The Yellow Wallpaper Seminar Paper

What are the metaphors in The Yellow Wallpaper and what significance do they have for the narrators descent into madness?

Charlotte Perkins Gilman's The Yellow Wallpaper (1892) is arguably a self-reflective short story, illustrating the role of women in a patriarchal society during the nineteenth century. Gilman uses various symbols throughout the story, to highlight  subtle messages of female oppression and inequality that lead to the scarring of the protagonists mind. When discussing the matter of insanity Emel Ertugrul (HamptonRoads, 2012) informs us "Mental illness is not something to be taken lightly. If you think of it metaphorically, it's about literally breaking through and figuring out what you want to do. You should be able to make your own choices" (lines 18-20).  The text is lined with metaphors to help demonstrate the underlying statement of personal freedoms; I will examine the most dramatic metaphors Gilman used to associate with the decline of the narrators mental health, to the struggle with nineteenth century male domination.

The first metaphor to acknowledge the recurrent theme of the female social struggle, against male domination, is through the garden. The initial view of the garden prompts beautiful and blooming imagery,  which overall represent the endless possibilities for humanity; however, here within The Yellow Wallpaper the possibilities for the female sex present a limitation through external and internal forces. 'There is a DELICIOUS garden! I never saw such a garden' (Perkins Gilman, 2013: p2)  this metaphorical reference is used to convey the narrators longing to go outside, and 'I can see the garden, those mysterious deep-shaded arbors, the riotous old fashioned flowers, and bushes and gnarly trees' (Perkins Gilman, 2013: p3) here the garden symbolises the society in which the narrator resides, and the word 'mysterious' arguably displays women's possibilities and opportunities left undiscovered as there are areas of society restricted to nineteenth century women. Subliminally the messages evoke the issues of gender social/economic inequality, traditional gender roles and male perceptions of womankind; questioning the female abilities signify female oppression within marriage.

Another significant metaphor to mention tying to the theme of oppression and male dominance is the metaphorical bed; a simple domestic object is transformed into a symbol of traditional masculine dominance. 'And this great heavy bed which is all we found in the room, looks as if it had been through the wars' (Perkins Gilman, 2013: p4) the emphasis of the word 'heavy' suggests the intensity of the oppression upon the narrator from her husband and other male influences; to add further oppressive evidence, 'There is nothing left but that great bedstead nailed down, with the canvas mattress we found on it'  (Perkins Gilman, 2013: p10) this arguably accounts for the traditional chauvinistic role of men during the nineteenth century. The bed is antique and immovable hence the attention to 'nailed down' which stands for traditional masculine views which reflect the culture of the time. Although the bed is old it successfully serves its purpose here, as a fixed dominated culture preys on the weakness of women; because of their restricted opportunities which reflect their status within society. The bed is also a location for intimacy, a symbol of sexual activity used as a repressive measure as a form of control within marriage, John tries to use this method to get his wife to conform to the roles of a dutiful wife and mother.

The main metaphor is that ambiguous that it could represent the colour yellow and its association with illness, the domesticity of the wallpaper in comparison with the domestic role of women; the wallpapers representative pattern indicates the clear barrier between male and female spheres and also seen as  a piece of text the narrator obsesses to interpret. The imprisoned woman behind the wallpaper is a metaphor itself as she symbolises the degradation of the souls of women. The feminist interpretation focuses on the lurid colour and inconstant pattern of the wallpaper. 'The colour is hideous enough, and unreliable enough, and infuriating enough, but the pattern is torturing' (Perkins Gilman, 2013: p7) this statement refers to the restrictions bestowed upon women and 'The colour is repellent, almost revolting; a smouldering unclean yellow, strangely faded by the slow turning sunlight' (Perkins Gilman, 2013: p2) creates a further negative imagery forced upon women. The colour yellow is associated with illness which tie to the narrators state of mind; and weakness, the males perception of women reinforce the theme of oppression. The latter reference subliminally states that the inequality is 'hideous', the use of 'infuriating' and 'torturing' reinforce the emotional feelings from the women of the age.

The information explored has led to the conclusion that there were factors the narrator could not control, that led to her mental breakdown. The initial stimulus is the restriction of her creative personality, possibilities were not open to the married female sector, they were trapped by the domestic life which traps you as wife and mother. The garden symbolises opportunities that are out of reach for the narrator, something which she longs for; the metaphorical bed blames further male dominance, traditionalist values and ways. The final metaphor signifies the narrators transmission from mentally oppressed to a mentally free character, as Ertugrul previously stated this was an action she alone carried out and made a choice of insanity to allow her mind to be free, her own choice. In its entirety the statement of The Yellow Wallpaper can be blamed on the male dominated sphere and their ill suited treatment to her condition, stimulated her mental decline and further issues of isolation, loneliness and restrain.