The Psychological Challenges of Oppressed Women Regarding The Yellow Wallpaper and A Dolls House - Research Paper Example

The Psychological Challenges of Oppressed Women Regarding “The Yellow Wallpaper” and “A Doll’s House” I -Introduction Both Charlotte Perkins Gilman’ story “the Yellow Wallpaper” and Henrik Ibsen’s play “A Doll’s House” deal with the Psychological Challenges of women in a male dominated society. These authors have shown how patriarchy suffocates the healthy psychological growth of women and cripples their capability of interacting with the society freely. The story, “The Yellow Wallpaper” deals with the horrible psychological transition of a woman in order to show how the society imposed restrictions can mutilate the psychological growth of women, whereas Ibsen’s play shows a woman’s struggle primarily to cope with the patriarchy’s expectation from women and her choice to tread a more perilous path of life, that is free of the patriarchal protection for women, in order to search for her own self. But these two authors have commonly vindicated that both parental and nuptial restrictions are detrimental to the harmonious psychological growth of women. That is, women’s struggle for their own selves must challenge the so-called male-imposed norms, rules and regulations in the name of women’s betterment. Yet the two texts have two different ends. In the conclusions while Gilman’s heroine is found to become psychologically deranged, Ibsen’s heroine Nora chooses to seek for her identity defying the patriarchal protect in her husband’s house. II - Society’s Attitude towards Women’s Psychological illness in the 19th Century and its Influence on Gilman’s Writing Both “the Yellow Wallpaper” and “A Doll’s House” deal with the psychological challenges of women in the 19th century. Indeed both stories vindicate that in the 19th century the nuptial care as well as pamper, that is intended by a patriarchal society for women’s betterment is as crippling as any psychological is. Though Ibsen is willing enough to call his heroine, Nora’s mental immaturity her mental illness, Gilman has directly depicted Jane’s madness as the direct consequence of the nuptial care, that is, the patriarchal restriction imposed upon women. The 19th century American and European societies considered any self-exploratory and self-expressive attempt of women as harmful for women’s psychology. Gilman shows that what Jane’s husband thought for her wellbeing ironically pushed towards the verge of madness and on the contrary, allowing Jane to walk on her own way could have saved her from her tragic end. Like Ibsen she also shows that the position of women in a male dominated society is rather harmful for them, though ironically their male counterpart means such restriction for the betterment of the female. a. Early views of Mental Illness Gilman’s story speaks more of the patriarchy’s attitudes towards women’s mental illness, in the 19th century, which was considered to be the result of extensive brainwork. Especially in women’s case, brainstorming was thought to be more detrimental to women’s psychology. Consequently women are commonly kept away from brainwork such as reading, writing, mass education, and from any other intellectual works. Indeed, the main line of the story “The Yellow Wallpaper” has greatly been shaped by a major event of Gilman’s life, as Thrailkill says, “The Yellow Wallpaper draws heavily on a particularly painful episode in Gilman’s own life” (67). In 1886 after the birth of her daughter, Gilman becomes a victim of severe depression. In a book, “The Living of Charlotte Perkins Gilman” Gilman admits that her “unbearable inner misery” is worsened by her husband’s presence. Her husband, Weir Mitchell, nervous specialist prescribed her “rest cure” or “forced inactivity” as her treatment that rather worsened her condition further (Gilman 79-82). All her condition was conveyed into the story “The Yellow Wallpaper”. b. Doctors and early treatment The fact, whether the 19th century Doctor’s view and treatment of psychological illness were flawed or not, may engender a number of scientific debates, but certainly the doctors’ view of the treatment of women’s mental illness was influenced by their patriarchic view about women. The portrayal of a woman in both Ibsen and Gilman’s texts is necessarily fraught and infused with attributives such morally weak, physically fragile, mentally feeble, born to be a wife, to raise children and to maintain their husbands’ house and hearth, lacking any mental ability to do brainwork. Like a careful 19th century ideal husband John appears to be a caring husband who is excessively aware of the needs and wellbeing of his wife. The