The Yellow Wallpaper

by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

Overview

**The Yellow Wallpaper** is a short story by American writer Charlotte Perkins Gilman, first published in January 1892. The story is a seminal piece of feminist literature, examining the roles and treatment of women in society, particularly in terms of mental health.

**Summary:**
The narrative is presented as a series of journal entries written by a woman whose husband, John, a physician, has rented a mansion for the summer to help her recover from what he describes as a "temporary nervous depression" or "slight hysterical tendency." The woman is confined to an upstairs bedroom with yellow wallpaper, which she grows increasingly obsessed with.

**Themes:**
1. **Mental Illness and Misdiagnosis:** The story highlights the mistreatment and misunderstanding of mental health issues, particularly in women, during the 19th century. The protagonist's condition worsens due to her husband's prescribed "rest cure," a common treatment of the time that involved isolation and inactivity.
   
2. **Oppression and Gender Roles:** The story critiques the patriarchal society that limits women's autonomy and expression. The protagonist's husband, John, embodies the authoritative, paternalistic figure who dismisses her concerns and insists on controlling her treatment.

3. **Symbolism of the Wallpaper:** The yellow wallpaper symbolizes the constraints placed on the protagonist. As she spends more time in the room, she begins to see a woman trapped behind the wallpaper, reflecting her own sense of entrapment and desire for freedom.

4. **Isolation and Sanity:** The enforced isolation and lack of mental stimulation contribute to the protagonist's descent into madness. The story explores how lack of social interaction and creative outlets can exacerbate mental health issues.

**Narrative Style:**
The story is told through the first-person perspective of the protagonist, providing a direct insight into her thoughts and feelings. The journal format allows readers to witness the gradual deterioration of her mental state.

**Impact and Legacy:**
"The Yellow Wallpaper" is regarded as an important work in feminist literature and has been widely analyzed for its portrayal of women's mental health and its critique of 19th-century medical practices. Gilman's own experience with the "rest cure" influenced her writing, adding authenticity to the narrative.

The story remains a powerful exploration of the intersection between gender and mental health and continues to be relevant in discussions about medical ethics, mental health treatment, and women's rights.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940180207906
Publisher:	Mahdi Ahmed Riahi
Publication date:	07/10/2024
Sold by:	Draft2Digital
Format:	eBook
File size:	152 KB

About the Author

Charlotte Perkins Gilman (1860-1935) was an American author, poet, lecturer and feminist. Experiencing depression and an inability to adjust to her life as a cloistered wife in American society of the late 19th century, she was prescribed a ‘rest cure’ which completely idled her for months and nearly drove her mad. This experience inspired her most highly regarded work, The Yellow Wallpaper, but Gilman went on to write several other noted books, including Women and Economics and the feminist utopian novel, Herland, and lectured widely on topics of social concern. Her work helped set the foundation of feminism and grass roots political activism at the dawn of the 20th century.

Table of Contents

Introduction
Note on the Text
Select Bibliography
A Chronology of Charlotte Perkins Gilman

The Yellow Wall-Paper (1890)
That Rare Jewel (1890)
The Unexpected (1890)
Circumstances Alter Cases (1890)
The Giant Wistaria (1891)
An Extinct Angel (1891)
The Rocking-Chair (1893)
Deserted (1893)
An Elopement (1893)
Through This (1893)
The Misleading of Pendleton Oaks (1894)
A Day's Berryin' (1894)
Five Girls (1894)
One Way Out (1894)
An Unpatented Process (1895)
An Unnatural Mother (1895)
Three Thanksgivings (1909)
According to Solomon (1909)
The Cottagette (1910)
The Widow's Might (1911)
The Jumping-Off Place (1911)
In Two Houses (1911)
Turned (1911)
Making a Change (1911)
Mrs Elder's Idea (1912)
Their House (1912)
Her Beauty (1913)
Mrs Hines's Money (1913)
Bee Wise (1913)
A Council of War (1913)
Fulfilment (1914)
A Partnership (1914)
If I Were a Man (1914)
Mr Peebles's Heart (1914)
Mrs Merrill's Duties (1915)
Girls and Land (1915)
Dr Clair's Place (1915)
A Surplus Woman (1916)
Joan's Defender (1916)

Appendix A     Impress 'Story Studies'
Appendix B     'Why I Wrote "The Yellow Wallpaper"?'

Editorial Reviews

Gilman's short story "The Yellow Wallpaper" was first published in 1892; since its republication in 1973, it has entered the canon of American literature and generated extensive critical commentary. This edition of the story is accompanied by a generous selection of cultural and historical documents, among them: excerpts from 19th- century advice manuals for young women and mothers; medical texts discussing the nature of women's sexuality; social reform literature concerning women's rights, the working classes, and immigration; and excerpts from periodicals, diaries, and writers' notebooks. Distributed by St. Martin's Press. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.

Booknews

Narrator Beata Pozniak’s captivating accent and likable style are ideal for this seminal feminist short story (1892). An unnamed woman is suffering from postnatal “temporary nervous depression,” according to her husband, a doctor, who believes he knows what’s best for her: strict isolation and bed rest. Pozniak faultlessly delivers journal entries that express the woman’s longing to see her baby and to go outside. She is kept in a room with yellow wallpaper, whose eerie designs eventually appear to come alive. Impressive sound effects—for example, the wallpaper’s movements and sounds, as well as the woman’s breathing—augment Pozniak’s voice as it slides into notes of terror. Those elements and a riveting conclusion demonstrate that audiobooks can be as horrifying as anything on the screen. S.G.B. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine

DECEMBER 2021 - AudioFile