"The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman and "The Story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin give intriguing bits of knowledge to life in the nineteenth century. The short story disputes society's perspective of women during that time period and their duty as just mothers and domestic servants to their spouses. It is evident from a women's activist viewpoint this is a critique on the condition of ladies in the late 1800s, and maybe even of the narrators own battles of the way they are treated by their spouses. This topic is clarified through the portrayal of the narrator's superior husband John, Jane's writings, the narration by Chopin, and the imagery in which the setting of both stories is illustrated. These components depict the confinement …show more content…
Male dominance governed day by day life amidst this era in history. Females were just observed as house spouses and their function in society included bearing and bringing up youngsters, cooking, and housekeeping. In these two stories, the women were under the abuse of their spouses. In "The Story of an Hour" Mrs. Mallard was towered over by her "better half". This winds up apparent after Mrs. Mallard gets the news of her significant other's demise. She initially laments his passing but then, "She said it over and over under her breath: "free, free, free!" Mrs. Mallard feels liberated and alleviated from this occurrence and is presently a free lady. Starting now and into the foreseeable future, she will just know satisfaction and contentment. "There would be no one to live for during those coming years; she would live for herself. There would be no powerful will bending hers in that blind persistence." Even though she will lament her significant other's demise, inside she feels happiness. It was "only yesterday she wished that life would be short, now she wishes that life will be long." Mrs. Mallard is anxious to come back to her vivacious soul that she was once fondly familiar with. Be that as it may, she truly loved her husband, her
The stories of the Yellow Wallpaper and Story of an Hour are both stories that have deep meaning, and many hidden symbols. In both stories there is a woman who in some way is oppressed by some outside force and must find a way to overcome this oppression. While in both stories the main charcter goes through a different ordeal, The main theme behind these events are the same and the two experiences can compare to eachother. the events match in both women we oppressed by men and portrayed
Throughout history, women have struggled to be seen as equals and have had to fight for their freedom from the roles society placed upon them. Kate Chopin and Charlotte Perkins Gilman both use their literary works to show the challenges women went through, and how they battled for the freedoms they desperately wanted. “The Yellow Wallpaper” is a short story about a woman that goes to a summer home to rest and get well under the supervision of her husband who is also a physician. Her husband decided it would be best if she sat in a room alone and did nothing. In the end, she becomes insane and finally finds her freedom. “The Story of An Hour” is about, Mrs. Mallard, a woman who has just found out her husband has died. Mrs. Mallard
Mallard is unsatisfied with the limitations of her marriage, however, like Desiree, she is submissive and believes that the end of her duties as a wife will come at the death of her husband and her freedom will be given to her. Also, she experiences little or no feelings because of her marriage. This is shown when Mrs. Mallard, after hearing of her husband’s death, cries, but ironically she senses a moment of euphoric pleasure at the awaiting freedom in her remaining life. “She saw beyond that bitter moment a long procession of years to come that would belong to her absolutely.” Mrs. Millard is now aware of things that were not noticeable before such as: the beginning of spring, patches of blue sky through clouds, the twittering of sparrows and the smelling of the pending rain, which may signify the nature of her freedom. Mrs. Mallard would now be able to live her life outside the home and find her identity.
Mrs. Mallard in "The Story of an Hour" had to deal with a sort of burden. Her husband had control over her "body and soul". She felt that he lived her life for her and did "not believe that anyone had the right to impose a private will on a fellow creature" (Chopin). This control caused her to long for freedom from her husband's harsh behavior. Mrs. Mallard
"The Yellow Wallpaper" and "The Story of an Hour" are two very similar stories. Both deal with middle-aged women who long to attain their freedom. They share the same theme, but convey the message differently in terms of style and quality. The two stories are about women who are fighting for freedom, happiness, and the ability to be truly expressive in any way possible.
