The Yellow Wallpaper And The Story Of An Hour Analysis
Oppression in Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper” and Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour”
Charlotte Perkins Gilman and Kate Chopin both present intriguing short stories with the common theme of oppression that strongly mirrors their personal experiences. The narrator in Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper” is portrayed as being trapped by her husband and suffering from mental illness. This is represented by the woman behind the wallpaper. Chopin shows oppression in “The Story of an Hour” by Mrs. Mallard’s joy after the “death” of her husband and her reaction when he returns. It is evident that the narrator in “The Yellow Wallpaper” and Mrs. Mallard in “The Story of an Hour” represent the authors’ personal lives and oppression in women. Evidence suggests …show more content…
Mallard was stuck in a marriage she wasn’t happy with. Although she loved Mr. Mallard, he was preventing her from being independent. This is seen after his “death” when Chopin writes, “When she abandoned herself a little whispered word escaped her slightly parted lips. She said it over and over under her breath: “free, free, free!”” (1). Mrs. Mallard, although still grieving, is ecstatic about her newly found freedom. She realizes her husband can no longer oppress her. Just as Mrs. Mallard is accepting her new found freedom, Mr. Mallard walks through the front door in perfect health. Chopin writes, “When the doctors came they said she had died of heart disease- of joy that kills” (2). Ironically, the joy of her new found freedom is what caused her demise. The shock of her husband returning after the jubilation of his death was too much for her heart to handle. Although the shackles of her oppression were broken, her freedom was ripped away when he returned. This ultimately shows the futility of her freedom. In both “The Yellow Wallpaper” and “The Story of an Hour” the protagonist’s are trapped by their marriages. They both break free from their shackles, even if it was only temporarily, in their own individualized way. These stories both show a glimpse of the author’s personal lives, and what they experienced to get inspiration for their writing. It also shows that oppression is situational and no matter the circumstance can always be
Charlotte Perkins Gilman and Kate Chopin both present intriguing short stories with the common theme of oppression that strongly mirrors their personal experiences. The narrator in Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper” is portrayed as being trapped by her husband and suffering from mental illness. This is represented by the woman behind the wallpaper. Chopin shows oppression in “The Story of an Hour” by Mrs. Mallard’s joy after the “death” of her husband and her reaction when he returns. It is evident that the narrator in “The Yellow Wallpaper” and Mrs. Mallard in “The Story of an Hour” represent the authors’ personal lives and oppression in women. Evidence suggests …show more content…
Mallard was stuck in a marriage she wasn’t happy with. Although she loved Mr. Mallard, he was preventing her from being independent. This is seen after his “death” when Chopin writes, “When she abandoned herself a little whispered word escaped her slightly parted lips. She said it over and over under her breath: “free, free, free!”” (1). Mrs. Mallard, although still grieving, is ecstatic about her newly found freedom. She realizes her husband can no longer oppress her. Just as Mrs. Mallard is accepting her new found freedom, Mr. Mallard walks through the front door in perfect health. Chopin writes, “When the doctors came they said she had died of heart disease- of joy that kills” (2). Ironically, the joy of her new found freedom is what caused her demise. The shock of her husband returning after the jubilation of his death was too much for her heart to handle. Although the shackles of her oppression were broken, her freedom was ripped away when he returned. This ultimately shows the futility of her freedom. In both “The Yellow Wallpaper” and “The Story of an Hour” the protagonist’s are trapped by their marriages. They both break free from their shackles, even if it was only temporarily, in their own individualized way. These stories both show a glimpse of the author’s personal lives, and what they experienced to get inspiration for their writing. It also shows that oppression is situational and no matter the circumstance can always be