The Oppression of Women and The Yellow Wallpaper - 1514 Words

The Oppression of Women and The Yellow Wallpaper The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman is a fictionalized autobiographical account that illustrates the emotional and intellectual deterioration of the female narrator who is also a wife and mother. The woman, who seemingly is suffering from post-partum depression, searches for some sort of peace in her male dominated world. She is given a â€Å"rest cure† from her husband/neurologist doctor that requires strict bed rest and an imposed reprieve form any mental stimulation. As a result of her husband’s controlling edicts, the woman develops an obsessive attachment to the intricate details of the wallpaper on her bedroom wall. The woman’s increasingly intense obsession with†¦show more content†¦According to Gilbert and Gubar she is â€Å"mad† only by society’s standards, and, more importantly, that she is, in fact, moving into â€Å"the open spaces of her own authority† (91). This interpretation seems to just touch on the man y social issues the narrator experiences. Keeping the narrator anonymous is one of the key themes to show the reader who the woman really is, because of the assumption at the beginning of her status in society and in her marriage to a prominent doctor. Her husband John does not even acknowledge his wife may have any mental problems and all attempts for the woman to tell him fail. For as she in desperation states â€Å"John laughs at me about this wallpaper† (Gilman 803). Thus, if the woman can expect to get laughed at in her marriage, it would be impossible for her to actually talk to her husband, much less convince him to change his diagnosis of her, especially because he is â€Å"so wise† and a physician (Gilman 806). Indeed, male-dominant opinion becomes even more prevalent when it seems that all three different men in the story are all close to her and all prescribe the same â€Å"rest cure† for her. However, she seems to â€Å"disagree with their ideasâ₠¬ , for as she lucidly states, â€Å"Personally, I believe that congenial work, with excitement and change would do me good† (Gilman 801). According Elaine R. Hedges thereShow MoreRelatedOppression of Women Depicted in The Yellow Wallpaper1533 Words   |  7 PagesIn The Yellow Wallpaper, Gilman shows that the American principle of liberty did not apply to all Americans in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. Specifically it shows that this principle was not given to women. In The Yellow Wallpaper, Gilman shows that American society at the time was oppressive toward women and that it was dangerous for women to fight back. 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