The Yellow Wallpaper Notes

Women in the home and workplace

For most of the 1800s, women primarily had a domestic role (wife, homemaker, child-raiser, etc.). In the late 1800s and early 1900s, with the advent of the Industrial Revolution, some women began working outside of the home. This increased tremendously when the U.S. entered World War I.

• Property rights: Women could not own property, and married women had no property rights.

• Control over money: Women could not control their own money, and their husbands, fathers, and brothers were expected to manage these responsibilities.

• Legal documents and standing: Women could not sign legal documents and had no separate standing in court and no right to sue or be sued.

• Voting: Women could not vote, and husbands had legal power over their wives to the extent that they could imprison or beat them with impunity.

• Legal identity: American law accepted the principle that a wife had no legal identity apart from her husband.

• Reproductive rights: Women had no right to control their biological reproduction, and conveying information about contraception was illegal.

Medical Care for Women in the 1800s & 1900s

In the 1800s, many believed that most physical ailments of women were caused by sexual organs or mental disorders. This resulted in painful, sometimes lethal treatments. 

In the 1900s, men still dominated women's healthcare. Male doctors often would not respond to or address questions or opinions that women had about women's health. It was not uncommon for a male doctor to misdiagnose a woman in the 1900s.

"Hysteria" was a common diagnosis that was used for mental disorders like depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, and others.

Perkins Gilman used her writing to comment on the inadequate care that women often received, including herself.

Role of "The Yellow Wallpaper"

First-person narrative style

Through 12 undated diary entries, the narrator reveals her slow descent into madness.
This is caused by her husband's unwillingness to listen to her about her depression and his insistence on treating her in the way that he deems most appropriate.

Theme: Gender Roles

"The Yellow Wallpaper" effectively portrays the theme of gender roles by illustrating the confinement, powerlessness, and suppression experienced by women in the 19th century. Through the narrator's descent into madness, the story highlights the damaging effects of rigid gender expectations on women's mental and emotional well-being.

Theme: Mental Illness

"The Yellow Wallpaper" skillfully portrays the theme of mental illness by exploring the psychological effects of isolation, repression, and the loss of agency. Through the protagonist's unraveling mental state, the story provides a poignant critique of the societal attitudes towards women's mental health during the 19th century.

Theme: Self-Expression

"The Yellow Wallpaper" portrays the theme of self-expression by depicting the protagonist's internal and external struggles to assert her individuality, creativity, and intellectual pursuits in the face of societal constraints and gender roles. The story serves as a critique of the limitations imposed on women's self-expression during the 19th century.

The country estate serves to reinforce the idea that isolation can be incredibly damaging when enforced incorrectly.

Importance of Setting