confinement that John creates for his wife is intended for his wife’s health. Also like a 19th century physician he believes that the protagonist should go on a complete rest cure, since he only acknowledges it as the scientific treatment. He is depicted as the narrator’s physician, who treats her like a powerless patient. c. Attitude towards diagnosed women The story “The Yellow Wallpaper” is one of Gilman’s writings that reflect her society’s views of mental illness and diagnostic conventions and attitude towards women’s postpartum psychosis. The setting of Charlotte’s story “The Yellow Wallpaper” enormously reflects the time period in which the story takes place. Indeed the setting of the story reflects the American society in the late 19th when the people were less endowed with scientific knowledge and the position of women in the society was restricted within the four walls of their parents and husbands’ house. Women were also thought of to be devoid of any intellectual capability. Therefore they were restricted from any psychophysical works except the indoor activities of raising children and serve their husbands. III - Male Domination The story, “the Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman primarily states the irony of male domination. Indeed what the male authority in a male dominated society decides for the subjugated female counterpart for their welfare is obnoxious for the female in reality. The central character of the story very oft-repeatedly attempts to render the view that the psycho-physical confinement is ultimately harmful for her physical and mental health. But her husband continually refuses to see it and the protagonist continues to comply with the expectation of her husband. In other word she has to comply with the expectation of the male dominated society. In the very beginning of the story, the narrator describes the grandeur of the house in which the protagonist lives. At the first glance, the readers will be convinced enough to believe that the dwellers of the house must be happy. But gradually they come to know about the gloomy side that lies beneath the material happiness. Indeed the protagonist herself describes the house in a different fashion (Bak 39-40). They come to know that behind material grandeur there lies the longing for freedom of the protagonist. In the same manner, a feminist interpretation of Henrik Ibsen’s play “A Doll’s House” will reveal that Nora’s self is suppressed and subdued by her conformation to the male expectation of a woman, but gradually she is disillusioned and chooses to seek for her identity and identity on the more perilous path of life. In the beginning of the play she appears to a cosseted and pampered doll that is expected to play on the line of the expectation of the male dominated society, and in particular, of his husband and father’s wish. She does not have the freedom to do anything on her own way. Thus, she realizes that her existence is shaped, not by her own wish, rather by patriarchy-assigned set of action for the women and her own individual existence is severely circumcised by her economic-diminution and dependency on her husband. At the same time, she also realizes that her freedom is choked by both the visible and invisible controls of the patriarchy over the female. IV – Evidences of Gender Discrimination in the two Texts a. Biological Discrimination The distorted figure in the yellow wallpaper symbolizes the forced inactivity of women and also the society’s view of women’s physical fragility. In the 19th century American and European societies it is thought that women are the passive pacifier of men’s sexual desire and therefore they should not do any type of work more than what the circumstance requires them. The male dominated society thinks that men are born to work outside and women are for house and hearth. But according to the vindication of Gilman’s story, what men think of the betterment of women is their mere observation from a remote point of view. Men never can assimilate themselves with the selves of women and therefore they cannot feel what is felt by women (Bak 41-2). But as the protagonist herself is confined and restricted, she can feel the agony of the imaginary crippled woman who is bandit in the yellow wallpaper. She is confined within the sanitarium that symbolizes the whole male dominated society, as the imaginary crippled woman is confined in the wallpaper. In this regard, she says, “I don’t like to look out of the windows even—there are so many of those creeping women, and they creep so fast. I wonder if they all come out of that wall-paper as I did” (Gilman). Also referring to the symbolic significance of the yellow wallpaper, Barbara