The Awakening, little known in German-speaking countries, is one of the novels most frequently read in high school English classes in the United States. Chopin tells the story of Edna Pontellier, the young wife of a wealthy Creole in Louisiana, who at the turn of the 20th century, after an exploration of her self, would rather voluntarily go to her death than forego personal autonomy and the realization of her desires. Because of the adultery theme and the main character's unwavering quest for independence and emotional, sexual, and spiritual awakening, the book was initially met with overwhelming disapproval by the rigid critics of the time. Gröls-Classics - English Edition