In the beginning of the novel, I was nervous that the tale of Edna would develop into a tragedy. With her mild flirtation with Robert and ever expanding voice, particularly when she tells Léonce to not speak to her in the way he was, I couldn’t help but go to a dark place when considering the rest of the novel. However, Edna’s development into herself after the vacation portion of the novel truly surprised me. Particularly the fact that Léonce is only mildly concerned with his wife’s new found independence, only consulting with a doctor once and never following up after the doctors observation of Edna.
It was strange that Léonce decided to leave though, considering he thought that she might have another man in her mind and overall thought she was within an odd head space.
I do enjoy her sort of friendship/flirtation with Alcée, even though he is sort of a playboy. Their scene at the horse races was very adorable, and it was gratifying to see how Edna acts without her husband or children at home. We do still see her depressed, wandering around her empty house unsure of what to do. But overall, Edna is slowly coming into her own and gaining her attention from all directions.
Womens Lit. Blog 