Gothic Traits in The Yellow Wa

In Charlotte Perkins Gilmans “The Yellow Wall-Paper” gothic symbols

represented by characters and surroundings lead to a woman’s insanity. A “rest

cure” prescribed by doctors to cure mental problems meant for some a life of

isolation and an end to all mental stimulation. This is the type of torture that the

John, the villain, has sentenced the narrator to. She s doomed to life in a prison cell with little or no freedom to do as she pleases.

John portrays a Gothic villain through various ways, some more subtle than

others. One specific way that John portrays a Gothic villain is that he never listens

to the narrators opinion. Being a physician of “high standing” Johns opinions are

never challenged(667). Perhaps for fear of reprisal or because the narrator does

not know any better. John laughs at the thoughts and opinions of his wife thinking

that she is inferior, and that her thoughts are not important. Another Gothic trait is

. . .
Just the color

of the wallpaper seems to bother the narrator. “The color is revolting; a

smoldering unclean yellow”(668) .

The setting of the story takes place in a large house, a “colonial

mansion”(667). The house is also in a secluded

location which makes any attempt for escape useless. She slowly starts to wear down

to his constant belittlement and her seclusion from the outside world. This room could be seen as a dungeon or prison cell. In that time, it was understood that a womens place in society is in the home, taking care of children and doing chores.

The narrator in this story is also a Gothic symbol. The narrator eventually becomes obsessed with the

paper, she starts seeing things in it. The room

is situated at the top of the house which can be seen as the secluded tower of a

haunted castle. The woman in this story did challenge this way of life, and paid with her sanity.

He dominates her by setting rules and not allowing any activity. The narrator refers to it as being a “haunted house” and that

“there is something queer about it”(667). A garden can have a

maze like quality giving a sense of being trapped.

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Approximate Word count = 690
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

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