The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
The narrative is a first-person account of a woman's descent into madness after being confined to a room with yellow wallpaper by her husband, who prescribes a "rest cure" for her postpartum depression. As she spends her days in forced idleness, she becomes obsessed with the room's ghastly wallpaper. She starts to see patterns and figures within it, particularly a woman trapped behind the paper's chaotic designs. The protagonist's identification with the figure and her growing paranoia culminate in a chilling conclusion, as she succumbs to psychosis, tearing down the wallpaper in a desperate attempt to free the woman she believes is trapped within it. The story is a powerful critique of the 19th-century medical treatment of women and a haunting exploration of the reality of mental illness.
The 1649th greatest book of all time
- Published
- 1892
- Nationality
- American
- Length
- Very Short
- Pages
- 6-20
- Original Language
- English
- Avg User Rating
-
(3.8)
- Alternate Titles
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- Das Gelbe Tapetenmuster
- Den Gule Tapet
- Den Gule Tapeten
- Det Gule Tapet
- El Papel Tapiz Amarillo
If you're interested in seeing the ranking details on this book go here
This book is on the following 4 lists:
- 204th on Fantasy and Horror: A Critical and Historical Guide (Book)
- 1758th on Our Users' Honorable Mention Favorite Books of All Time (The Greatest Books Users)
- 500 Great Books by Women (Book)
- The 100 Best Novels Of All Time (Runners-Up) (The Guardian)