Essay Comparing The Yellow Wallpaper And A Doll's House

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A stereotypical 19th century society was an environment that subjected women to being housewives and men to superiority. Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s short story ‘The Yellow Wallpaper’ and Henrik Ibsen’s play ‘A Doll’s House’ both reflect the journey of struggling women who attempt to discover their inner selves. ‘The Yellow Wallpaper’ revolves around a hysteric housewife, Jane, who is consigned to the resting cure by her husband who is a physician. Whereas, ‘A Doll’s House’ follows the life of Nora, a submissive housewife who suffers from an exploited marriage. Through the protagonists’ journey to self-realization, both Gilman and Ibsen use their literary works to draw parallels to an oppressing society and a hunt for freedom and individuality by showing both women overcome over their suppressors.
During the 19th century, women were considered inferiors when compared to the opposing gender. In each of the literary works, both Jane and Nora suffered from a suppressing society that was embodied by their husbands. This is evident through the ideologies of the characters and the way the protagonists are treated. According to society, Jane was hysteric and Nora was valueless; both were seen as nothing more than housewives. Jane disagreed about her condition but she kept heeding
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Gilman’s short story “The Yellow Wallpaper” and Ibsen’s play “A Doll’s House” both follow the lives of typical housewives that suffer from a smothering marriage. Both authors portray an oppressing society along with a hunt for freedom and individuality by showing each woman’s journey to self realization. Each story illustrates the protagonist escaping their suppressing society that denies individuality. Although both compositions display a different story, they both present the likewise theme of the journey to self realization and

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