comparing the yellow wallpaper and the story of an hour

comparing the yellow wallpaper and the story of an hour

Both Gilman’s “Yellow Wallpaper” and Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour” touch upon the same topic and are somewhat similar in their purpose. That is why, when I was recommended to read them side by side, the most natural thing for me was to blog bout them together. They both deal with severe contrast between societal roles that men and women occupy in the 19th century. A man is considered a rational being that is able to take control of all aspects of life, while a woman takes a role of a supporter and nurturer who is occasionally prone to hysterics. A woman is passed on from her father to her husband, and is taught to religiously submit to their will. There is a certain tragedy to being a perfect Victorian lady. Both short stories criticize the male-dominated society and explore its impact on women.

One of the most interesting aspects of “Yellow Wallpaper” and “The Story of an Hour” that are present in both short stories is the view of women through the eyes of a doctor. Considering that in the 19th century doctors were predominantly men, we can conclude that Gilman and Chopin’s both intended to express male’s general view on women through the eyes of their doctors. The narrator of “Yellow Wallpaper” is married to a doctor, who puts her though a “rest cure” because she is suffering from postnatal depression. Rest cure is a popular form of treatment at the time, and it demands complete isolation of a patient from any physical or mental activity. It has proven to work on men; however, there hasn’t been any study on the difference in psychology between the sexes and the impact of rest cure on females. In addition, as a man, the narrator’s husband cannot understand the reasons for her condition due to the limitation of his sex, so he writes it off as something insignificant and silly. His prescription not only proves ineffective, but also harmful to his wife’s mental health.

Louise of “The Story of an Hour” is also a victim of misdiagnosis, but in a slightly...

Similar Essays