
          Women in literature are commonly portrayed in comparison with their roles in society; mostly within control of the man in their lives. In “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, the story takes place during the nineteenth century, thus putting a bigger emphasis on the idea of gender roles. Gilman focuses on the woman as the protagonist, with her decent into madness throughout the story, while her husband, being the provider, makes the decisions for them both. Gilman’s indirect description of gender roles in “The Yellow Wallpaper” are conveyed through the narrator and her husband being placed in strict specific gender roles dictated through the time, evidently pushing it to fail. 

          This story focuses on a single woman whose highly respected husband, diagnoses her with a nervous condition. Her husband has confined her to her room in hopes of treating this condition. However, in a historical context, Gilman talks about the nineteenth century medical professionals were not understanding of women’s mental health issues. The solution during this time was isolation from the public and rest in order to attempt to regain a sense of normalcy. Gilman uses these views on women to help move the message of strict gender roles in creating this short story. The narrator represents an overemotional, yet imaginative young woman, and her husband does not take her seriously. Her physician husband represents the rational aspect in their relationship. Throughout the story, John, the narrator’s husband, makes decisions for his wife. He even uses childlike tones when talking to her, further emphasizing the role of the man being the head of the household. Gilman constantly describes John performing tasks for his wife yet, they seem as it’s for a child not an adult woman. “And dear John gathered me up in his arms, and just carried me upstairs and laid me on the bed, and sat by me and read to me till it tired my head” (305). When the narrator tells this, it shows the dependency that she has upon her husband, the role of the husband had to control the relationship. 

          During the story, not only were the actions of the husband proving the problems with gender roles, but also the design of the house is described in such a way to restrict her while she remains confined within it. The room that the narrator was confined to contained furniture; however, this furniture was unmovable, the bed “will not move (…)” (Gilman 311). The use of the unmovable furniture gives yet another insight into the dependency that exists between the narrator and her husband. While John was making the decisions and practically thinking for her throughout the story, their house provides the gateway for change in the narrator. Through her confinement she finds solitude within the house. She even says “That paper looks to me as if it knew what a vicious influence it had!” (Gilman 302).  The wallpaper, although putrid, gives her an outlet of distraction from the solidarity she faces every day. John keeps her from leaving the house by using his medical influence as well as his role as her husband to keep her within his grasp. At the end of the story, she finally escapes the house, showing her escaping from the control of her husband and proper female roles during the nineteenth century. 

          Charlotte Gilman challenged the thought of gender roles during the nineteenth century when she wrote the short story “The Yellow Wallpaper.” By using a different method of symbolism and imagery, she further proves the point of the narrator being under her husband’s control. With the traditional gender roles in a relationship, it shows that this can end up being disastrous if not respected as when John was too involved in his own world than to see how to truly help his wife in need. 
