The Cult Of The Yellow Wallpaper By Charlotte Perkins Gilman

Michael Zhao K. Keogh AP Lit. Period 3 22 January 2015 The Cult of Domesticity â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper,† by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, depicts a young woman’s gradual descent into insanity due to her entrapment, both mentally and physically, in the restrictive cult of domesticity. Through the narrator’s creeping spiral into madness, Gilman seeks to shed light upon the torturous and constraining societal conditions in which women are expected to live, that permeates throughout all aspects of their lives. At first glance to an average reader unfamiliar with Gilman’s history, â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† seems to just provide a tale about the oppressive relationship between the man and the woman in a domestic environment, however, once Gilman’s own personal life is uncovered, the story takes on a new level of depth. After learning of Gilman’s personal story, it becomes apparent that â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper,† and the struggle of its narrator, carries a distinct message. Gilman grew up in an unhappy and impoverished family with a brother, a single mother, and no father figure. She later went on to marry Charles Stetson (whom she later divorced) and had a daughter with him. After the birth of her daughter, Gilman fell into a deeply depressed state, indicating the relevance of postpartum depression. When she consulted Dr. Weir Mitchell about it, she was prescribed a â€Å"rest cure.† It was this event that inspired Gilman to write â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper,† and many similarities can be drawn betweenShow MoreRelated A Woman Indefinitely Plagued: The Truth Behind The Yellow Wallpaper1318 Words   |  6 Pages A Woman Indefinitely Plagued: The Truth Behind The Yellow Wallpaper In The Yellow Wallpaper, a young woman and her husband rent out a country house so the woman can get over her â€Å"temporary nervous depression.† She ends up staying in a large upstairs room, once used as a â€Å"playroom and gymnasium, [†¦] for the windows are barred for little children, and there are rings and things in the walls.† A â€Å"smoldering unclean yellow† wallpaper, â€Å"strangely faded by the slow-turning sunlight,† lines the walls,Read MoreDepiction Of Gender Roles And The Stigma Of Mental Illness1273 Words   |  6 PagesThe depiction of gender roles and the stigma of mental illness in â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† can be elucidated in different ways. When reading the actual piece, the narrator really does seem to have a very difficult time in her life. It is obvious through several of the articles that she has had a difficult time trying to find her identity, and it has shown through her mental stability. The comparison of the Panopticon method and Gilman’s own experiences helps to provide a clearer view as to what sheRead MoreThe Yellow Wallpaper And Gender1409 Words   |  6 PagesKaethe Fajardo December 8, 2015 ENG 180-03 Final Paper The Yellow Wallpaper and Gender Charlotte Perkins Gilman is a feminist American poet, writer and lecturer for social reform (Purvis 2009). This piece, written in the early- to mid- nineteenth century, was well known for its feminist views. It is the story of a controlling husband and a woman who is coping from being separated from her child at birth. She is trapped in this relationship with a man who does not seem to care muchRead MoreAnalysis of Charlotte Gilmans The Yellow Wallpaper969 Words   |  4 PagesYellow Wallpaper Annotated Bibliography Frye, C.B. Using Literature in Health Care: Reflections on The Yellow Wallpaper. The Annals of Pharmacotherapy. (32: 7). 1998. 829.33. Print. Most people who wrote about The Yellow Wallpaper do so from the perspective of a literary scholar. This however is written by someone in the health care field. C.B. Frye says that fiction can impact the larger world; in this case it impacted mental health and the work of Gillmans doctor, S Weir Mitchell. AlthoughRead More Repression of Women Exposed in The Yellow Wallpaper1873 Words   |  8 PagesRepression of Women Exposed in The Yellow Wallpaper      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The short story The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman gives a brilliant description of the plight of the Victorian woman, and the mental agony that her and many other women were put through as treatment for depression when they found that they were not satisfied by the life they had been given.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the late nineteenth century when the Yellow Wallpaper was written, the role of wife and mother, whichRead MoreWomen and 19-Century Domesticity in The Yellow Wallpaper1951 Words   |  8 PagesAmerican Literature II 2120 25 March 2013 Women and 19-Century Domesticity in â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† by Charlotte Perkins Gilman is a short story about a new mother attempting to overcome her diagnosis of depression by being cooped up in a room without normal human interaction as prescribed by a top-rated male psychologist. The gender role expected of the nineteeth century woman was not ideal to the main character. The story goes on to critique the treatment plan set forthRead MoreOrigins of Madness in Humans Essay1251 Words   |  6 Pagesdue to several stress factors they must endure on a daily basis: finding a husband, baring children, raising children, find a suitable job, retaining femininity, and more. Authors Charlotte Gilman and Jhumpa Lahiri explored the psyche of two women who were facing very stressful situations. Gilman’s The Yellow-Wallpaper, introduces her readers to an unnamed nineteenth century woman who is slowly falling into madness. The protagonist must endure the â€Å"rest cure† where she must live without arti sticRead MoreThe Yellow Wallpaper, By Charlotte Perkins Gilman1727 Words   |  7 PagesCharlotte Perkins Gilman s story The Yellow Wallpaper was written before the 20th century, which was a time when women s roles were defined by men. Women living in a male dominated society at the time were portrayed as being unable to make their own decisions without a man s consent. The cult of domesticity was an idea that women would be submissive and responsible for the home and family while at the mercy of her husband. Gilman s story depicts the life of a strong woman who is the wife toRead MoreThe Yellow Wallpaper By Charlotte Perkins Gilman1667 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† is a semi- autobiography by author Charlotte Perkins Gilman who wrote it after going through a severe postpartum depression. Gilman became involved in feminist activities and her writing made her a major figure in the women s movement. Books such as â€Å"Women and Economics,† written i n 1898, are proof of her importance as a feminist. Here she states that women who learn to be economically independent can then create equality between men and women. She wrote other books such asRead MoreThe Yellow Wallpaper By Charlotte Perkins Gilman Essay1555 Words   |  7 PagesCharlotte Perkins Gilman’s The Yellow Wallpaper is a short story first published in 1892 that depicts a woman’s struggles against a heavily patriarchal society while dealing with post-partum depression. A feminist text generally points out deficiencies in society in regards to gender equality. This is seen throughout the story which makes it possible analyze the text with the use of feminist theory. The oppression that women endured during the 19th century is seen in this story through the actions