Symbolism That Portrays Oppression of Women in the Nineteenth Century.
"The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman is a reflection of her own personal thoughts and opinions of women's rights during the nineteenth century. Gilman was a strong advocate of feminism, which is the idea that women should have the same human, political and social rights as men; and furthermore, that women should have the same opportunities as men in their personal choices regarding careers, politics and expression (Ames 1). Gilman is able to prove that the American ideal of freedom and liberty did not apply to women during this time. In "The Yellow Wallpaper," the reader sees that nineteenth century American society had an oppressive outlook toward women, lending all power and control to males. Not only were women denied all of the rights men had, but it was also considered dangerous for them to fight back. In "The Yellow Wallpaper", the narrator is directly and symbolically affected by this oppression, as she suffers from post-partum depression after the birth of her daughter, and eventually loses her sanity because of her inability to speak out. She has been driven to madness as a result of the "rest-cure," the treatment originated by Dr. Weir Mitchell, a frequently prescribed period of inactivity thought to cure nervous conditions in women. Through the detailed use of symbolism throughout "The Yellow Wallpaper," Charlotte Perkins Gilman allows the reader to take a peak at what it was like to be a woman succumbed to the depths of oppression in the nineteenth century. .
Through John's treatment of his wife, Gilman portrays the domineering and authoritarian attitude that men had toward women in the nineteenth century. Men were insistent upon having control of everything during this time, and took control of their wives through demeaning tactics, that kept them from being able to have any control or opinion over their own life.
