The Yellow Wallpaper Monster Essay

A Monster is Never Just A Monster

Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s Yellow Wallpaper is an early American feminist literature that delves into the pervasive oppression faced by women in marriage and society during the late 19th century. This era has drawn significant criticism from feminist literature due to its patriarchal values and gender roles, which place men in a position of superiority over women. Due to the lack of legal rights in that period, women were subjected to lives of servitude and oppression, leading them to be confined to expectations of submissiveness, silence, and unquestioning acceptance of their husbands' dictates. Within the short story, the female narrator grapples with postpartum depression and the dominance of her husband,

Distressed, the lady expresses a desire for agency and independence, as evident in her statement, "Personally, I believe that congenial work, with excitement and change, would do me good. But what is one to do?" (1). Here, she acknowledges her longing for meaningful engagement outside the confines of domestic life, highlighting the limitations imposed on women. The protagonist's desire for freedom is further emphasized when she secretly writes in her journal, "I did write for a while in spite of them; but it does exhaust me a good deal—having to be so sly about it, or else meet with heavy opposition" (Gilman 1). Since her husband, a physician of high standard, has prescribed a "rest cure" for her nervous condition, the protagonist is forced to suppress her creative urges and conform to societal expectations of a submissive and passive wife who is to remain still in a room with “the yellow wallpaper.” This suppression ultimately leads to her descent into madness as she struggles to reconcile her own desires with the expectations placed upon her. While the lady narrates the entire story, it is interesting to note that she is not in control of her own life and decisions. Rather, she is a victim of societal norms and gender roles that restrict her agency and

In the earlier segments of the story, the narrator was telling herself, "I meant to be such a help to John, ...and here I am a comparative burden already! Nobody would believe what an effort it is to do what little I am able" (Gilman 3). Which highlights that her role in society is not viewed as valuable or productive. This sentiment is further emphasized by the fact that her husband and brother, who are both physicians, dismiss her concerns about her own health and well-being. The narrator's struggle to assert herself and be taken seriously reflects the larger societal issue of women being marginalized and silenced. As the story progressed, it became clear that the narrator's physical symptoms were not just in her head but were, ultimately, a result of the toxic environment she was living