Mademoiselle Reisz’s flat (The Awakening)

Unnamed or fictional setting in The Awakening; pinned at an inferred location within New Orleans.

At a glance

Source	Author	Role	In one line
The Awakening	Kate Chopin	setting	Edna looks up Mademoiselle Reisz in the city directory, finds the old Bienville Street house, and learns the pianist has moved.

Source: The Awakening · Readwise highlight

looking up her address in the city directory, she found that the woman lived on Bienville Street, some distance away.

Role: setting
In the book: Edna looks up Mademoiselle Reisz in the city directory, finds the old Bienville Street house, and learns the pianist has moved. She then finds her in a top-floor flat of three rooms with a piano, dingy windows and a view of the river bend. Edna returns there repeatedly to listen, rest and talk about Robert.
Why it matters: The only named street is Bienville Street in the French Quarter, and the river view is consistent with the Quarter. The later flat is unnamed, so the Quarter is used as an area anchor.
Where is it?: ⚠️ inferred. Clues in the text: “the woman lived on Bienville Street, some distance away”; “always chose apartments up under the roof”; “From her windows could be seen the crescent of the river, the masts of ships and the big chimneys of the Mississippi steamers.”; “Esplanade Street” (Edna’s home) What reference works say: Wikipedia on Kate Chopin and the novel place the story in New Orleans and Grand Isle. The text names Bienville Street only for an earlier address; Reisz has moved by the time of the later visits and the new street is not given. The river-crescent view fits the lower Quarter. Chosen: French Quarter, New Orleans (Bienville Street, then an unnamed top-floor flat with river views). Alternatives: Faubourg Marigny / lower riverfront; Central Business District near Canal Street