The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman is a story about a woman who is

suffering from a mental illness and is confined to her bedroom by her husband. She becomes
increasingly obsessed with the yellow wallpaper in the room and begins to see a woman
trapped behind it. She becomes more and more delusional, convinced that the woman is
trying to escape. She eventually tears down the wallpaper in an attempt to free her. In the end,
she suffers a complete mental breakdown, and her husband finds her crawling on the floor,
still obsessing over the wallpaper. The story represents the issue of power relation between
husband and wife.

The protagonist is an woman suffering from postpartum depression who is forced into
isolation due to her physician husband's belief that it will aid in her recovery. "I get
unreasonably angry with John sometimes. I'm sure I never used to be so sensitive. I think it is
due to this nervous condition." (Gilman, 2009, p. 132). This passage highlights the
protagonist's frustration with her condition and how it is affecting her relationships. It implies
that her husband's prescribed treatment may not be the best course of action and that her
condition is worsening instead of improving.

The protagonist's goal is to break free from the constraints and patriarchal
expectations of her society and family. She becomes fixated on the yellow wallpaper in her
room, seeing it as a symbol of both her oppression and her potential for liberation. She begins
to see a woman trapped within the pattern of the wallpaper, which fuels her desire to escape.
The protagonist's goal can be found towards the end of the story. The narrator states, "I've got
out at last," said I, "in spite of you and Jane. And I've pulled off most of the paper, so you
can't put me back!." (Gilman, 2009, p. 147). This passage shows the protagonist's triumph
over the oppressive forces in her life and her refusal to be held back any longer.

The antagonist is the narrator's husband, John. Although he is portrayed as a caring

and conscientious doctor, he is ultimately the one responsible for the psychological
deterioration of his wife. Throughout the story, John dismisses her concerns and her desires,
effectively gaslighting her into believing that her own perceptions and experiences are
invalid. For example, when she says she wants to leave the house, he replies, "What is the
matter?...Do you feel faint?...Have any of the remedies I have proposed relieved you?".
(Gilman, 2009, p. This exchange highlights John's lack of empathy and his desire to control
his wife's behavior, rather than genuinely listening to her needs. Ultimately, the narrator's
descent into madness can be traced back to John's refusal to consider her as an equal partner
in their marriage.