In the novella of “The Yellow Wallpaper”, Gilman uses massive descriptions of
the physical and intangible settings to emphasize the role and identity that
American society places on women in the late nineteenth century. The story
suggests the struggles of women’s increasing awareness of self-empowerment
and dependence against the confinement of female individuality that society was
oppressed on them. With the physical setup of the house, the restricted bedroom
in which the narrator contemplates the faded wallpaper of all time, as well as her
husband’s attitude towards her hatred for the wallpaper, altogether, reveal
women’s role in male-dominant society during nineteenth century.
In the beginning of the story, the narrator …show more content…
The pattern of wallpaper, which to a certain extend, symbolizes the narrator’s
own imprisonment and her awareness of repression. Through the description of
wallpaper, Gilman expresses the longings for independence and her struggles
against patriarchal society.
Even though the narrator has been feeling terribly depressed, her husband
does not think she suffers more than nervousness. What the narrator has to say
never be taken into consideration. With all her doubts, her husband simply
responds to her ”of course if you were in any danger…whether you can see it or
not. I am a doctor, dear, and I know”(82). He even scoffs at her thoughts about
the house and imagination of the wallpaper. However, at that time, the narrator
has to accept her physician husband’s authority and be obedient to her husband
in any situation. Besides, her husband tends to infantilize her by calling her
“blessed little goose”(78) and ”little girl”(82). His treatment of his wife
the physical and intangible settings to emphasize the role and identity that
American society places on women in the late nineteenth century. The story
suggests the struggles of women’s increasing awareness of self-empowerment
and dependence against the confinement of female individuality that society was
oppressed on them. With the physical setup of the house, the restricted bedroom
in which the narrator contemplates the faded wallpaper of all time, as well as her
husband’s attitude towards her hatred for the wallpaper, altogether, reveal
women’s role in male-dominant society during nineteenth century.
In the beginning of the story, the narrator …show more content…
The pattern of wallpaper, which to a certain extend, symbolizes the narrator’s
own imprisonment and her awareness of repression. Through the description of
wallpaper, Gilman expresses the longings for independence and her struggles
against patriarchal society.
Even though the narrator has been feeling terribly depressed, her husband
does not think she suffers more than nervousness. What the narrator has to say
never be taken into consideration. With all her doubts, her husband simply
responds to her ”of course if you were in any danger…whether you can see it or
not. I am a doctor, dear, and I know”(82). He even scoffs at her thoughts about
the house and imagination of the wallpaper. However, at that time, the narrator
has to accept her physician husband’s authority and be obedient to her husband
in any situation. Besides, her husband tends to infantilize her by calling her
“blessed little goose”(78) and ”little girl”(82). His treatment of his wife