“The Yellow Wallpaper,” a short story of a women’s deterioration into mental illness, is Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s opinion on the domination of males in the medical environment, and the patriarchal formation of the household in the nineteenth century. Gilman is informing the reader of the consequences of a society dominated by males on fixed gender roles. The man is the authoritative and working figure, while the women is confined to her household duties and to obey the authority of her husband. This story is a depiction of the narrator who is constrained to her gender roles, and develops a worsened illness because of it.
The first sentence of “The Yellow Wallpaper” gives insight to the setting of the story and traits of the narrator. It
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states, “It is very seldom that mere ordinary people like John and myself secure ancestral halls for the summer” (Gilman, 3). This informs the reader that the narrator is a woman, she is married to a man named John, and an assumption can be made that the couple is middle class, as the narrator described themselves as “merely ordinary people.” These three traits appearing in the first sentence suggests that these features are more important to the development of the plot rather than her own history and identity, providing information to the conflicts that are essential to the story. The narrator is a woman of sensitive temperament who is suffering from postpartum depression and her illness places her in a state of weakness toward her husband, who is also her physician. The story mainly focuses on the ‘nervous condition’ of the narrator, as she slowly loses grasp of reality, while her husband misunderstands and misdiagnosis’s her condition.
It becomes obvious that the physician is unaware of the mind of women, and believes the best form of treatment for his wife is confinement and rest. The narrator states, “If a physician of high standing, and one’s own husband, assures friends and relatives that there is really nothing the matter with one but temporary nervous depression—a slight hysterical tendency—what is one to do?” (Gilman, 3). Further support can be proved when viewing “The Yellow Wallpaper” in historical context. Pouba and Tianen illustrate how many of the medical theories and practices of the nineteenth century often misunderstood the female psyche. Physicians often misdiagnosed and placed women in mental institutions for questionable reasons such as nervousness, suppressed menustruation and religious excitement. Women had minimal rights during this time period, even regarding their own mental state …show more content…
(Pouba). By portraying the unequal relationship between the narrator and her husband, Gilman represents the larger picture of gender inequity in society.
Gilman clearly emphasizes that John’s arrogant and paternal demeanor toward his wife is not relevant to her illness. He often disregards her opinions and criticizes her creative desires. For example, the narrator states, “I don’t like our room a bit … but John would not hear of it” (Gilman, 5). He treats her as he would treat a child, saying to her, “What is it, little girl?” (Gilman, 11) and speaking of her, “Bless her little heart!” (Gilman, 12). Since he is a physician, he overrules her suggestions on the best course of treatment for her illness, like he does on any situation, forcing her to live in a house she opposes, stay in a room she despises and in confinement, making her feel depressed and
lonesome. The reader can begin to see the negative effects of John’s medical care toward his wife in her reactions to the “rest cure.” At the beginning, she attempts to fight the inactivity and sluggishness she experiences from her confinement, stating “Half the time now I am awfully lazy, and I lie down ever so much” (Gilman, 10). Often time she questions John’s treatment of her and although a part of her believes John’s treatment may be wrong, as she states “Personally, I believe that congenial work, with excitement and change, would do me good” (Gilman, 4). However, the narrator believes John could also be right because he is a male and a doctor, and is therefore the authoritative figure in the relationship. Due to the different levels of power in their relationship and in society, the narrator lacks the self-esteem and audacity to express her will over her husband’s despite the fact that she knows his treatment making her worse off. She states, “It is so hard to talk with John about my case, because he is so wise, and because he loves me so” (Gilman, 11). With the narrator being deprived from any form of activity, creativeness, or self-definition, her mind wanders and becomes confused, as she becomes obsessed with the shadows she sees in the yellow wallpaper, stating “Behind that outside pattern the dim shapes get clearer every day (Gilman, 11). The wallpaper of the room becomes almost like a prison to her, “At night in any kind of light, in twilight, candlelight, lamplight, and worst of all by moonlight, it becomes bars!” (Gilman, 13). Although the paper does not physically restrain her like bars would, it is a physiological barrier. The wallpaper consumes all of her thoughts, as she becomes captivated by it and unable turn away from the appeal of the paper, eventually connecting to the illustration of the woman behind the wall. The narrator recognizes that there is more than one woman trapped behind the wall, “Sometimes I think there are a great many women behind it” (Gilman, 15). Gilman purposely places several women trapped behind the wallpaper, indicating that her story is not isolated, rather many people experience the same problems. In today’s society it could be suggested that the narrator is suffering from postpartum depression due to the birth of her child, rather than a nervous condition. . Signs of postpartum depression include irritability or anger, hallucinations, intense concern about the baby, and mood swings (Dryden-Edwards). This assumption can be made through analysis of narrator’s behavior, where she exhibits anger: “I get unreasonably angry with John sometimes. I’m sure I never used to be so sensitive” (Gilman, 4), intense concern:“It is fortunate Mary is so good with the baby. Such a dear baby! And yet I cannot be with him, it makes me so nervous” (Gilman, 6), mood swings: “I cry at nothing, and cry most of the time” (Gilman, 9), and hallucinations, “it is like a woman stooping down and creeping about behind that pattern” (Gilman, 11). In writing “The Yellow Wallpaper,” Gilman’s primary intention is to not only criticize a medical treatment, but also the gender conventions that result in sexual politics that allow that treatment to be possible. By ending the story with the narrator ultimately deteriorating into insanity, Gilman demonstrates the reality that most creative and intellectual women have limited options to elude the societal views on womanhood, portrayed through John. In the petrifying illustration of a housewife going mad, Gilman is trying to caution the reader that forbidding women their human rights is threatening to the woman, family and society.
