“The Yellow Wallpaper” is a complex short story written by Charlotte Perkins Gilman in 1892. Regarded as one of the most important pieces of feminist literature, it has been interpreted by scholars in a countless number of ways. I believe that “The Yellow Wallpaper” cannot be reduced to just one essential theme but is a combination of both an exposé of women’s medical treatment and a criticism of marriage and the oppression of women. Both themes can be simultaneously present in a work of feminist literature and are fundamental in reaching the narrative’s purpose.

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The short story centers around a woman who is confined to her room. It is written in first-person with the content being her secret diary. For the sake of her health the woman in the room is forbidden from engaging in any activities or having company. As she gains an obsession with the yellow wallpaper in the room that seems to grow as time passes, her mental health begins to deteoriate. Exploring the theme of gender roles in the late 19th century, the story is a critique of restrictive social expectations placed upon women that touches upon multiple fundamental aspects.

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On one hand, “The Yellow Wallpaper” is a clear exposé of women’s medical treatment, highlighting the common mistreatment of women. The protagonist is prescribed the “rest cure” which was a popular treatment for women who were suffering from mental or nervous disorders. As it is based on a belief that rest and seclusion from the outside world could help cure illnesses the treatment involves being confined to a room. However, to the woman the treatment did more harm than good and ended up leading to her further mental deteoriation. From this experience the author exposes the real brutal side of the treatment and the detrimental effects it can potentially impose.

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The story, on the other hand, criticizes marriage and the oppression of women at the same time of exposing the flawed nature of women’s medical treatment. The protagonist’s husband who is a physician controls her life fully as if she were his child. Even though he attempts to help by dismissing her concerns he places himself in charge of all her thoughts and emotions. One reason that the woman becomes obsessed with the wallpaper is because it symbolises her

entrapment within her marriage and the brutal social expectations set that confines women within their barriers. Women who during that era must be submissive to men lack their personal rights that causes the deterioration of their mental health.

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“The Yellow Wallpaper” is a landmark work of feminist literature known for its exploration of a variety of themes. In my opinion, it clearly addresses both the nature of women’s medical treatment and the realities of marriage that oppresses women in the late 19th century. I believe that this story has effectively caused readers up to the modern times to empathize with the issue, express concerns and take action towards the freedom of women, creating a greater wholesome society.