Similarities Between The Yellow Wallpaper And Trifles

Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper” and Susan Glaspell’s Trifles are both works written by American writers approximately one hundred years ago. They both share the theme of loneliness and feminine domination with the lack of expression and freedom women had in the old days. It is believed that this deficiency caused them mental and emotional problems. On the other hand, both of these writers experienced the fact that the women did not have any rights or any valid feedback to support society. Women were both prisoners and death victims in life with no options but to do everything their husband said. The life of the women was really hard, and they suffered during that time period, which could be shown as evidence by the

“The yellow wallpaper’’ and Trifles The women are controlled by their husbands. “The Yellow Wallpaper,” the narrator expressed how the women requested assistance from their husband about their health conditions, whom in turn advised them what the best solution was for everything they were living through. In this case, the husband thought everything he said was right just because he was a physician. His planned was to rent a house for her to stay a while until her got better from her depression; however, his wife response was in disagreement to his plan, which concluded with “I disagree with their ideas. (Gilman,548). From the narrator’s point of view, the wife tried to convince her husband that his thoughts and plan was not the best solution in dealing with her so-called depression. The husband would not pay attention to her and her requests and concerns as related to her emotional state but, she would always respond in a submissive manner. This was the culture and viewpoint that was expected from women during that period of time. If man is submissive to God then women should be submissive to

“The Yellow Wallpaper,” the narrator expressed how she was manipulated by her husband throughout her life as a married woman. Also, in that case, she had to be submissive to her husband’s beliefs that were supposedly good for her. For instance, she stated that her husband said to her “you know the place is doing you good” (Gilman,550). From just that one example, it showed what the husband thoughts and actions held her as a prisoner from being able to act on her own decisions. In the Trifles, Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Hale both reached the same conclusion and stated that Mr. Wright was a good man. (Glasbell,108). He always presented his character in an exemplary fashion by displaying good behavior, working for a living, not indulge in alcohol, and being responsible for paying his household bills. However, he was very firm with his wife by not letting her have some space to breath. Also, during that timeframe, it was probable the status quo on how husbands treated their wives inside the family households, and they did not present their family business in the streets. So, no one knew what was going on within each family. In addition, women continued to stay marriage for many years because pressures asserted by