Home — Guides — The Yellow Wallpaper — Decoding the Symbolism and Madness in The Yellow Wallpaper: Themes Explored

The Yellow Wallpaper Study Guide

by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

The Yellow Wallpaper: Themes

Gender Roles
Mental Health
Freedom & Self-expression

Gender Roles

Mental Health

Freedom & Self-expression

Gender Roles

One of the central themes of The Yellow Wallpaper is the idea of gender roles and the ways in which they shape and restrict the lives of women. Throughout the story, the narrator is subjected to the expectations and limitations imposed on her by her husband, John, and by society at large. As a result, she experiences a profound sense of frustration and alienation, which ultimately drives her to madness.

One of the ways in which gender roles are manifested in the story is through the division of labor in the household. John is a doctor and the breadwinner, while the narrator is expected to be a dutiful wife and mother. Her role is primarily domestic, and she is not allowed to pursue her own interests or career aspirations. This gendered division of labor serves to reinforce traditional notions of femininity and masculinity, and it contributes to the narrator’s feelings of helplessness and dependency.

Another way in which gender roles are explored in the story is through the depiction of the narrator’s mental state. Her illness is characterized as a result of her gender, as she is seen as being overly emotional and hysterical. John dismisses her concerns as being mere “nervousness,” and he prescribes the rest cure as a means of treating her. The rest cure is a real-life treatment that was popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and it was often used to treat women who were deemed to be suffering from nervous disorders. The cure involved strict bed rest and isolation, and it was believed to be effective in calming the nerves and restoring a woman’s health. In reality, however, the rest cure often served to exacerbate mental illness, as it isolated women from the outside world and denied them agency and autonomy.

The narrator’s confinement to the yellow wallpapered room can also be seen as a metaphor for the ways in which women were confined and restricted by society. The room is a symbol of the limitations placed on women’s lives, and the narrator’s growing obsession with the wallpaper reflects her desire to break free from these constraints. The wallpaper itself is a representation of the social norms and expectations that have been imposed on her, and her attempts to tear it down can be seen as a rebellion against these norms.

The story also explores the ways in which gender roles are enforced and perpetuated by women themselves. Jennie, John’s sister, is a prime example of this phenomenon. She serves as a caretaker for the narrator, and she is complicit in her confinement. Like many women of her time, Jennie has internalized the idea that men are the authorities on matters of health and medicine, and she does not question John’s diagnosis or his methods of treatment. As a result, she plays a role in perpetuating the gendered power dynamic that is at the heart of the story.

In conclusion, “The Yellow Wallpaper” is a powerful exploration of the ways in which gender roles shape and restrict the lives of women. Through the depiction of the narrator’s confinement and her eventual descent into madness, the story highlights the damaging effects of patriarchal norms and expectations. The narrator’s struggle to break free from the limitations placed on her by society serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of agency and autonomy, and the story continues to be relevant today as a critique of gender inequality and the ways in which it can lead to the mistreatment of those who are most vulnerable.

Mental Health

The theme of mental health and the “rest cure” is a central focus in Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper.” Throughout the story, the protagonist’s mental health is constantly questioned and belittled by her husband, John, and other male characters in the story. Her experiences highlight the way that women’s mental health was treated during the late 19th century, and the devastating effects of the rest cure on women’s well-being.

The protagonist of the story is a woman who is suffering from a “temporary nervous depression,” a common diagnosis for women who were experiencing anxiety or depression at the time. Her husband, John, is a physician who prescribes her a “rest cure,” a treatment that was popular in the late 19th century. The rest cure involved being confined to a room and not being allowed to do anything, including writing, reading, or socializing, to rest and relax the mind and body. The protagonist is confined to a room with yellow wallpaper, where she slowly becomes more and more obsessed with the pattern.

The rest cure, which was a real-life treatment at the time, was believed to be an effective cure for nervous disorders, particularly those that were thought to be specific to women. However, the treatment had many negative side effects, including the exacerbation of mental health problems. The protagonist’s experience of the rest cure highlights the negative effects of the treatment, as she becomes increasingly fixated on the yellow wallpaper and ultimately descends into madness.