"The Yellow Wallpaper," by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, depicts a woman in isolation, struggling to cope with mental illness, which has been diagnosed by her husband, a physician. Going beyond this surface level, the reader sees the narrator as a developing feminist, struggling with the societal values of the time. As a woman writer in the late nineteenth century, Gilman herself felt the adverse effects of the male-centric society, and consequently, placed many allusions to her own personal struggles as a feminist in her writing. Throughout the story, the narrator undergoes a psychological journey that correlates with the advancement of her mental condition. The restrictions society places on her as a woman have a worsening effect on her until illness progresses into hysteria.
All sense of individuality and self worth is taken way from the narrator when her name is never revealed to the audience. Furthermore, John continues to belittle his wife by giving her the command to not walk around at night. Although the John thinks in his mind that he is looking out for the best interest of his wife, in actuality, he is taking away his wife’s abilities to make choices for herself. There is a possibility that John’s controlling personality is one of the factors that led to his wife’s psychosis. Such a controlling life style more than likely limited the narrator’s ability to live any life outside of the home.
“The Yellow Wallpaper” is written in the first person narrative of a women's secret journal and her descent into madness. With the medical community of the nineteenth century misunderstanding and mistreating women, despite the protests of women. The treatment that John, the narrator’s husband, offers does not help at all, in fact throughout the story the narrator’s journal entrees and condition progressively worsens. Spending the summer in an abandoned mansion in order to recover from what her physician husband believes is a “temporary nervous depression- a slight hysterical tendency” (648). Her husband does not believe that her illness is serious the narrator states,“You see he does not believe I am sick” (647)! According to history men thought that they knew better than women, especially women who were “hysterical.” ...
“The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.” (US Constitution, Amendment XIX). The above is the 19th amendment of the United States of America Constitution. Ratified in 1920, after supporters worked tirelessly to change the mindset of a nation. But even with the law, there are still stereotypes. There are still people set on what they think. The issue is not the rights of women. Since 1920, they have had the rights. The issue does not even focus on disputes such as money, working, or privileges. The issue is being understood. In the short story, “The Yellow Wallpaper,” Charlotte Perkins Gilman presents a clear and relevant example of the suppression
"The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, is a story told from the first person point of view of a doctor's wife who has nervous condition. The first person standpoint gives the reader access only to the woman’s thoughts, and thus, is limited. The limited viewpoint of this story helps the reader to experience a feeling of isolation, just as the wife feels throughout the story. The point of view is also limited in that the story takes places in the present, and as a result the wife has no benefit of hindsight, and is never able to actually see that the men in her life are part of the reason she never gets well. This paper will discuss how Gilman’s choice of point of view helps communicate the central theme of the story- that women of the time were viewed as being subordinate to men. Also, the paper will discuss how ignoring oneself and one’s desires is self-destructive, as seen throughout the story as the woman’s condition worsens while she is in isolation, in the room with the yellow wallpaper, and her at the same time as her thoughts are being oppressed by her husband and brother.
“The Yellow Wallpaper” tells the story of a woman who is trapped in a room covered in yellow wallpaper. The story is one that is perplexing in that the narrator is arguably both the protagonist as well as the antagonist. In the story, the woman, who is the main character, struggles with herself indirectly which results in her descent into madness. The main conflicts transpires between the narrator and her husband John who uses his power as a highly recognize male physician to control his wife by placing limitations on her, forcing her to behave as a sick woman. Hence he forced himself as the superior in their marriage and relationship being the sole decision make. Therefore it can be said what occurred externally resulted in the central conflict of” “The Yellow Wallpaper being internal. The narrator uses the wallpaper as a symbol of authenticy. Hence she internalizes her frustrations rather then openly discussing them.
In Charlotte Perkins Gilman's short story "The Yellow Wallpaper," the reader is treated to an intimate portrait of developing insanity. At the same time, the story's first person narrator provides insight into the social attitudes of the story's late Victorian time period. The story sets up a sense of gradually increasing distrust between the narrator and her husband, John, a doctor, which suggests that gender roles were strictly defined; however, as the story is just one representation of the time period, the examination of other sources is necessary to better understand the nature of American attitudes in the late 1800s. Specifically, this essay will analyze the representation of women's roles in "The Yellow Wallpaper" alongside two other texts produced during this time period, in the effort to discover whether Gilman's depiction of women accurately reflects the society that produced it.
