Oppression In Charlotte Perkins Gilman's The Yellow Wallpaper

At first glance, Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s The Yellow Wall-Paper may seem to be a fairly simplistic text, which outlines a woman’s struggles with postpartum depression; however, with greater investigation, it can be determined that a deeper meaning is present. The Yellow Wall-Paper, with further analysis, can be interpreted as having a meaningful message, as the oppression of women is profiled. This message is gradually exposed along with the development of the characters, namely the narrator and her husband John, throughout the text. As the narrator experiences visions of women trapped in her walls, is forced to conform to specific gender roles, and is unable to express or communicate her own feelings, the impact which oppression has on the individual, as well as the idea of patriarchal society, is demonstrated. John, the narrator’s husband, follows the typical role of a male doctor in the Victorian era, as he is the head of the
His education is what supplies his power, as his opinions and ideas are held with high regard. He believes that he is nursing her back to health, but his condescending attitude and controlling nature have a huge negative impact on the narrator’s mental state. It is with this power that John controls the life of his wife. As described in a critical review by Nicole Smith, “The Yellow Wallpaper: Gilman’s Techniques for Portraying Oppression of Women”, “Although she peppers her complaints about feeling trapped and unhappy with admissions that it all might be because of her nervous condition (as opposed to a