The protagonist’s mental health is questioned and belittled throughout the story by the male characters, particularly her husband. John dismisses her concerns and tells her that her condition is “nothing serious” and that she just needs to “rest.” This dismissal and invalidation of her feelings and experiences worsens her mental state and reinforces the idea that women’s mental health is not to be taken seriously. The story suggests that the lack of understanding and support for women’s mental health was a result of the patriarchal attitudes and structures of the time.

The protagonist’s obsession with the yellow wallpaper can be interpreted as a metaphor for her mental health struggles. As she spends more time in the room, her fixation on the wallpaper grows, and she begins to see patterns and images that others do not. This fixation can be seen as a manifestation of her own internal struggles, as she is unable to express her feelings or thoughts openly. The yellow wallpaper becomes a symbol of the protagonist’s deteriorating mental health, and her attempts to tear it down can be interpreted as a metaphor for her desire to break free from the constraints of the rest cure and the patriarchal society that has confined her.

Overall, in The Yellow Wallpaper, the theme of mental health and the rest cure highlights the damaging effects of patriarchal attitudes and structures on women’s mental health. The protagonist’s experiences of being dismissed and invalidated by the male characters in the story and the negative effects of the rest cure on her mental health serve as a reminder of the importance of taking women’s mental health seriously. The story also highlights the need for autonomy and agency in women’s lives, and the dangers of denying women these basic rights.

Freedom & Self-expression

Freedom and self-expression is a crucial theme of “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman.Â The protagonist, a woman suffering from a “temporary nervous depression,” is confined to a room and forbidden from writing, reading, or engaging in any meaningful activity. This confinement symbolizes the societal restrictions placed on women during the late 19th century, which limited their autonomy and agency. Through the protagonist’s experiences, the story explores the importance of freedom and self-expression, as well as the devastating consequences of denying women these basic rights.

Throughout the story, the protagonist’s desire for freedom and self-expression is suppressed by her husband, John, and other male characters. Her husband believes that he knows what is best for her and refuses to listen to her concerns or allow her to make decisions for herself. This lack of agency and autonomy is reflected in the protagonist’s confinement to the room with the yellow wallpaper, where she is denied the opportunity to engage in any meaningful activity or express herself creatively.

The yellow wallpaper itself becomes a symbol of the protagonist’s desire for freedom and self-expression. As she spends more time in the room, she becomes increasingly fixated on the wallpaper and begins to see patterns and images that others do not. This fixation can be interpreted as a manifestation of her own internal struggles, as she is unable to express her feelings or thoughts openly. The yellow wallpaper becomes a symbol of the protagonist’s desire to break free from the constraints of the rest cure and the patriarchal society that has confined her.

The protagonist’s attempts to tear down the wallpaper can be interpreted as a metaphor for her desire to break free from the societal constraints that are preventing her from expressing herself. The wallpaper represents the societal expectations and restrictions that limit women’s autonomy and agency, while the protagonist’s attempts to tear it down represent her desire to break free from these constraints and assert her own agency.

Furthermore, the protagonist’s writing in secret can be interpreted as a form of self-expression that is forbidden by society. Her writing is a symbol of her inner thoughts and desires, which are being suppressed by her husband and society. The act of writing becomes a form of rebellion against the societal expectations and restrictions placed on women, and a way for the protagonist to assert her own agency and autonomy.

In conclusion, among other themes in “The Yellow Wallpaper”, freedom and self-expression highlights the devastating consequences of denying women these basic rights. The protagonist’s confinement to the room with the yellow wallpaper, her husband’s dismissive attitude towards her concerns, and the societal restrictions placed on women all serve as reminders of the importance of autonomy and agency in women’s lives. The story suggests that denying women these basic rights can have devastating consequences for their mental health and well-being. The protagonist’s attempts to break free from the societal constraints that are preventing her from expressing herself serve as a powerful reminder of the importance of freedom and self-expression in women’s lives.