Throughout “The Yellow Wallpaper,” Charlotte Perkins Gilman tells her readers the story of a woman desperate to be free. Gilman’s use of symbolism is nothing short of brilliant in telling the story of a new mother suffering from postpartum depression and fighting her way through societies ideas of what a woman should be. When her husband, John, also known as her physician, tells her nothing is wrong with her mind, at first she believes him because she knows that society tells her she should. However, with her husband’s misdiagnosis, or attempt to keep his wife sane for the sake of their reputation, comes a short journey into madness for his wife, Jane. Jane’s downward spiral, as one may call it, turns out to be not so downward when the reader
In Charlotte Perkins Gillman’s short story “The Yellow Wallpaper”, the author takes the reader through the terrors of a woman’s psychosis. The story convey to understatements pertaining to feminism and individuality that at the time was only idealized. Gillman illustrates her chronological descent into insanity. The narrators husband John, who is also her physician diagnosed her with “nervous depression” and therefore ordered her to isolate until she recuperates. She is not only deprived of outside contact but also of her passion to write, since it could deteriorate her condition. The central conflict of the story is person versus society; the healthy part of her, in touch with herself clashing with her internalized thoughts of her society’s expectations. In a feminist point of view the central idea pertains to the social confinement that woman undergo due to their society.
The “Yellow Wall Paper “ by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, is a chilling study and experiment of mental disorder in nineteenth century. This is a story of a miserable wife, a young woman in anguish, stress surrounding her in the walls of her bedroom and under the control of her husband doctor, who had given her the treatment of isolation and rest. This short story vividly reflects both a woman in torment and oppression as well as a woman struggling for self expression.
The unnamed narrator finds herself trapped within a large room lined with yellow wallpaper and hidden away from all visitors by her husband-physician John. In “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, a summer spent in the large ancestral hall to find healing through rest turns into the manic changes of her mind. The overbearing nature of her husband inspires a program designed to make her better; ironically, her mind takes a turn for the worse when she believes the wallpaper has come to life. In Janice Haney-Peritz’s “Monumental Feminism and Literature’s Ancestral House: Another Look at ‘The Yellow Wallpaper’ ”, she tells that until 1973, Gilman’s story was not seen with a feminist outlook. “The Yellow Wallpaper” was misunderstood and unappreciated when it was published. The patriarchal attitudes of men in this era often left women feeling they had no voice and were trapped in their situations. Although originally interpreted as a horror of insanity, this initial perspective misses the broad, provocative feminist movement that Gilman supported. With the changes in perspective, over time this work has come to have a voice for women and the husband-wife relationship through the theme of feminism.
Advocating social, political, legal, and economic rights for women equal to those of men, Charlotte Perkins Gilman speaks to the “female condition” in her 1892 short story “The Yellow Wallpaper”, by writing about the life of a woman and what caused her to lose her sanity. The narrator goes crazy due partially to her prescribed role as a woman in 1892 being severely limited. One example is her being forbidden by her husband to “work” which includes working and writing. This restricts her from begin able to express how she truly feels. While she is forbidden to work her husband on the other hand is still able to do his job as a physician. This makes the narrator inferior to her husband and males in general. The narrator is unable to be who she wants, do what she wants, and say what she wants without her husband’s permission. This causes the narrator to feel trapped and have no way out, except through the yellow wallpaper in the bedroom.
In conclusion, this story, “The Yellow Wall-Paper”, provided a great social and psychological criticism. It shows the reader how women have progressed so far in the recent years. This woman was the start of many, which finally led to making men and woman more equal, and this is the society that this woman wanted.
In “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, the narrator and her husband John can be seen as strong representations of the effects society’s stereotypical gender roles as the dominant male and submissive female have within a marriage. Because John’s wife takes on the role as the submissive female, John essentially controlled all aspects of his wife’s life, resulting in the failure of the couple to properly communicate and understand each other. The story is intended to revolve around late 19th century America, however it still occurs today. Most marriages still follow the traditional gender stereotypes, potentially resulting in a majority of couples to uphold an unhealthy relationship or file for divorce. By comparing the “The yellow wallpaper” with the article “Eroticizing Inequality in the United States: The Consequences and Determinants of Traditional Gender Role Adherence in Intimate Relationships”, the similarities between the 19th century and 21st century marriage injustice can further be examined. If more couples were able to separate the power between the male and female, America would have less unhappy marriages and divorces.
(Lanser , 2008) describes one of the main views of feminist criticism as being ‘that narrative texts ... are profoundly ( if never simply) referential’. Semiotics in relation to verbal language is described by Herman as 'a conventional relation between signifier and signified' (p281) One way of combining the mimetic and semiotic is to look at the conventions in the semiotics of verbal language ‘which suggests a synthesis of feminist narratology reflecting the referential or mimetic as well as the semiotic experience of reading literature’. (Lanser, 2008 , p. 345)