“The Yellow Wallpaper “is a short story written by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. Gilman is a feminist writer set in the 1800s. Feminism in the late 1800s was a big deal, but was never addressed in writing. When “The Yellow Wallpaper” was printed, critics reacted in several ways. Her story is mainly ignored in the 1800s, but has made a comeback. “The Yellow Wallpaper” is not only written about feminism, but its whole existence is based on feminism.
The short story is written by a feminist writer, so there is no doubt that the story involves feminism. St. Jean Shawn say that Gilman mentions that she writes “with a purpose” (1). Gilam leaves little hints in her story for the readers to pick up. For example, Gilman writes that the narrator wishes the house was haunted. John, the narrator’s husband, finds the idea to be daft (Gilman 468). Gilman hints that back then it was natural for men to laugh at women for silly things and that it is not shamed upon.“John laughs at me, of course, but one expects that in marriage” (468). It is something that women back then let go because it occurs often.
Another example is when Gilman hints that women are not taken seriously. She mentions that the narrator believes that she’s sick, but her physician husband does not believe her. The narrator says that her husband believes “really nothing the matter …show more content…
“There is certainly a gendered subtext” (Shmoop 1). “The Yellow Wallpaper” has a few male critics and many female critics. William Dean Howells, author of the collection Great Modern American Stories, claims that the story has a “chilling horror” (Haney-Peritz 113). Howells does, however, add the short story into his collection. Editor of the Atlantic Monthly, Horace Scudder, mails his opinion to Gilman saying that he denies the story’s publication because the story makes him miserable (113). Adam, a critic, states that he was “both chilled and horrified by a woman's story-telling”
The short story is written by a feminist writer, so there is no doubt that the story involves feminism. St. Jean Shawn say that Gilman mentions that she writes “with a purpose” (1). Gilam leaves little hints in her story for the readers to pick up. For example, Gilman writes that the narrator wishes the house was haunted. John, the narrator’s husband, finds the idea to be daft (Gilman 468). Gilman hints that back then it was natural for men to laugh at women for silly things and that it is not shamed upon.“John laughs at me, of course, but one expects that in marriage” (468). It is something that women back then let go because it occurs often.
Another example is when Gilman hints that women are not taken seriously. She mentions that the narrator believes that she’s sick, but her physician husband does not believe her. The narrator says that her husband believes “really nothing the matter …show more content…
“There is certainly a gendered subtext” (Shmoop 1). “The Yellow Wallpaper” has a few male critics and many female critics. William Dean Howells, author of the collection Great Modern American Stories, claims that the story has a “chilling horror” (Haney-Peritz 113). Howells does, however, add the short story into his collection. Editor of the Atlantic Monthly, Horace Scudder, mails his opinion to Gilman saying that he denies the story’s publication because the story makes him miserable (113). Adam, a critic, states that he was “both chilled and horrified by a woman's story-telling”