Lebrun, Victor is a wild young man who knows he is good-looking and desirable. He is an audacious flirt and a bit immature.

MLLE. LEBRUN

Madame Lebrun, is the widowed mother of Robert and Victor. She runs the resort on Grand Isle for summer vacationers. is the ultimate mistress of her household, hardworking and usually exasperated.

DOCTOR MANDELET

Dr. Mandelet is semi-retired, but he still attends the old families--the Pontelliers and Ratignolles, for examples. He eventually recognize Edna's "awakening," but is never close enough to her to help.

THE COLONEL

Edna's father was a Colonel in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. He staunchly believes that husbands should have complete control over their wives and household. Whether the Colonel has mellowed or not, their last period together becomes their most successful as father and daughter.

THE LADY IN BLACK

She is a lonely widow on holiday at Grand Isle. She enjoys a type of independence, but she is still under the strict constraints of Victorian society. As a widow, she is expected to withdraw from the pleasures of life and maintain a life of celibacy. Although she remains silent in the book, she is a constant symbol of the oppressed woman.

THE TWO LOVERS

This pair is also on vacation on Grand Isle, and they are paired symbolically with the Lady in Black. So far as the female lover is concerned, she represents the maximum freedom that a respectable woman can expect to have prior to marriage.