Oppression of Women in Chopins Story of an Hour and...

Oppression of Women in Chopins Story of an Hour and Gilmans Yellow Wallpaper The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin and The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman share the same view of the subordinate position of women in the late 1800s. Both stories demonstrate the devastating effects on the mind and body that result from an intelligent person living with and accepting the imposed will of another. This essay will attempt to make their themes apparent by examining a brief summery of their stories and relating them to their personal histories. It will reveal this theme further through analysis of setting, visual and conceptual symbolism, and by exploring the relationships between the characters in each story. In the†¦show more content†¦No doubt, she drew on the strength she gained from witnessing her mother?s self-sufficiency. She also drew on her own experiences of being able to do things for herself (Wyatt). Similarly, Gilman drew on a powerful event in her life. She suffered from a severe and continuos nervous breakdown tending to melancholia (Gilman). A famous physician prescribed the rest cure which she claims nearly drove her insane. She wrote The Yellow Wallpaper as a way of protesting his methods (Gilman). The main setting of both stories occurs in a room; however, these two rooms have very contrasting atmospheres. In Chopin?s story the light and peaceful environment depicted by the author promotes the concept that Louise is beginning a new and wonderful life after being told of the death of her husband, releasing her from his imposing will. She sinks into a comfortable armchair facing an open window. The trees are aquiver with new life, the smell of rain is in the air, and a woman is singing. On the other hand, The Yellow Wallpaper is set in a room that evokes the impression of imprisonment. There are bars on the windows, a gate at the top of the stairs, rings and things in the walls, and the pattern in the wallpaper reminds her of bars with a woman trapped behind them. Even the bed is nailed to the floor. This setting helps Gilman to impart her theme of oppression of women in marriage. The relationships between the characters in each of theShow MoreRelatedThe Yellow Wallpaper And The Story Of An Hour Analysis983 Words   |  4 PagesCharlotte Gilman’s â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† and Kate Chopin’s â€Å"The Story of an Hour† both take place primarily in domestic spaces representative of the attitudes and feelings of each character. â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† tells the story of a young woman’s decent into depression and madness, commonly attributed to the excessive and unnecessary control her husband exerts over her. â€Å"The Story of an Hour† delves into the conflicted mind of a young woman after hearing the news of her husband’s death and herRead MoreThe Oppressive Force in Marriage 1266 Words   |  6 Pagesrelationship to a notion of imprisonment. Through the feminist perspective the reader gains a sense in which marriage may be the primary cause to gender oppression. 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