The Yellow Wallpaper and Feminism

This essay explores the theme of feminism in Charlotte Perkins Gilman's "The Yellow Wallpaper" and the oppression faced by the narrator within a male-dominated society.

Running head: THE YELLOW WALLPAPER AND FEMINISM
The Yellow Wallpaper and Feminism
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Author’s Note:

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As opined by Brooks, feminism and the empowerment of women had formed the central
lacuna of a great many number of literary works over the years and the prominence held by this
theme can be attributed to the fact that the women over the years had to face a significant amount
of suppression or oppression in the society. Betjemann et al. are of the viewpoint that a major
feature of these works is the fact that the central protagonist of these works are women caged
within a male dominated society which had no regard for the feelings or the emotions of these
women. In this regard, Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper” (1892) is an
important one because of the manner in which it depicts the oppression or suppression faced by
the women of the 19th century at the hands of the male-dominated society (Amro). The concerns
and the feelings of the narrator are being dismissed by John because of the fact that in the 19th
century society the men considered themselves to be always right and they had the right to
control the lives of the women of their family. This essay will explore the theme of feminism in
the short story “The Yellow Wallpaper” in the particular context of the suppression or oppression
faced by the narrator.
Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper” (1892) is an exploration of the
oppression or the suppression that the women had to face within the societal framework over the
years and also the toll that it takes on their lives and psychology (Gale). More importantly, the
sufferings faced by the narrator within the societal framework indicates the women were
considered to be chattels of the men who could be used in any way possible name of marriage
(Amro). Thus, the ultimate descent of the narrator into madness and her final death can be seen
as an attempt on her part to forego this oppression and thereby liberate herself from the
institution of marriage and others which had been devised by the male dominated society to
suppress the women. Another important fact which becomes apparent from the short story under

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discussion here is the fact that the men believed that they held a superior position over the
women and thereby they were always and had the right to judge as well as dismiss the concerns
of the women (Brooks). This becomes apparent from the manner in which the concerns of the
narrator are being dismissed by her John who thinks that he is superior to her not only because he
is a man but also her husband as well.
The descent into madness of the narrator is a symbolical representation of the plight that
the women in the 19th century society were subjected to at the hands of the male dominant
society and its male members (Betjemann et al.). More importantly, the plight faced by the
narrator and its utter disregard by her husband clearly points to the physical as well as the
emotional bondage that the women were subjected in the society through the usage of different
kinds of institutions like marriage, family and others (Gale). In addition to these, one of the most
important viewpoint the men are superior to the females both in terms of physicality as well as in
terms of the job roles that they perform that predominated the human society since the traditional
times. The net result of this is that idea that the men are always right especially in terms of the
decisions that they make was extremely popular within the framework of the 19th century society.
This idea held by the men in the 19th century society in turn contributed greatly towards the
problems like oppression, suppression and others faced by the women. For example, the narrator
is herself seen to be saying the words “John laughs at me, of course, but one expects that in
marriage” which clearly confirms to the above notion (Gilman).
The manner in which John dismisses the mental illness and other problems faced by the
narrator clearly points towards the masochistic nature of the 19th century society in which women
had very limited freedom and were not even allowed to express the problems that they faced
(Amro). In this regard, it needs to be said that their problems were not only completely

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disregarded by the male members of their family but at the same time they were discouraged
from thinking too much about the problems that they faced. For example, the narrator of the
short story under discussion here says “I am glad my case is not serious! But these nervous
troubles are dreadfully depressing. John does not know how much I really suffer. He knows there
is no reason to suffer, and that satisfies him” (Gilman). This in a succinct manner shows the
oppression as well as the suppression that the women had to face within the male dominated
society of the 19th society. More importantly, the manner in which the women of the age were
considered to be mere chattels or personal properties who could be used as well as disposed as
per the wish of their husbands speak volume regarding the condition of the women in the society
which the Gilman depicts in the short story under discussion here.
To conclude, the oppression or the suppression that the women had to face within the
framework of the society had formed the central lacuna of a great many literary works over the
years. In this regard, it needs to be said that the women were considered to be mere personal
properties by their husband and also family members who were just supposed to do the
household chores without thinking or feeling anything. This is one of the major reasons why the
husband of the narrator in the short story “The Yellow Wallpaper” completely disregards the
concerns of his wife and thinks that he had a right to control her because he is her husband.
These aspects of the short story “The Yellow Wallpaper” become evident from the above
analysis.

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References
Amro, Hiba. "A Breakdown or a Breakthrough?:“Madness” in Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s “The
Yellow Wallpaper,” Doris Lessing’s “To Room Nineteen,” and Khairiya Saqqaf’s “In a
Contemporary House”." International Journal 6.2 (2018): 146-156.
Betjemann, Peter, et al. Charlotte Perkins Gilman and a Woman's Place in America. University
of Alabama Press, 2017.
Brooks, Ashley N. "Nursery Versus Straightjacket: The Feminist Paradox of “The Yellow
Wallpaper”." Papers & Publications: Interdisciplinary Journal of Undergraduate
Research 6.1 (2017): 18.
Gale, Cengage Learning. A Study Guide for Charlotte Perkins Gilman's" Yellow Wallpaper".
Gale Cengage Learning, 2016.
Gilman, Charlotte Perkins. The Yellow Wallpaper: A Story. Oregan Publishing, 2018.