Charlotte Perkins Gilman's The Yellow Wallpaper

The Yellow Wallpaper, written by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, is a feminist style short story that examines the role of women in nineteenth century America. This story is told through a female narrator that suffers with psychosomatic issues. This unnamed narrator is fully conscious of her ailments, but is unfortunately heavily mistreated resulting in an increase in her mental disorder. The Yellow Wallpaper examines the life of many domesticated women through accurate setting, complex character, and extensive symbolism. The setting in The Yellow Wallpaper serves a significant role in adding substance to the narrative. Most of the narrator’s time was spent in a defaced bedroom that appeared to be a children's room prior to her arrival. This small

Moreover, this story takes place in the late nineteenth century, an era marked by significant cultural, political, and technological change. Although American life was greatly improving, the role of women was expected to remain primarily unchanged. According to Ganong and Coleman, the popular term “Cult of Domesticity” was coined during this time and “brought forth a new ideal of womanhood that focused on domesticity, that is, family and home life” (300). Almost all women were forced to live a domestic life with little to no personal growth or self-expression. Women were expected to serve their wifely and motherly duties with no opposition. Many times, any objections made by women were misunderstood and mistreated by society. For example, the narrator in this

The narrator is never identified or given a name, making her a symbol for any woman who is capable of fitting the characteristics of a depressed subject. This anonymous woman is developed into a round and dynamic character whose psychosis grows throughout the story. Her physical description is never revealed, however her persona is one of a mentally ill patient. She is viewed by her husband, brother, and sister in law as a sickly woman who needs care and rest. The narrator suffered from two main conflicts throughout this short story. The first major issue she dealt with pertained to her husband/doctor, John. At the beginning of the story, the narrator understood John’s intentions, but she also felt as if he was restricting her from far too much (writing, working, etc.) Her resentment grew towards her husband because of his refusal to renovate the walls and his disregard to the woman in the wallpaper. The second conflict the main character experienced was with herself. She possessed many contradicting qualities that lead her to the brink of insanity. For example, she enjoyed writing as a channel for her emotions, but also felt fearful that she would be caught. She was also unable to decipher her imagination from reality. For instance, the main character developed an obsession with an unrealistic vision living in the walls of her room. In addition, the narrator suffered from postpartum