In 1890, the National Woman Suffrage Association and American Woman Suffrage Association combined to form the National American Woman Suffrage Association. This organization led by Susan B Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton worked to give women more rights. During the time period different radical activists like Stanton, Matilda Joslyn Gage and Olympia Brown also campaigned for broader women’s rights including changed divorce laws and an end to job and pay discrimmination. Women did not get the right to vote until the 19th amendment was passed August 18, 1920. During the years previous to when The Awakening was published, only four states granted women the right to vote. This context is apparent in The Awakening as Edna moves to gain more independence.
During this time period women had a more traditional role. Women were just beginning to join the workforce and those that did had trouble finding jobs. Most high paying jobs went to men. Because women were thought to only take care of children and do housework, 60% of those that were employed were employed as domestic servants. While most women wanted to move away from the traditional role, some women thought that it was disgraceful fighting for rights. This can be seen in The Awakening as how Edna is expected to act. Often times, her husband and those around her are unpleased with how she acts because she does not undertake this role. On the other hand, Adele models the traditional women: caring for the children, having many children, and being an obedient wife.
Great American Novels 2020 
This is very cool that you connected The Awakening with its historical context. As I am reading this book, it is very helpful to get an understanding of the time period and be able to fully understand why Edna’s ideas and actions were so controversial at the time. It would be interesting to hear about how this book was received during the time it was published and how people reacted to it.
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I agree greatly with Annika’s comment, in that the context of the novel is very important to know before you start reading. I wish I would have learned about this before I read, for much of the novel is focused on Edna’s struggle away from the constraints of society, and now that I know all of the discrimination that the women were going through, the novel makes a lot more sense.
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