Oppression in Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper” and Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour” Charlotte Perkins Gilman and Kate Chopin both present intriguing short stories with the common theme of oppression that strongly mirrors their personal experiences. The narrator in Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper” is portrayed as being trapped by her husband and suffering from mental illness. This is represented by the woman behind the wallpaper. Chopin shows oppression in “The Story of an Hour” by Mrs. Mallard’s joy
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Initially in the story‚ the narrator’s husband and physician diagnoses her with “nervous depression” and “a slight hysterical tendency” (Gilman 226). In order to treat her‚ the husband follows the renowned Silas Weir Mitchell’s rest cure developed in the 1870s. Mitchell treated not only Gilman but‚ also‚ Virginia Woolf. The treatment for women‚ as outlined by Mitchell‚
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We can assume that she is writing in a journal or diary because at the end of the first scene she says “There comes John‚ and I must put this away‚ -- he hates to have me write a word” (Gilman). She believes that she is very sick‚ and John continuously tries to convince her that everything is okay. The reader now feels somewhat constrained because that is how the narrator feels. This is the direct cause of 1st person point of view. We can
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Cited: Gilman‚ Charlotte. The Yellow Wallpaper. Boston: Small & Maynard‚ 1899. Print. Martin‚ Diana‚ M.D. “The Rest Cure Revisited.” American Journal of Psychiatry 164.5 (2007): n. pag. Web. 9 Mar 2012.
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wife. John her husband‚ who is also a doctor‚ assumes his role as wise and superior male with pride. Gilman uses metaphors in this story to show the different ways which women struggle in a society dominated by men. Examples are a submissive marriage‚ forbidden development or expression‚ and physical confinement‚ Gilman proclaims an early feminist message of the need for immediate change. Gilman uses the marriage contract between the narrator and John as a metaphor in the plot development to display
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It is difficult when reading The Yellow Wallpaper to separate the author’s position‚ Charlotte Perkins Gilman and her prior unsuccessful psychiatric medical treatment‚ from the main character’s position: a woman suffering from a “nervous condition.” The main character‚ who at most times takes the role of narrator‚ seems to have a sort of despising attitude toward her husband‚ a physician by the name of John who has restricted her from her work: writing. She describes his practical attitude toward
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mind!” (Gilman). He never places the woman’s feeling as the first priority. The status of women in society leads to the ignorance of women’s thoughts. Women’s secondary status in society is the culturally enforced behavior since people
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Women should not have to demand liberty because this is a human right. A woman should have the right to do as they please without a male opinion overpowering her own voice. In the short story “The Yellow Wallpaper” written by Charlotte Perkins Gilman‚ Gilman captures the heights of emotions for a wife in an oppressive marriage. Many marriages in the late 19th century were similar to the one in this story‚ a tyrannically imposed marriage. This was an issue of the time period. Women were a man’s “property”;
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Charlotte Perkins Gilman writes “The Yellow Wallpaper” in such a way that she is nearly begging the readers to see things from her side of thoughts but continuously persuades us that she is wrong in her concerns and that she is slowly becoming senile. We as an audience we are faced with the challenge of deciphering who the lady really is that is trapped inside that yellow wallpaper. Gilman also challenges the audience to determine whether she really is crazy or if her disillusions are simply harmless
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destroying themselves in unheard of contradictions" (Gilman 31). This describes how her efforts in controlling her life also follow this same pattern. These patterns are representative of her and her methods of dealing with society. Throughout the book‚ she is seeking and receiving advice from those around her instead of making up her own mind. John‚ for example‚ has told her‚ "the very worst thing I can do is think about my condition" (Gilman 32). She does not use her own mind and free will
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