Male Dominance Essay Example

Male Dominance It seems that in the past, men have been portrayed as being more dominant then women. This is seen in everything from movies, television shows, and in all forms of Literature. Men always appear to have the more prevailing role in the relationship. This can be seen in the short story “Yellow Wallpaper” and in the play A Doll House. In both of these pieces of Literature, the husbands both use their sense of male dominancy to feel that they are in control of their wives. In Gilman’s short story, “Yellow Wallpaper”, the protagonist is a woman, Jane. She has postpartum depression and knows that she is truly sick. Her husband, John, is a doctor and keeps telling her and others that she is not really sick: “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? (408)” John uses his power of being a doctor and a male to disregard Jane’s idea that she is ill. John tries to control everything that she does. He does not even want her to write. Though she feels better when she writes, and feels that it may even help her, she does not say a word (Voth “Literary Analysis”). As the story progresses, Jane becomes more and more disturbed with the wallpaper in her room. She wants to move to a different room, but John will not allow her. John pretty much takes control over his wife and treats her as if she were a child: “And dear John gathered me up in his arms, and just carried me upstairs and laid me on the bed, and sat by me and read to me till I tired my head (412).” He will not let her go and visit people: “I tried to have a real earnest reasonable talk with him the other day, and tell him how I wish he would let me go and make a visit to Cousin Henry and Julia. But he said I wasn’t able to go, nor able to stand it after I got there… (412)” John places a ruling hand over Jane and