Literary Comparison Essay of “The Yellow Wall Paper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman and “Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin

Literary Comparison Essay of “The Yellow Wall Paper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman and “Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin

Introduction

"The Yellow Wallpaper" was published in January, 1892. It was written by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, an American writer. The story was first published in The New England Magazine. The concerned literature would be considered in parallel with Kate Chopin's “Story of an Hour”. Certain literary elements including: isolation, loneliness and alienation would be compared and contrasted.

This paper is about to show that Gilman has tried to evoke and put forth the message of individual and feminine expressions, in this short story. In comparison, in the 'Story of an Hour', it can be understood that this story is talking about the social situation of women during that era. The analysis of the paper aims to show that while Kate identifies with the social situation of women in the late 19th century; Gilman rather profoundly reflects the feminine condition, of the time, by comparing it to an inanimate handkerchief.

Discussion

Brief Overview

The Yellow Wallpaper

"The Yellow Wallpaper" is considered an important work of the early feminist literature of United States of America. The essay essentially illustrates the attitudes of the nineteenth century that they hold towards the mental and physical health of women. The following pages will provide an evaluation of "The Yellow Wallpaper." They will provide a literary analysis of the essay by Charlotte Perkins Gilman.

Story of an Hour

The protagonist in Story of an Hour whose name is Louise experiences a strong wave of negative and positive feelings at once. Louise is first very sad of the fact that her husband is dead, but on the other hand she realizes that she is finally a free person" Free, free, free! The vacant stare and the look of terror that had followed it went from her eyes” which is a positive feeling. On the other hand, the other story demonstrates that feelings have a great influence on us and our behavior. We can have positive and negative feelings. Our mood changes under the pressure of our feelings. Our decisions and actions may be different during the strong feeling that we experience.

Comparison of the Themes of Isolation, Loneliness And Alienation

In "The Yellow Wallpaper," Charlotte Perkins Gilman has used statements about individuality and feminism. Gilman takes readers through the terrors that one woman faces. The terrors of the woman are related to her neurosis. The entire mental state of the woman is characterized by the encounters she has with the yellow colored wallpaper she has in her room. Most of the essay is centered on the eerie descriptions of the yellow colored wall paper and the inescapable interactions that the woman has with it. However, it is to be kept in mind that although the entire story revolves around the neurosis of a woman and her obsession, the objective of the essay is entirely a ...