The story unviels its theme at this point: Mrs. Mallard, for the first time in her life, experiences a new-found freedom. Instead of dreading the future without her husband, "she saw beyond that bitter moment a long procession of years to come that would belong to her absolutely". She could now live her life and be absolutely free of the imposing will of her husband: There would be no one to live for her during the coming years; she would live for herself. There would be now powerful will bending hers in the blind persistence with which men and women believe they have a right to impose a private will upon a fellow creature.(15)
When we compare contrast the two stories "The Yellow Wallpaper" vs. "The Story of an Hour”. If we first look at the similarities that they have, they are both about women who are controlled by their husbands, and who desired freedom. But both women had different reasons for their freedom. It sounds as though both husbands had control over their lives and both women had an illness. But I don’t believe the husbands knew their wives were so miserable. So as we look at the lives of women back in the 19th century time they have the stereotypical trend of being a house wife, staying at home taking care of kids, the house, and aiding the husband in his work. Being in charge of the household makes women have many responsibilities to take care of
The stories of the Yellow Wallpaper and Story of an Hour are both stories that have deep meaning, and many hidden symbols. In both stories there is a woman who in some way is oppressed by some outside force and must find a way to overcome this oppression. While in both stories the main charcter goes through a different ordeal, The main theme behind these events are the same and the two experiences can compare to eachother. the events match in both women we oppressed by men and portrayed
The two short stories, “The Yellow Wallpaper” and “Story of an Hour”, are two very similar stories. They share similarities of feminism, freedom, and marriage.
During the period that the two short stories, “The Yellow Wallpaper” and “The Story of an Hour,” were originally written and published countless females had no freedom and were confined due to male dominance and a lack of feminine freedom. The two authors are Charlotte Gilman Perkins, who wrote “The Yellow Wallpaper” and Kate Chopin, who wrote “Story of an Hour,” they have numerous similarities that can be compared but also have difference throughout their writings. Within theses two short stories, both authors express their growing troubles of feminine freedom and male dominance. The main female characters of both stories express a desire to be free from different components that include males being the dominant figure over women. In the
The End of Suppression The Progressive Era was a time of awakening for women in America. During this time many women came together for a change. Women used their ability to write to share their knowledge and their own personal experiences. There are two stories that stand out of the rest during this time, "The Yellow Wallpaper" written by Charlotte Perkins Gilman and "The Story of an Hour" written by Kate Chopin are two literary works that reflect the reality that many women face in America during this specific time.
Though gender unfairness is a popular topic of modern discussion, it has long been explored, perhaps most notable in two well-known stories by female authors. Both “The Yellow Wallpaper,” written by Charlotte Perkins Gilman and published in 1899, and “The Story of an Hour,” written by Kate Chopin and published in 1894, reflect the status and social position of women at the turn of the twentieth century. Both women in these stories have caring husbands, upper-class social status, and seemingly privileged lives compared to others. But both women have started to lose their dreams and goals within their restraint of their marriage. Ultimately, both women see freedom through the windows of their confinement, and it is this view that lures them
The woman in “The Yellow Wallpaper” was trapped in a bedroom as it was said to be for her own good, due to her temporary nervous depression. In “The Story of an Hour” the woman locked herself in her bedroom trying to wrap her head around the news of her husband’s death. Gilman expresses the protagonist to be more depressed, and Chopin describes the protagonist as more relieved that she is finally free from her husband’s control. The time era that the stories were written in, the men had control over their wives, making women have a feeling of isolation. In “The Yellow Wallpaper” the husband told the wife what to do to overcome her illness, as the woman describes it, “and am absolutely forbidden to ‘work’ until I am well again.”
In the midst of her grieving, Mrs. Mallard pictures the time that is to come, when she will be able to make all of her own decisions and will be given the freedom to live her life as she pleases. Suddenly, she feels relieved more than she is upset. “She knew that she would weep again when she saw the kind, tender hands folded in death…but she saw beyond that bitter moment a long procession of years to come that would belong to her absolutely (Booth 307). Her desire for freedom overcame the despair of her husband’s death.
Next, Mrs. Mallard was a woman who suffered from the times where women were treated with less value and importance. She lost her own life because rejoice at her husband’s tragedy. Her uncontrollable desire to be free made her become a frivolous woman, who let his personal longing’s end with his own life. When she realized that her husband was alive all his plans vanished. Her happiness was a temporary happiness which lasted less than an hour.