In the late 1800's, the stories "The Yellow Wallpaper", "The Story of an Hour", and "A Pair of Silk Stockings" were published. Female authors wrote and published these stories amid Women's Suffrage. Women's Suffrage was a fight for equality between men and women that lasted nearly a century. Women of any profession, including authors, were not taken seriously during this time period. These stories are essential to representing the hardship that women faced. Each of the three stories reflect the misery of this time period in their own way.
The angst of the main characters in each story is evident. It is made known that Mrs.Sommers in "A Pair of Silk Stockings" had seen "better days". Mrs.Sommers simply wanted to fit in with those of a higher class. Given Mrs.Mallard's reaction to her husband's death, we realize that she was extremely unhappy in her marriage. Though the narrator’s bigger problem in "The Yellow Wallpaper" was her nervous depression as a result of becoming a mother, her hatred towards the particular yellow wallpaper heightens it. It appears that each
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Mrs.Sommers fears being out of place in establishments she wouldn't typically be able to afford. The narrator of “The Yellow Wallpaper” becomes secretive and reserved in order for her husband to believe she is getting better. The narrator understands that her husband’s opinion is far more valued than her own, she needs his approval on her personal mental state. However, Mrs.Mallard in "The Story of an Hour" does not think the same way as the other two. Mrs.Mallard found acceptance within herself, she accepted her position as a widow quickly and with open arms. Though her sister and brother-in-law most likely would have been horrified by her thoughts, their endorsement didn't cross Mrs.Mallard's mind. Out of the three stories, only two characters seem to be in need of
When we compare contrast the two stories "The Yellow Wallpaper" vs. "The Story of an Hour”. If we first look at the similarities that they have, they are both about women who are controlled by their husbands, and who desired freedom. But both women had different reasons for their freedom. It sounds as though both husbands had control over their lives and both women had an illness. But I don’t believe the husbands knew their wives were so miserable. So as we look at the lives of women back in the 19th century time they have the stereotypical trend of being a house wife, staying at home taking care of kids, the house, and aiding the husband in his work. Being in charge of the household makes women have many responsibilities to take care of but still women are often looked down upon and men who often thinks a women’s say is unimportant. The two short stories are about two women who have husbands that successful and the women who feel suffocated by their lack of ability to live their own lives or make their own decisions. The two stories present similar plots about two wives who have grown to feel imprisoned in their own marriages.
Throughout history, women have had to continuously fight for their rights and equality in society. Women have fought to separate themselves from their controlling husbands, fought to become independently accepted and have fought to create their own destiny. Within their short stories, Charlotte Perkins Gilman and Kate Chopin address this search for freedom and independence. Chopin’s publication of “The Story of an Hour” in 1894 was not far behind Gilman’s publication of “The Yellow Wallpaper” in 1892. During this time period, women were starting to fight for more social rights and social equality. Both stories analyze the social standards of this time and the oppression of women by men.
“The Yellow Wallpaper” is a story about an anonymous female narrator and her husband John who is a physician who has rented a colonial manner in the summer. Living in that house, the narrator felt odd living there. Her husband, john who is a physician and also a doctor to his wife felt that the narrator is under nervous depression. He further mentions that when a person is under depression, every feeling is an odd feeling. Therefore, the narrator was not given permission by John to work but just to take medication and get well fast. This made the narrator to become so fixated with the yellow wallpaper in the former nursery in which she located. She was depressed for a long time and became even more depressed. This ha...
She finally escapes her life of depression and divorces her husband. The imagery the narrator gives this story lets you see how this woman uses the yellow wallpaper to show that not only was the narrator going through the imprisonment of her marriage and the psychological struggles in the late 1800’s but other women also was faced the same issues. “I 've got out at last ... in spite of you.... And I 've pulled off most of the paper so you can 't put me back!” (“The Yellow Wallpaper,” p. 53). The narrator uses metaphor in comparison of the wallpaper to the bars that held her captive in the room. One would say that the resolution of “The Yellow Wall paper” established a victory for women in the early twentieth century. After reading The Yellow Wallpaper Mitchell changed his treatment on women with and Gilman advocated for women
Mallard are trying to break away from the society beliefs of the time period. In The Yellow Wallpaper as Jane progressively gets worse the reader begins to see her lose her mind. Jane begins to see shapes in the wallpaper then as she gets worse she sees a woman trapped inside the wallpaper. This women can represent of the oppressed women of the time period and Jane. Jane then describes how the shadows of the bars over the window cast over the woman in the yellow wallpaper. This also represents Jane and her imprisonment in the bedroom. It can also symbolize all the woman trapped by their husbands and their dominating figure of the time period. In the end of The Yellow Wallpaper Jane loses her mind and begins to tear the wallpaper off. Since the shadow can symbolize her she believes she has set herself free. Jane even states in the story, “you can’t put me back”. This direct quote from The Yellow Wallpaper informs the reader that Jane believed she was trapped in the wallpaper and by removing it she has set herself free. Unfortunately, her husbands treatment paved the way for Jane to lose her mind and has the story end tragically. Similarly, in the Story of an Hour after Mrs. Mallard finds out about her husband 's death she locks herself in her room and realizes she is free. She can start her own life and write her own story without her husband inhibiting what she wants to do. She imagines what she is going to
It is assumed in “The Yellow Wallpaper” that the main character may be suffering from postpartum depression. This site gives information on postpartum in the early 1900’s by referencing a similar story of Rachel Calof.
