Women In Charlotte Perkins Stetson's The Yellow Wallpaper

Words: 651
Pages: 3

Back in the 19th century women were to be under men. Women were to be completely dependent on men. Their husbands treated them like children. In the short story “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Stetson the author reveals the central idea that women have no power and no control over their own life choices.
The protagonist of the story is a woman, a wife to a man named John. She helps illustrate how powerless women were.Women didn't have a social identity beyond being their husband's wife.During this time period women had no say and were basically treated like children. In the text it says “sometimes I think there are a great many women behind and sometimes only one and she crawls around fast, and her crawling shakes it all over”. This shows that the women that the Protagonist sees trapped behind the wallpaper symbolizes the women during this time who felt trapped because of their life was dependent on men and how they were considered second class to men. It shows how women were to be submissive to men.the text then says “Personally, I disagree with their ideas.Personally, I believe that congenial work, with excitement and change, would do me good. But what is one to do ?”. This shows how the Protagonist knew what she wanted to do what she thought was better for
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In the text it says “ I am glad my case is not that serious! But these nervous troubles are dreadfully depressing John doesn't know how much i really suffer”. This shows how John's assumptions because he feels he has superior wisdom and maturity leads him to misjudge his wife's mental illness as nervous troubles. The text continues to say “ He knows there is no reason to suffer, and that satisfies him”. This quote ties into male dominance and how women are to be submissive and do as their husband’s say and make sure they are satisfied.But what about the wife’s satisfaction and what she wants for