“The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Gilman and “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin focus on women in the era of 19th century. “The Yellow Wallpaper” describes an unnamed female (the narrator) who begins to suffer from a postpartum disease and is confined to a room with a strange wallpaper. This odd wallpaper symbolizes the complexity and confusion in her life. In “The Story of an Hour”, Mrs. Mallard must also deal with conflict as she must deal with the death of her husband. At first there is grief but then leads to the recognition that she will be set free. Both women in these stories are the victims of the gender inequality women received in the 19th century, an era where women were treated as second-class citizens. Although of the
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Mrs. Mallard at first feels a bit of grief, but then begins to contemplate living for herself, “But she saw beyond that bitter moment a long procession of years to come that would belong to her absolutely” (Chopin p.12). This begins her thoughts of freedom and not being trapped anymore. In “The Yellow Wallpaper” the husband John faints at the end while the narrator doesn’t seem to care, “Now why should that man have fainted? But he did, and right across my path by the wall so that I had to creep over him every time!” (Gilman ). Instead of checking on John instead she just creeps over him every time. This leads to her setting the women in the wallpaper free by ripping it up, including herself. She sees herself in the wallpaper and she sets herself free. Mrs. Mallard feeling of freedom demonstrates that despite her loving husband she felt trapped. In the Yellow Wallpaper, the narrator in her imagination setting herself free from the wallpaper shows how she felt trapped as well. The feeling of being controlled, trapped, and then set free is significant in both …show more content…
This translates to their similar situations of feeling trapped. The woman in "The Yellow Wallpaper" wants to write her own destiny, literally. She wants to live her own life in battling what is postpartum depression. She also wants to break free from her husband, his sister, as well as others telling her what to do and how to live. With everybody choosing her decisions causes her to feel trapped, and to relate to the wallpaper. Her desire to keep a diary is a part of this, where she writes about everything she wishes would happen. The idea of wanting to live for self- expression is powerful in the narrator, something that motivates her to see trapped people in the wallpaper and tear it to shreds. For Mrs. Mallard, the desire is much the same. She wants to live life away from her husband. This is something that she cannot fully conceive until she hears of her husband 's death. While she mourns, she then comes to a realization that with his passing, her own life can be lived, “There would be no one to live for during those coming years; she would live for herself”(Chopin p.13). This idea of being the author of one 's own destiny is a powerful element in both works. Its denial causes Mrs. Mallard to die of the joy that kills and the narrator to lose her sanity, underscoring its overall importance to both and to all. With both seeking the same aspect, the difference becomes the time period and their
Mrs. Mallard at first feels a bit of grief, but then begins to contemplate living for herself, “But she saw beyond that bitter moment a long procession of years to come that would belong to her absolutely” (Chopin p.12). This begins her thoughts of freedom and not being trapped anymore. In “The Yellow Wallpaper” the husband John faints at the end while the narrator doesn’t seem to care, “Now why should that man have fainted? But he did, and right across my path by the wall so that I had to creep over him every time!” (Gilman ). Instead of checking on John instead she just creeps over him every time. This leads to her setting the women in the wallpaper free by ripping it up, including herself. She sees herself in the wallpaper and she sets herself free. Mrs. Mallard feeling of freedom demonstrates that despite her loving husband she felt trapped. In the Yellow Wallpaper, the narrator in her imagination setting herself free from the wallpaper shows how she felt trapped as well. The feeling of being controlled, trapped, and then set free is significant in both …show more content…
This translates to their similar situations of feeling trapped. The woman in "The Yellow Wallpaper" wants to write her own destiny, literally. She wants to live her own life in battling what is postpartum depression. She also wants to break free from her husband, his sister, as well as others telling her what to do and how to live. With everybody choosing her decisions causes her to feel trapped, and to relate to the wallpaper. Her desire to keep a diary is a part of this, where she writes about everything she wishes would happen. The idea of wanting to live for self- expression is powerful in the narrator, something that motivates her to see trapped people in the wallpaper and tear it to shreds. For Mrs. Mallard, the desire is much the same. She wants to live life away from her husband. This is something that she cannot fully conceive until she hears of her husband 's death. While she mourns, she then comes to a realization that with his passing, her own life can be lived, “There would be no one to live for during those coming years; she would live for herself”(Chopin p.13). This idea of being the author of one 's own destiny is a powerful element in both works. Its denial causes Mrs. Mallard to die of the joy that kills and the narrator to lose her sanity, underscoring its overall importance to both and to all. With both seeking the same aspect, the difference becomes the time period and their