Comparing Story Of An Hour And The Yellow Wallpaper

Up until the suffrage movement that started in 1848, women were forced to accept the idea of being regarded and treated as second class citizens. They did not have the ability to speak up on their own personal predicaments, received less opportunities in comparison to men, and had no choice but to obey any command given to them by man. Even at the start of this movement, many women still had to deal with being inferior to the male dominance that overpowered them. However, this movement fortunately sparked the creative and opinionated minds of writers such as Kate Chopin and Charlotte Perkins Gilman. Like most feminist authors of the Progressive Era, these writers have the ability to captivate their readers by promoting the necessity of equal rights for women through the voice of their characters.
Louise Mallard in “The Story of an Hour” and the unnamed narrator in “The Yellow Wallpaper” both offer unique perspectives that embodies the major issues, revelations, and overall attitudes of a typical married woman during the 19th century.
Louise Mallard and the
unnamed narrator may handle their situations differently, but the similarities between them are remarkable. As mentioned before, both of these characters are married during a time where women are underappreciated and stuck behind the shadows of their husbands. Chopin may not reveal exactly what occurs between Louise and her husband, Brentley, throughout the course of their marriage, but the revelation she experiences as a result of being widowed suggests that her mental state is in a better place while independent. Gillman, on the other hand, decides to highlight the kind of relationship and interactions that exist between the unnamed narrator and her husband, John. While taking this approach, Gillman shows the unhealthy impact that male dominance and a sheltered life have on a woman. Although the situation these married women are in differ from one another, Chopin and Gillman continue to emphasize the emotional damage their characters endure during this societal time. In “The Story of an Hour,” Louise feels a range of emotions all at once and her short journey as a widow causes her to have a personal awakening she would never experience as a married woman. Initially, Louise deals with shock and grief when confronted about Brentley’s death. However, it is important to recognize the changes that arise once she begins to process “the new spring life” (Chopin) that awaits her as she feels “Free! Body and soul free” (Chopin) for the first time. When Chopin points out “she had loved him--sometimes. Often she had not,” (Chopin) this suggests Louise no longer feels trapped in a union that she was not genuinely happy being in. Her recent independence now gives Louise the opportunity to breathe and explore happiness on her own terms. The ironic heart complications that cause Louise’s death the moment she finds out her husband is alive fully manifest how permanent freedom from a bad romance is what she truly needs in order to be satisfied. Like Louise, the unnamed narrator in “The Yellow Wallpaper” also faces a revelation in response to the way her husband, John, treats her. Since John is a doctor during a time where society believes it is best to treat depression with solitude, he forces the unnamed narrator to remain alone in a room that is covered in yellow wallpaper. A strain in their marriage becomes evident as the unnamed narrator suggests “John is a physician, and perhaps--perhaps that is one reason I do not get well faster” (Gilman). This feeling also reinforces the idea that like Louise, the unnamed narrator is also stuck in a marriage where her voice and choices are subordinate to the commands of her husband. After a while of staring at the same walls, the unnamed narrator begins to hallucinate and sees a woman through the yellow wallpaper. While gazing at this observation, the unnamed narrator claims “The faint figure behind seemed to shake the pattern, just as if she wanted to get out,” (Gilman) which reveals that the woman behind the yellow wallpaper is actually a reflection of the unnamed narrator herself. It is clearly emphasized that the unnamed narrator is tired of falling victim to John’s demands and how she wants to be free from her current situation altogether. Resembling the way in which Louise also admires the thought of being independent, a revelation overcomes the unnamed narrator as a result. Eventually, the unnamed narrator tears down the yellow wallpaper, ultimately proving that she is no longer going to be trapped into the life her husband pressures her with. Although there are significant connections that can be made between these two women, there are also crucial differences between them. Louise and the unnamed narrator are both in marriages that drive them into serious mental shifts, but the way in which they handle their situations is where they differ from one another. As the speaker states “There would be no one to live for her during those coming years; she would live for herself,” (Chopin) this shows that Louise feels comfort with being on her own. Even though the unnamed narrator is alone throughout most of “The Yellow Wallpaper,” she is not at peace with it in the same way Louise is with her situation of independence. This sense is clear as the unnamed narrator proclaims “I wouldn’t have a child of mine, an impressionable little thing, live in such a room for worlds” (Gilman) because it stresses how horrible this form of independence is to her and that being in it causes her complete dissatisfaction. Unlike Louise, the unnamed narrator also does not have the opportunity to experience freedom under her own terms considering she “wished he would take me away” (Gilman) and is well aware of the fact that John has no intention of doing so. Lastly, the ways in which the two women end up in their situations are unalike. At the ending of “The Story of an Hour,” Louise’s conclusion is straightforward with “When the doctors came they said she had died of heart disease--of joy that kills” (Chopin). The damaged heart she develops through her marriage is untreatable at this point if Brentley is around and highlights her inability to continue life without full freedom. In contrast, the unnamed narrator remains with John even beyond her breakthrough of ripping the paper that reflects the life she no longer wants association with. When she she makes the decision to “creep over him every time” (Gilman) at the end of the story, she is thoroughly reinforcing the idea that she will linger over John rather than be without him. Considering the fact that “The Story of an Hour” and “The Yellow Wallpaper” focus on the perspectives of two troubled women who are living through similar issues due to their place in the 19th century society, it is logical to observe remarkable relations between them.
Both of these women are part of a marriage that eventually makes them seek personal awakenings and a great escape from their usual situations. Their revelations force them to go beyond their typical attitudes and seek a life that holds beauty with personal freedom from their husbands, and more importantly the idea of being controlled puppets. On the contrary, their contrasting features such as their regular behaviors, attitudes, and the conclusions they arrive at. Overall, “The Story of an Hour” and “The Yellow Wallpaper” emphasize on the importance of a woman to have rights that are equivalent to those of men and the freedom of
choice.