“The Yellow Wallpaper:” a Symbol for Women As the narrator presents a dangerous and startling view into the world of depression, Charlotte Perkins Gilman introduces a completely revitalized way of storytelling using the classic elements of fiction. Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper” combines a multitude of story elements that cannot be replicated. Her vast use of adjectives and horrifying descriptions of the wallpaper bring together a story that is both frightening and intensely well told. Using the story’s few characters and remote setting, Charlotte Perkins Gilman presents the wallpaper as both a representation of the narrator and the story’s theme, as well as a symbol for her descent into the abyss of insanity. As the story opens, the suspiciously unnamed narrator and her husband, John, temporarily move into a new home (226).
“The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman and “A Doll’s House” by Henrik Ibsen were both written in the nineteenth century. The nameless narrator of “The Yellow Wallpaper” and Nora are common nineteenth century woman married to men who oppressed, controlled, and prohibited them to write because women were supposed to be housekeeper. Both “The Yellow Wallpaper” and “A Doll’s House” portray two women searching for their identity and freedom while struggling with emotional issues because they are oppressed by society as well as their husbands.
The Yellow Wallpaper is a story, by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. Although the work is short, it is one of the most interesting works in existence. Gilman uses literary techniques very well. The symbolism of The Yellow Wallpaper, can be seen and employed after some thought and make sense immediately. The views and ideals of society are often found in literary works. Whether the author is trying to show the ills of society of merely telling a story, culture is woven onto the words. The relationship between the narrator and her husband would be disagreeable to a modern woman's relationship. Today, most women crave equality with their partner. The reader never learns the name of the narrator, perhaps to give the illusion that she could be any woman. On the very fist page of The Yellow Wall-Paper, Gilman illustrates the male dominated society and relationship. It was customary for men to assume that their gender knew what, when, how, and why to do things. John, the narrator's husband, is a prominent doctor and both his and his wife's words and actions reflect the aforementioned stereotype: "John laughs at me, of course, but one expects that in marriage," (9). This statement illustrates the blatant sexism of society at the time. John does not believe that his wife is sick, while she is really suffering from post-partum depression. He neglects to listen to his wife in regard to her thoughts, feelings, and health through this thought pattern. According to him, there is not anything wrong with his wife except for temporary nerve issues, which should not be serious.
In “The Yellow Wallpaper”, the author, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, through expressive word choice and descriptions, allows the reader to grasp the concepts she portrays and understand the way her unnamed narrator feels as the character draws herself nearer and nearer to insanity. “The Yellow Wallpaper” begins with the narrator writing in a journal about the summer home she and her husband have rented while their home is being remodeled. In the second entry, she mentions their bedroom which contains the horrendous yellow wallpaper. After this, not one day goes by when she doesn’t write about the wallpaper. She talks about the twisting, never-ending pattern; the heads she can see hanging upside-down as if strangled by it; and most importantly the
The short story titled, “The Yellow Wallpaper” is given its name for no other reason than the disturbing yellow wallpaper that the narrator comes to hate so much; it also plays as a significant symbol in the story. The wallpaper itself can represent many various ideas and circumstances, and among them, the sense of feeling trapped, the impulse of creativity gone awry, and what was supposed to be a simple distraction transfigures into an unhealthy obsession. By examining the continuous references to the yellow wallpaper itself, one can begin to notice how their frequency develops the plot throughout the course of the story. As well as giving the reader an understanding as to why the wallpaper is a more adequate and appropriate symbol to represent the lady’s confinement and the deterioration of her mental and emotional health. In Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper”, the color of the wallpaper symbolizes the internal and external conflicts of the narrator that reflect the expectations and treatment of the narrator, as well as represent the sense of being controlled in addition to the feeling of being trapped.
Women have traditionally been known as the less dominant sex. Through history women have fought for equal rights and freedom. They have been stereotyped as being housewives, and bearers and nurturers of the children. Only recently with the push of the Equal Rights Amendment have women had a strong hold on the workplace alongside men. Many interesting characters in literature are conceived from the tension women have faced with men. This tension is derived from men; society, in general; and within a woman herself. Two interesting short stories, “The Yellow Wall-paper and “The Story of an Hour, “ focus on a woman’s plight near the turn of the 19th century. This era is especially interesting because it is a time in modern society when women were still treated as second class citizens. The two main characters in these stories show similarities, but they are also remarkably different in the ways they deal with their problems and life in general. These two characters will be examined to note the commonalities and differences. Although the two characters are similar in some ways, it will be shown that the woman in the “The Story of an Hour” is a stronger character based on the two important criteria of rationality and freedom.
The story begins on a very sad note especially in the eyes of a reader. Mrs. Mallard is said to have a “heart
Most women in Mrs Mallard’s situation were expected to be upset at the news of her husbands death, and they would worry more about her heart trouble, since the news could worsen her condition. However, her reaction is very different. At first she gets emotional and cries in front of her sister and her husbands friend, Richard. A little after, Mrs. Mallard finally sees an opportunity of freedom from her husbands death. She is crying in her bedroom, but then she starts to think of the freedom that she now has in her hands. “When she abandoned herse...
She would not have grieved over someone she did not love. Even in the heat of her passion, she thinks about her lost love. She knew that she would weep again when she saw the kind, tender hands folded in death; the face that had never looked safe with love upon her, fixed and gray and dead. Her love may not have been the greatest love of all time, but it was still love. Marriage was not kind to Mrs. Mallard, her life was dull and not worth living, her face showed the years of repression.