Female Disempowerment in “The Yellow Wallpaper”

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Female disempowerment in "The Yellow Wallpaper."
The importance of literary criticism can never be over emphasized in the society. It is through literary criticism that literature has been able to grow, developing in different ways and manner to produce some of the amazing and great literary works that exist today. All authors in this field prepare for criticism before the publishing of their literature works and those who have learnt the skill of appreciating this aspect, have in one way, or another benefited in terms of skill improvement. However, sometimes the critics might not be able to appreciate the full scope of some works and might end up giving out their opinion without considering some aspects of those works as it has been seen on many occasions. This does not change the fact that what is given is their opinion and are entitled to it. Gilman’s "The Yellow All-Paper" is an example of work that has undergone much criticism that many would say did not consider all its parts and aspects. A large number of its critics revolve around the issue of insanity of the narrator in this narrative. These are claims that cannot be just be dismissed since all these scholars and authors have their evidences from the narrative, of the narrator’s deteriorating mental state. However, an analysis of this narrative reveals that this narrative is more about another subject that many are not ready discuss in our society values; the subject of female disempowerment.
To begin with, the narrative through the character of John’s wife the narrator, draws a clear picture of how women were perceived as the weaker sex. They were considered inferior to their counterparts, the men in all aspects and held the lower position in the society. This was done to the extent that women themselves started accepting this as their place in the society. For instance, in the narration the narrator finds herself not in agreement on many occasion with her husband John, including on his mode of treatment, but she feels not good enough to ask nor complain about it, she cannot neglect proper self-control, even if it hurts her. She feels that her husband does not believe she is sick and attributes that to the reason as to why she is not healing. Her response to this shows how low the opinion of a woman in this society is held. She feels there is nothing she can do about it since her husband and brother had already convinced friends and relative that she was not sick but just a temporary nervous depression-a slight hysterical tendency. She feels powerless to respond to this. This shows how women are disempowered, even to voice their opinions on matters of their bodies and health. By her acceptance of her husband’s authority without questioning nor complaining portrays oppression and the subjectivity women have been enforced to, even the marriage institution. Mary views the house in Yellow Wallpaper as b...