Suess says, “To intensify the irony of his transformation, Gilman has her narrator aggressively express her annoyance that John has fainted since she now has to run "right over him." He is now in the way of her "creeping," an activity she earlier attributed to the woman in the wallpaper, an activity that seems not only subversive, but also undefined, repetitive, and comical” (6). b. Environmental Discrimination In the last Act of the play, Nora perceives that her immaturity evolves from doll-like pampered position in Torvald’s as well as her father’s family. Nora lives in a fancy world where she is away from the stern reality of the world. She cannot predict the consequence of forgery that commits in order to save Torvald. Indeed she is motivated by a fancy and romantic loyalty to her husband. She is simply pampered to pacify her husband’s carnal hunger. Readers see that in Torvald’s family, Nora’s role is that of the traditional ones of raising children; maintaining house and hearth; and abiding her husband’s wish and order and simply to remain depended on her husband. Nora tries to be an ideal mother and a perfect wife, as she says that she wants, “To be able to be free from care, quite free from care; to be able to play and romp with the children; to be able to keep the house beautifully and have everything just as Torvald likes it!" (Ibsen, Act I). But ultimately the readers question themselves whether the environment in which the protagonist lives is really healthy for his wife. A close feminist reading will discover the fact that the male-female functional division certainly is what that is expected by a woman who is in continual search for freedom, as Hotchman Barbara says, “there is a certain irony in the fact that feminist readings of ‘‘The Yellow Wallpaper’’ have relied so heavily on identification with the narrator” (6). In her story Gilman upholds the crying need of women’s freedom to work. In the story, the protagonist is found to be restricted from any type psychophysical and outside work, though the protagonist feels that working may improve her condition. But ironically such forced inactivity is thought of to be for her wellbeing. Gilman refers to the fact that women’s confinement within the four walls of their husbands’ house hampers their normal psychological growth. c. Psychological Discrimination Indeed both Ibsen and Gilman have challenged this patriarchal solution to women’s mental illness as well as psychological deficits. Thrailkill Fagan Jane notes that Gilman’s story originates in her own experience as he says, “the real purpose of the story was to reach Dr. S. Weir Mitchell [Gilman’s husband], and convince him of the error of his ways” (47). During those days it was thought by some anti-feminist that women are not capable of doing mathematics and other intellectual jobs. But Gilman clearly shows that the protagonist of the story, “The Yellow Wallpaper” is fully capable of doing intellectual works. She is endowed with a strong imaginary and creative power. Internally Jane is incredibly free and active. She likes to follow her own way and she is found to be driven by her will. Though she is restricted by her husband and the society, she practices writing and other intellectual works. In the beginning of the play, Nora seems to live in a fancy world. She is traditionally loyal and devoted to her husband. She accepts her subservient as a satisfier of her husband’s carnal hunger. She dresses up herself beautifully to attract Torvald more and more. At this stage, Nora is found to endeavor to form her feminine gender identity according to the male notion of femininity. Here Nora’s gender is affirmed mainly through her actions and bodily stylization as Judith Butler says, “Gender is the repeated stylization of the body, a set of repeated acts within a highly rigid regulatory frame that congeal over time to produce the appearance of substance, of a natural sort of being” (43). She imagines herself as Torvald’s plaything, as it is evident in her speech, "Your squirrel would run about and do all her tricks if you would be nice, and do as she wants" (Ibsen, Act II). She continually endeavors to uphold herself more appealing and sexually attractive in Torvald’s eye. Indeed she fears his husband’s disinterestedness the most. She is aware of the fact that along the passage of time, Torvald’s physical obsession will decay, because she will also lose her physical charm. V – Abuse of Women in a Male Dominated Society Regarding the abuse of women in Gilman’s society, Suess says, “Any astute reader cannot help but perceive the conscious irony inherent in Jane's overt pairing of her awareness of John's counterproductive medical advice