The Yellow Wallpaper
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Members' Rating:
from 43 Ratings and 12 Reviews
Tags: Classics, Feminism, Psychology, Short Stories, Women, Women's Fiction
ISBN-13:9780333730751
Description
Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s 1892 story The Yellow Wallpaper is the terrifying fictional account of a woman whose mental illness makes her a prisoner in her own home. The unnamed female narrator is a typical married woman of the stifling late-nineteenth century era. After giving birth to a child one summer, she begins suffering from what her husband, who is also her doctor, deems to be “hysteria.” Because of her diagnosis, one all too common for women of her day, the woman’s husband forces her to rest in a locked bedroom in their summer home. With her protests going unheard and no one else to turn to, the woman begins keeping a journal of her illness. In particular, the room’s strange yellow wallpaper occupies her thoughts almost constantly. The four walls of her prison, all papered in the odd yellow pattern, begin to come to life and give rise to disturbing visions. As the woman spends day after day trapped in the horrid room, her journal entries reveal her complete descent into insanity. A landmark in American literature, The Yellow Wallpaper is an eye-opening look at the detrimental effects of nineteenth century views on both women and mental illness.
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About the Author
Charlotte Perkins Gilman (1860–1935) was a prominent American novelist, writer of short stories, poetry, and non fiction, and a lecturer for social reform. She was a utopian feminist during a time when her accomplishments were exceptional for women, and she served as a role model for future generations of feminists because of her unorthodox concepts and lifestyle. Her best remembered work today is her semi-autobiographical short story, "The Yellow Wallpaper," which she wrote after a severe bout of post-partum depression.
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It is very seldom that mere ordinary people like John and myself secure ancestral halls for the summer.
A colonial mansion, a hereditary estate, I would say a haunted house, and reach the height of romantic felicity--but that would be asking too much of fate!
Still I will proudly declare that ...
Member reviews
3/5
Reviewed by Wella on Feb 2, 2010
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3/5
Reviewed by mathew.vijay on Jan 11, 2010
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5/5
Reviewed by hope_sparkles on Jun 20, 2009
Disturbing, Provoking View into the 19th Century Rest-Cure
I actually read this for my English class this year and did a term paper on it. This short story is a whirlwhind of symbolism that portrays the woman's descent into madness as almost a liberation from the bonds placed on her by her husband. Gilman did an excellent job on this. It can certainly be read in one sitting, and though confusing, it offers an excellent look into the mind of a woman desperate for some freedom.
4/5
Reviewed by safberry on Jun 5, 2009
Disturbing, fascinating
I started with a daly feed of The Yellow Wallpaper. I resisted increasing the frequency and length of the feed for one day. After that I devoured it in one brief sitting. Loved it.
5/5
Reviewed by mmichaels on Nov 10, 2008
Journey of a Mind as it Becomes Fractured
An inside view of a young woman's experience as her mind begins to deviate from reality. Although Psychotic breaks are not common in post partium depression, they do exist. So few are aware of it today, but then it was just a nervous condition spiriling out of control. Like today, it was largely hidden from view.
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Ratings for 'The Yellow Wallpaper' by Gilman, Charlotte Perkins
| airasothis | ![]() | 2008-10-11 | |
| apolskis | ![]() | 2008-12-26 | |
| asahii | ![]() | 2010-01-27 | |
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| BabsG | ![]() | 2008-12-07 | |
| bailey77 | ![]() | Read review | 2009-02-27 |
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| changolote | ![]() | 2008-10-16 | |
| devlindusty | ![]() | Read review | 2008-10-16 |
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| eloriane | ![]() | 2009-01-21 | |
| EmgeeNL | ![]() | 2009-10-11 | |
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| FreePages | ![]() | 2009-03-10 | |
| hope_sparkles | ![]() | Read review | 2009-06-20 |
| KarimaAlKadi | ![]() | 2009-08-02 | |
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| LeslieCA | ![]() | 2009-02-12 | |
| lizkies | ![]() | 2008-11-08 | |
| Lolabean | ![]() | 2009-01-13 | |
| LucyS | ![]() | 2009-07-25 |
The Yellow Wallpaper
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