An unsettling exploration of a woman’s descent into isolation, this narrative delves into the complexities of mental mental, gender roles, and societal oppression.
»It is the strangest yellow, that wallpaper! It makes me think of all the yellow things I ever saw - not beautiful ones like buttercups, but old foul, bad yellow things.«
The Yellow Wallpaper (1892) by Charlotte Perkins Gilman is a short story addressing mental health, gender roles, and social oppression. The story is presented through the journal entries of an unnamed woman who is subjected to the rest cure enforced by her husband, John. Isolated in a room adorned with yellow wallpaper, she grows more and more fixated on its patterns. As she spirals into madness, Gilman offers a critique of the patriarchal standards of the late 19th century that restricted not only her creativity and autonomy but also the freedoms of women everywhere.
Charlotte Perkins Gilman (1860–1935) was an influential American writer known for her important contributions to feminist literature. Born in Hartford, Connecticut she came from a family with a strong literary background, yet her childhood was filled with challenges. Her father abandoned the family when she was young, leaving her mother to raise her under tough circumstances with little emotional and financial support.
Her adult personal life was equally complicated, especially after her marriage. Following the birth of their daughter, Gilman struggled with severe depression. Her doctor Silas Weir Mitchell, prescribed the infamous rest cure, which enforced strict inactivity. The oppressive nature of this treatment, combined with her oppressive marriage, ultimately led Gilman to make the decision to flee from her husband and seek independence.
After separating from her husband, Gilman wrote The Yellow Wallpaper during a heat wave in Pasadena, California in the summer of 1890. Gilman eventually found happiness when she remarried in 1900 to George Houghton Gilman, a fellow writer and intellectual. The second marriage provided her with a supportive partnership that allowed her to thrive personally & professionally. Through her writing, Gilman not only criticized the norms of her time but also inspired many women to challenge their limitations, establishing herself as a key figure in the early feminist movement of the US.
I recently came across a short excerpt from The Yellow Wallpaper online and felt driven to get the book so I could read it in my hands. Usually, I skip prefaces because they often don’t enhance the reading experience. In this case, I found myself captivated by the detailed foreword by Ann J. Lane, which was packed with biographical insights about Charlotte P. Gilman. This background was crucial for understanding the context and parallels to Gilman’s life and intentions, and I appreciated how it highlighted her journey from a almost wild west story to a haunting Gothic world in The Yellow Wallpaper.
The remote vacation home setting, along with the symbolism of the wallpaper, created an intense atmosphere that compelled me to read the story in one session.
When considering the background, it’s important to note that the doctor in the story represents a real individual who pioneered the rest cure therapy. This treatment was a genuine practice during the late 19th century, often enforced on women suffering from what was then termed hysteria or other mental health issues. With few alternatives to mental health treatment at that time — other than confinement in asylums — the oppressive nature of this rest cure highlights the lack of understanding surrounding women's mental health.
Today, while we may not encounter doctors with such outdated views, many still believe that mental health issues can be resolved simply through increased rest, much like the narrator’s husband suggests. While these approaches can certainly help in some cases, the narrator, much like Gilman herself, clearly faces a deeper, more complex issue that the rest cure don't address.
Alongside The Yellow Wallpaper, I also read “When I Could Witch” (1891). This lighthearted short story offered a welcome lift to my spirits after the the previous tale.
A must-read for all classic literature enthusiasts. If you’re considering reading The Yellow Wallpaper, I highly recommend finding a version that includes a foreword about the author. For me, this introductory context was essential in appreciating her remarkable journey.
