作者：薛济琛
　　【Abstract】The Awakening， published in 1899， written by famous American writer Kate Chopin. Chopin supports feminism and highly praises the value of women’s freedom， independence and liberation， as well as the awakening of self-consciousness. In The Awakening， Chopin created a new woman Edna who refused to perform the obligation of the mother and wife， and she fights against the Paternity. She is the representative of pursuing women’s liberation and the desire for a better life. The paper analyzed the causes and manifestations of Edna’s awakening， delving into the core demands of Edna’s act and concluding the feminist consciousness in Edna. Although Edna’s awakening was failed， her death has opened a new chapter for the women’s liberation movement in the new era， providing a new ideological weapon for modern women to pursue self-consciousness， equality and freedom.
　　【Key words】Edna； Paternity； Awakening； Feminism
　　【作者簡介】薛济琛（1995- ），男，汉族，山东青岛人，学生，翻译硕士，，云南农业大学外语学院，研究方向：英语笔译（专业硕士）。
　　I. Feminism Theory
　　“Feminism is a belief and an action to fight for equal rights and opportunities for women； or it is a proposal for social change， and a campaign to end the oppression of women. ” （Liuni p24）.
　　The Western feminist theory is the result of the feminist movement. “To change the traditional education， which was looked as the way to entertain men， and to give women the equally educational rights. To achieve really equality in life and career， and to promote social progress.” （Mary Wollstonecraft）. The feminists initially concern the fundamental factors， such as the place of oppression of women， whether is mainly in the workplace or in the family， in the field of production， sexuality or perform the duties of the mother. Analyzing the causes of women’s oppression from different angles.
　　“I confirm that the principle of regulating the social relations between the genders - a gender that is legally subordinate to another - is wrong in itself， is one of the major obstacles to human progress. ” （John Stuart Mill）. Feminists hold that view because of the gender discrimination， the special needs of women are still being ignored or not satisfied. Therefore， in order to meet the special requirements， women need to take radical revolution in society， radical changes of economy and political order.
　　II. Analysis on Edna’s Awakening
　　1.Rebelling to Leonce Pontellier
　　It is Edna that made a choice to marry Leonce， nobody did impose her. Although it seems like the “arranged marriage”， she did not make any resistance， even to be pleased to accept. However， no love and understanding of the marriage make Edna marriage life dull， she suffered the endless pains.