University of South Florida The Yellow Wallpaper Essay

Read “The Yellow Wallpaper” which is in the file below and **answer the following questions** in approximately 500 words:

In at least 3 paragraphs, analyze “The Yellow Wallpaper” from a Feminist perspective using examples from the text.

[Feminism definition: Feminist criticism is concerned with the ways in which literature (and other cultural productions) reinforce or undermine the economic, political, social, and psychological oppression of women.]
Questions that a feminist critic would ask: How is the relationship (and power relationships) between men and women portrayed? How are gender roles acted out? What could this indicate? Do the characters take non-traditional gender roles? What does it reveal about patriarchy? How would this be different if the character was a different gender?

Is the narrator insane at the start of the story, or does she become insane at some point during the narrative? Or, can’t we be sure? Answer these two questions in approximately two paragraphs with examples from the text.

1. What responsibility does the narrator’s husband John (who is a physician) bear for her mental deterioration? Answer this question in approximately two paragraphs with examples from the text.