Social/ Historical Connections

The short story is full of historical and  social connections. According to Marriam-Webster.com, feminism is the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities. During the time that Perkins wrote her short story The Yellow Wallpaper, that idea was just starting to gain popularity. Her story portrays in many scenes, oppression to women and ideas of men  being the soul leader of the house. The narrator states many times throughout the story, "But what is one to do?" (Gilman). Like previously stated, women at the time were taught to be submissive and not to think for themselves. The idea of feminism also ties into the social connections shown in the story. Women had ultimately zero relationship with the work place. Their "workplace" was their house. One of the many famous people from the Victorian Era, the era that Gilman lived in, is Queen Victoria. Queen Victoria herself stated, "Feminist ought to get a whipping." This can tell you that not many people were fans of women wanting to seek their rights. Charlotte Gilmans's story was written with the intention of showing how badly feminism needed to be happening. She opened  the eyes of many people with her short story, The Yellow Wallpaper. 

Citations: 

"Feminism." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 11 Feb. 2016

Gilman, Charlotte P. The Yellow Wallpaper. Boston. Small and Mayard, 1899. Print. 

"Anti-Feminism." Goodreads.com . 2016.  Web.