Analysis of Protagonists in The Necklace and The Yellow Wallpaper

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The Tragedy of Female Confinement: An Analysis of Protagonists in The Necklace and The Yellow Wallpaper
This paper examines the short stories The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant and The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, two iconic works of nineteenth-century literature that demonstrate distinct writing styles. The Necklace was first published in 1884 and followed the tale of a young woman who dreams of a better life (Henry, 2017), while The Yellow Wallpaper, available since 1892, is about a woman struggling with mental illness and the pressures of social expectations (Siegel, 1997). Through close analysis of the characters and themes presented in these narratives, this paper will explore how both authors use their craft to scrutinize the constraints of gender roles and the psychological effects of repression. Both works demonstrate the devastating effects of gender roles and repression on the female protagonists. Mathilde in The Necklace is limited by her lack of financial resources and inability to have the luxuries she desires. At the same time, the narrator in The Yellow Wallpaper is restrained by her husband’s expectations and refusal to recognize her autonomy. These stories illustrate women’s encounters in a patriarchal society and how a lack of freedom can culminate in psychological unrest.
Effects of gender roles and Repression
The main characters in both stories, Mathilde Loisel in The Necklace and the narrator in The Yellow Wallpaper experience the suffocating effects of gender roles and repression. In Guy de Maupassant’s “The Necklace,” Mathilde Loisel is restricted by gender roles and expectations as she faces a situation of limited opportunity and a lack of freedom. Mathilde cannot have the indulgences she desires because she was born into a family of clerks and does not have a dowry or any means of becoming wealthy. Despite this, she is still envious of her rich friends and wishes for the same luxuries they have. Mathilde’s husband tries to make her happy by inviting her to a party at the Ministry. However, she is still discontent and worries about having nothing to wear, stating, “There is nothing more humiliating than looking poor in the middle of a lot of rich women (Maupassant, p5)”. This exemplifies the gender roles of the time and the expectation of women to be beautiful, fashionable, and wealthy to be socially accepted. Mathilde can get a beautiful dress with the help of her husband but still lacks jewelry to complete her look. This is the final blow for her and shows the stark contrast between her and her wealthy peers.
Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper” features a narrator whose individual freedom is restrained by the expectations of a patriarchal society. The narrator is married to a physician who does not understand her need for creative work and intellectual stimulation. In her frustration, she remarks, “John laughs at me, of course, but one expects that in marriage. John is practical in the extreme. He has no patience with faith, an intense horror of superstition, and he scoffs openly at any talk of things not to be felt and s...