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How Is “The Yellow Wallpaper” a Gothic tale?

by greenearthbazar

Question by raulochafin: How Is "The Yellow Wallpaper" a Gothic tale?
The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman (I am referring to the short story and not the movie,I have not seen the movie and therefore I don't know how it differs but feel free to you both)
If its possible could you use two gothic elements to support your answer.

I have read the story and even watched some videos on it but still dont quite grasp the gothic elements in the stroy. Any help is greatly appreciated!

Best answer:

Answer by Brain Freeze
Gothic themes in 'The yellow wallpaper'

- seclusion, isolation, claustrophobia: the woman is kept inside a room against her will and begins to feel uneasy

- dread, impending doom: the moving images on the wallpaper disturbs her. The house they live in is old and the room is sickly yellow which all adds to the uneasiness. The woman senses that something is going to happen and warns her husband that they should leave.

- fear of insanity: the woman becomes more worked up about her own psychological condition.

- fear of phantoms, spirits, supernatural: the ghost in the wallpaper

- rot, decay versus beauty (or comfort): usually wallpapers are meant to be pleasing to the eye but this one is starting to stain and wilt and is freaky looking.

- supernatural verses "real" world (the uneasy balance between superstition and rationality: The woman breaking out of the wallpaper and creeping around the room contrasted with the "normal" physician husband and what society expects (to not be mentally ill, etc) Basically two seperate opposing spaces coming together creating the space of the unknown (that which we might fear the most).

- European class systems - physician = good occupation = "wise and all-knowing" dominant patriarchal figure. This is subverted in the yellow wallpaper. The physician probably causes the woman's mental state to worsen. This is often the case in this genre. Societal constructs and hierarchies are debased which is a reflection of the times in Europe where the aristocracy lost their power to the working class and some rich merchants became notable people in society. (Don't need a title anymore)

What do you think? Answer below!