The Yellow Wallpaper Interpretive Analysis

Interpretive Analysis of “The Yellow Wallpaper” The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman is a short story about a woman and her husband's efforts to cure her unexplained mental health symptoms. The narrator is isolated in her home, far from the outside world and her husband's attempts to control her behavior. Throughout this story, Gilman highlights the insubordination of women in marriage, in which the husband has all the power, and the wife is left with no power or voice. Through the husband character, John, Gilman is able to show how women are kept silent and subjugated in marriage, and how this lack of authority can have a detrimental effect on the narrator's mental health. The themes of power and relationship dynamics are found

This is exemplified in the quote, “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?” (648). Here, the narrator is asking what one should do, when a physician of high standing makes a diagnosis of temporary nervous depression. The husband’s credibility is further emphasized by the fact that he is the narrator’s husband; his authority and power over her is further reinforced. This reflects the power dynamics of a patriarchal society, where the opinions of men are taken far more seriously than those of women. As a result of this imbalance, the narrator has no choice but to accept her husband’s diagnosis and the way he downplays her symptoms, despite her own beliefs that something is

This is suggested in the quote, “John is a physician, and perhaps -(I would not say it to a living soul, of course, but this is dead paper and a great relief to my mind)- perhaps that is one reason I do not get well faster” (647). Here, the narrator is implying that her husband may be intentionally hindering her recovery. The fact that she cannot say this to a living soul implies that she is aware of the power imbalance between them and is afraid to speak her mind. This is significant because it reflects the theme of the story and proves she lacks the authority to make decisions for herself. She is scared to speak her truth out of fear of reprimand, embarrassment, and her husband's feelings , but the narrator’s fear further reinforces this theme and shows the unequal power division between the couple. Additionally, the idea of the husband intentionally keeping her unwell illustrates the power he has over her, as he has the ability to decide whether or not she gets better. This reinforces the idea of the husband’s control and power over her, and her lack of autonomy in her