The Awakening (Ch. 1-4)

After reading all the reviews, I was curious to find out which side I agree with - "flawless art" or "an essentially vulgar story". The book starts out with bird imagery. Mr.Pontellier is sitting outside Madame Lebrun's cottage, but decides to leave because the noise the birds are making him are distracting him from reading the newspaper. As he's sitting outside his cottage, he sees his wife, Edna, walking toward him from the beach with Robert. Mr.Pontellier asks Robert if he wants to go play billiards with him, but Robert declines because he'd rather stay and talk with Edna. Robert talked about his intentions of going to Mexico and Edna talked about her childhood. Both were interested in what each other had to say. Mr.Pontellier returns home late from billiards and checks on the kids. He tells Edna that one of them has a fever, but she says he's fine. He criticizes her for her "habitual neglect of the children". Edna goes to the boys room, but when she returns to her room, she doesn't speak to her husband. She goes on the porch and begins to cry because of an "indescribable oppression". Mr.Pontellier leaves the next morning for business. He gives her money and sends a package a few days later. All the other ladies are talking about how Mr.Pontellier is the best husband in the world and Edna admits "she knew of none better". Mr.Pontellier doesn't like how Edna treats their sons. He thinks that Edna should idolize and devote all of herself to him and their children. Edna isn't a "mother-woman". Adéle Ratignolle was the "embodiment of every womanly grace and charm" and unlike Edna. Edna married a Creole but didn't feel comfortable in their society.
I wouldn't like their society either because I don't like the inequalities between men and women. It doesn't make sense to me why it would be acceptable for Mr.Pontellier to have an affair, but the the women are supposed to be devoted to their husbands. Also, I thought it was ridiculous that Mr.Pontellier woke his wife up to take care of the kids, when he could of easily done it himself, just because he doesn't think it's his job.