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A review by solliereads
The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
dark
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Charlotte Perkins Gilman has been called a "trailblazer" within the women's movement, and I consider "The Yellow Wallpaper" an essential text for any budding feminist. The tale is inspired by her own, very real, experiences with the old "rest-cure" - the function of which was to reduce all forms of intellectual and mental stimulation - that are interwoven into a style typical of gothic literature. Gilman herself reported feeling driven near to insanity by this "cure", and began to vocally protest against it and became a key advocate for feminism and women's movements at the time. It's a remarkably short read, and minces no words - every single one is meaningful and important, and it's absolutely worth a read.
Her husband represents the oppressive patriarchy and the blaming on female hysterics that any negative symptom of mental or physical health received. I also believe the trapped woman in the wallpaper really represents the narrator's own feelings of being trapped, and slowly driven to madness and her slow descent into mental unwellness is tragic entirely because of how preventable it is, if only men would take the time to listen to women and their needs and wants.
Although this book can be considered representative of women's experiences at the time, I still believe it's a crucial read and it is vital to continue to examine how women's health, physical and psychological, is often dismissed and reduced even now.
I'm currently reading "Unwell Women" by Elinor Cleghorn, and her work has done wonders in terms of providing well-needed context to this short story, and I would definitely recommend it - it really helped with my own study and analysis of the work.
Although this book can be considered representative of women's experiences at the time, I still believe it's a crucial read and it is vital to continue to examine how women's health, physical and psychological, is often dismissed and reduced even now.
I'm currently reading "Unwell Women" by Elinor Cleghorn, and her work has done wonders in terms of providing well-needed context to this short story, and I would definitely recommend it - it really helped with my own study and analysis of the work.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Mental illness, and Misogyny
Moderate: Emotional abuse