with her (supposed) verification of his sagacity and devotion” (5). On the surface level, John, the protagonist’s husband seems to be very caring to wife. But through the ironies the readers becomes aware of the true situation of the protagonist. He appears to be aware of the needs of her wife. But the real fact is that he never can read the protagonist’s mind and what she really wants, as it is evident in the narrator’s speech, “John laughs at me, of course, but one expects that in marriage” (Gilman). Again the protagonist of Gilman’s story says that “I am glad my case is not serious” (Gilman). But the readers are aware of the fact that this is not the actual message that the protagonist means in that line. Again she ironically refers to the seriousness of her condition, as she says, “If a physician of high standing, and one’s own husband, assures friends and relatives that there is really nothing the matter with one but temporary nervous depression—a slight hysterical tendency—what is one to do?” (Gilman). Her condition is more serious than before. Also there is the situational that is embedded within the theme and structure of the story. This irony lies in what John thinks and do for the welfare his wife. The result goes against his expectation and finally the protagonist goes crazy. After the disillusionment, Nora feels that she does not have any ‘say’ in her husband’s family. Her individuality is so much succumbed to Torvald’s that she even cannot share her anxiety and agony with Torvald. Rather she is forced to conceal it from him least she might offend. Nora realizes this invisibility and stealthy existence in the family as her lack of individual identity and individuality. Also she, in retrospect, feels that she has been forced by the male-assigned norms to hide her own self and desires. Rather defying her individual desires, she plays tricks to achieve her own end, as she says, “I have existed merely to perform tricks for you, Torvald. But you wanted it like that…It is your fault that I have made nothing of my life.” (Ibsen Act III) She also recognizes that the husband and father’s behavior and injustice. She finds that a family in a male dominated society is structured in such a way that it assigns the power, authority and a superior position to a man from which he can use a woman as a plaything, as it is evident in her speech, “Our home has been nothing but a playroom. I have been your doll-wife, just as at home I was father's doll-child; and here the children have been my dolls." (Ibsen, Act III) Conclusion According to Gilman, women’s situation from a male point of view is ironical in the sense that the male counterpart of the society thinks that what they prescribe for women is for their welfare, while the male dominated society’s restriction in the name of women’s wellbeing is detrimental to the women’s psychology. Throughout the whole story John examines the protagonist’s condition from a detached observer’s point of view. Consequently he cannot look into the protagonist’s agony. But John can be viewed as the production of his male society. In John’s society, women viewed only from a male point of view and this male viewpoint is excessively obsessed with the sexuality of the female body. In the same manner, Ibsen also vindicates that Torvald is not the crook or villain of the play; rather he is the product of the male dominated society. It is the society that teaches Torvald to be chauvinistic over Nora and Nora to be as submissive and chatty as a squirrel for the amusement of her husband. Works Cited Bak, John S. "Escaping the Jaundiced Eye: Foucaldian Panopticism in Charlotte Perkins Gilman's 'The Yellow Wallpaper'." Studies in Short Fiction. 31.1 (1994): 39-46. MLA International Bibliography. EBSCO. Web. 25 Feb. 2010. Butler, Judith. Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity, New York: Routledge. 1990. 02 November, 2010. Gilman, Charlotte Perkins, “The Yellow Wallpaper”, Feminist Story Collection. New York: Bookshaw. Gilman, Charlotte Perkins. The Living of Charlotte Perkins Gilman. New York: Penguin, 2006. Hochman, Barbara. "The Reading Habit and 'The Yellow Wallpaper'." American Literature: A Journal of Literary History, Criticism, and Bibliography. 74.1 (2002): 89-110. MLA International Bibliography. EBSCO. Web. 25 Feb. 2010. Ibsen, Henrik. A Doll’s House. Trans. Emma Goldman, New York: Penguin, 2006. Suess, Barbara A. "The Writing's on the Wall: Symbolic Orders in 'The Yellow Wallpaper'." Women's Studies: An Interdisciplinary Journal, 32.1 (2003): 79-97. MLA International Bibliography. EBSCO. Web. 25 Feb. 2010. Thrailkill, Jane F. (2002). "Doctoring 'The Yellow Wallpaper'," ELH, volume 69, issue 2. Read More