In Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper,” Gilman illustrates how women in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries had no basic rights and experienced severe oppression in many aspects of their lives. Women who lived in this time were treated much differently than they are today. Even when suffering from serious illness, the story’s protagonist, Jane, is not taken seriously. This ultimately leads to her demise. By illustrating the main character’s depression, the author shows that society’s view of women, a controlling environment, and a lack of self-expression can have detrimental effects on one’s well-being.
SOCIETY******
“The Yellow Wallpaper,” published in the year 1892, came long before women’s rights or any type …show more content…
Her actions, thoughts, opinions, and even her emotions are masked in front of others. Her true self only comes out when she writes. This is only possible because no one reads her journals. As a physician, Jane’s husband, John, controls many aspects of her life through treatment and behavioral modification. John is a physician with high standings in the community. They are of the same opinion that her condition is simply temporary nervous depression. The study of mental illness was not as medically advanced in the Victorian Period as it is today, so John does not treat Jane properly. Only phosphates, tonics and exercise are prescribed to Jane to help her condition (Gilman 310). Jane often writes about her illness and believes the excitement of her writing benefits her, but John forbids her to write. She must hide her journal from John because he tells her not to work until she is well. For example, Jane writes, “There comes John, and I must put this away-he hates to have me write a word” (Gilman 311). John discourages her writing because he feels that her vivid imagination and habit of story-making will exaggerate her nervous condition. Companionship for Jane is not acceptable to John because he feels that it would be too stimulating. He says that he would as soon put fireworks in her pillow case as to let her have company (Gilman 312). The yellow wallpaper in her upstairs room is given human characteristics that could represent …show more content…
The wallpaper becomes a mirror of herself, reflecting that during the day she is free, but as the moon rises she becomes trapped by her thoughts. Jane decides to let the woman free by tearing off the horrid, yellow wallpaper. She says, “If the woman does get out, and tries to get away, I can tie her”. Jane then begins to speak as if she is the woman trapped behind the wallpaper. For example, Jane says that she wonders if all women come out of the wallpaper as she did. She writes, “I suppose I shall have to get back behind the pattern when it comes night, and that is hard”. Overcome by her mental illness, Jane becomes frustrated and angry enough to do something desperate. Unable to jump from the window because of the bars, Jane begins tearing the wallpaper in attempt to set the “woman” free. Securing herself to a rope, she declares, “I’ve got out at last in spite of you and Jane. And I’ve pulled off most of the paper so you can’t put me back” (Gilman 320). Jane is successful in freeing the woman, who is a representation of herself. By freeing the woman from the yellow wallpaper, Jane is freeing herself from her mental illness, as well as from the oppression she faces every
SOCIETY******
“The Yellow Wallpaper,” published in the year 1892, came long before women’s rights or any type …show more content…
Her actions, thoughts, opinions, and even her emotions are masked in front of others. Her true self only comes out when she writes. This is only possible because no one reads her journals. As a physician, Jane’s husband, John, controls many aspects of her life through treatment and behavioral modification. John is a physician with high standings in the community. They are of the same opinion that her condition is simply temporary nervous depression. The study of mental illness was not as medically advanced in the Victorian Period as it is today, so John does not treat Jane properly. Only phosphates, tonics and exercise are prescribed to Jane to help her condition (Gilman 310). Jane often writes about her illness and believes the excitement of her writing benefits her, but John forbids her to write. She must hide her journal from John because he tells her not to work until she is well. For example, Jane writes, “There comes John, and I must put this away-he hates to have me write a word” (Gilman 311). John discourages her writing because he feels that her vivid imagination and habit of story-making will exaggerate her nervous condition. Companionship for Jane is not acceptable to John because he feels that it would be too stimulating. He says that he would as soon put fireworks in her pillow case as to let her have company (Gilman 312). The yellow wallpaper in her upstairs room is given human characteristics that could represent …show more content…
The wallpaper becomes a mirror of herself, reflecting that during the day she is free, but as the moon rises she becomes trapped by her thoughts. Jane decides to let the woman free by tearing off the horrid, yellow wallpaper. She says, “If the woman does get out, and tries to get away, I can tie her”. Jane then begins to speak as if she is the woman trapped behind the wallpaper. For example, Jane says that she wonders if all women come out of the wallpaper as she did. She writes, “I suppose I shall have to get back behind the pattern when it comes night, and that is hard”. Overcome by her mental illness, Jane becomes frustrated and angry enough to do something desperate. Unable to jump from the window because of the bars, Jane begins tearing the wallpaper in attempt to set the “woman” free. Securing herself to a rope, she declares, “I’ve got out at last in spite of you and Jane. And I’ve pulled off most of the paper so you can’t put me back” (Gilman 320). Jane is successful in freeing the woman, who is a representation of herself. By freeing the woman from the yellow wallpaper, Jane is freeing herself from her mental illness, as well as from the oppression she faces every