Irony In Charlotte Perkins Stetson's The Yellow Wallpaper
Charlotte Perkins Stetson uses irony to expand the theme of mental illness in The Yellow Wallpaper by including the woman’s thoughts and her lack of a support system in her writing. Stetson uses verbal irony to exhibit how the woman doesn’t fully acknowledge the seriousness of her illness and usually when a person has an issue like that they are in denial about it. For example the woman says, “I am glad my case is not serious!”(Stetson.649). This quote is an illustration of how the woman is in denial about the seriousness of her illness. The author also uses situational irony to show how the woman is not supported or truly cared for by her husband and how that is detrimental to her illness. For instance the woman expressed, “ If a physician
of high standing, and one’s own husband, assures friends and relatives that there is really nothing the matter with one but temporary nervous depression—a slight hysterical tendency—what is one to do? . . .”(Stetson.648). This quote is proof of how the woman’s husband, John, does not support her because he believed that nothing is wrong with her and she needs some type of support because of her illness. Charlotte Perkins Stetson also uses dramatic irony to show how the woman is beginning to see things in the yellow wallpaper, but the reader knows that there is nothing in the wallpaper. For example the woman says, “There are things in that paper that nobody knows but me,or ever will.”(Stetson.652). This displays a clear example of how the woman’s mental illness has advanced into something more serious through the whole story. Through out The Yellow Wallpaper the author has showed the advancement of mental illness by using verbal, situational, and dramatic irony to display what the woman was going through and how her mental illness grew through the story.
of high standing, and one’s own husband, assures friends and relatives that there is really nothing the matter with one but temporary nervous depression—a slight hysterical tendency—what is one to do? . . .”(Stetson.648). This quote is proof of how the woman’s husband, John, does not support her because he believed that nothing is wrong with her and she needs some type of support because of her illness. Charlotte Perkins Stetson also uses dramatic irony to show how the woman is beginning to see things in the yellow wallpaper, but the reader knows that there is nothing in the wallpaper. For example the woman says, “There are things in that paper that nobody knows but me,or ever will.”(Stetson.652). This displays a clear example of how the woman’s mental illness has advanced into something more serious through the whole story. Through out The Yellow Wallpaper the author has showed the advancement of mental illness by using verbal, situational, and dramatic irony to display what the woman was going through and how her mental illness grew through the story.