Madness and Insanity in The Yellow Wallpaper

The themes of madness and insanity in “The Yellow Wallpaper” were revolutionary when the story was published in 1892. Imagine being locked away, expected to stay calm and quiet while every corner of your mind unravels. Sounds suffocating, right? Throughout this narrative, Charlotte Gilman plunges us into madness and insanity as it exposes the chilling grip of patriarchal society. These themes of madness, insanity and oppressive social dynamics still feel disturbingly familiar today.

At the heart of the narrative,  madness and sanity emerge as intertwined forces in Charlotte Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper“.This short story traces a young woman’s descent into her psychological turmoil of madness and insanity, yet, paradoxically, her mental deterioration developed under the constraints of a controlling marriage and misguided medical treatment.

Moreover, it’s a universal story that resonates as powerfully today as it did over a century ago. Why? Because it reflects the very human struggle against societal expectations, isolation, and mental anguish.

Before going any further, why not watch the following video? In it, Nora Tales discusses the disturbing tale of “The Yellow Wallpaper” and how isolation drove the protagonist insane.

Background of “The Yellow Wallpaper”

During the late 19th century, when Gilman wrote “The Yellow Wallpaper”, women were largely confined to domestic roles, resulting in limited opportunities for independence or professional fulfilment. Furthermore, mental health issues, particularly among women, were often dismissed or grossly misunderstood. Society typically saw women who showed signs of madness, insanity, even depression and anxiety as fragile or irrational.

In fact, Gilman herself experienced a deep depression, which was ‘treated’ with the infamous ‘rest care‘ – a prescribed period of complete isolation and inactivity. Consider the irony: a woman expressing her desire to work, socialise, or have a life. Instead, doctors prescribe that she sit still, avoid reading or writing, and only rest.

Gilman’s own experience with the rest cure was traumatic. She experienced first-hand how suppressing one’s intellect and individuality could erode a person’s sense of self, channelling her struggles into the protagonist’s story and leading her to write this harrowing tale!

In “The Yellow Wallpaper”, Gilman exposes the dangers of society that force women into submission and denies them agency over their minds and bodies. Notably, the ‘rest cure’ was prescribed by Dr S. Weir Mitchell, an American physician, scientist, novelist and poet considered the father of medical neurology. Though he intended to help women, his approach was to treat women as mere extensions of the husband’s needs rather than individuals with their desires and thoughts.

By setting “The Yellow Wallpaper” in this historical context, Gilman tells a haunting story where she critiques a culture that dismissed women’s mental health issues and promoted male dominance. Her story resonates as a bold social statement, a challenge to the conventions of her time.

Understanding Madness and Insanity

Within the narrative, when we talk about ‘madness’, we should consider what drove the protagonist’s mind to the brink. Early on, we see her desperate attempts to express herself, but those around her dismiss her concerns. We see her gradually unravelling because of the unrelenting control and isolation. Her husband, John, also a physician, attributes her distress to hysteria. A common diagnosis for women at that time! Yet, paradoxically, his methods of ‘treating’ her – isolating her and preventing her from engaging her mind – are precisely what fuel her descent!

The yellow wallpaper in her room becomes a metaphor for her mental deterioration. She becomes obsessed with the wallpaper’s “sickly“ colour and chaotic patterns, which she initially despises. As she spends more time in her room, her insanity grows, and she begins to see disturbing images in the wallpaper’s patterns, interpreting them as a trapped woman. Perhaps, a projection of her own trapped psyche? Does the trapped woman represent her internalised growing despair? As the story develops, we are invited to question whether the protagonist’s ‘madness‘ is an illness or whether she is simply responding logically to her oppressive circumstances.

Gilman uses madness to make us question societal norms. What if the madness lies not in the protagonist but in a society that silences women and dismisses their pain? In “The Yellow Wallpaper”, insanity becomes a way of highlighting the danger of ignoring women’s voices and treating them as passive figures rather than as whole, thinking individuals.

Women and Society Today

Even today, while significant progress has been made, women still face challenges in being recognised as active agents rather than passive figures. For instance, women’s ideas are often overlooked or attributed to male colleagues in the workforce. This phenomenon is sometimes referred to as ‘hepeating‘. Moreover, women in leadership positions are scrutinised more harshly than their male counterparts.  Their decisions or authority is questioned due to ingrained biases. Particularly in male-dominated industries, women are regularly required to work harder to prove their competence, often juggling societal expectations alongside professional demands.

Beyond the workforce, in media and culture, especially Instagram, women’s appearances remain heavily scrutinised and commented upon. This perpetuates the notion that their value lies primarily in how they look. The public eye pressures women relentlessly to conform to impossible beauty standards. And when they fail to meet these impossible beauty standards, they face harsh criticism. Such persistent challenges reveal how deeply rooted these biases remain, shaping perceptions and opportunities. Therefore, even as societal attitudes continue to evolve, the struggle for gender equity and recognition is far from over.

Patriarchal Coercive Control

“The Yellow Wallpaper” serves as a powerful exploration of coercive behaviour, particularly within the context of patriarchal control and the medical profession’s treatment of women’s mental health. Throughout the narrative, this coercive control gradually leads the protagonist to insanity. At its core, the story follows a woman who is confined to a room by her husband, a physician, as part of her ‘rest cure‘ treatment for depression. As she spends more time in isolation, she becomes increasingly obsessed with the wallpaper in her room. As her isolation deepens, she starts watching it “at night”, which eventually leads to a mental breakdown. The protagonist reveals this when she is convinced a woman is behind the wallpaper, shaking it “all the time trying to climb through”.

Significantly, Gilman uses the wallpaper as a figurative expression for the protagonist’s entrapment and the oppressive nature of her husband. His controlling behaviour over her is when he speaks with endearments such as “blessed little goose“ and “little girl“ and admonishments for getting out of bed and walking about at night. Through these interactions, the tale exposes the harmful effects of the patriarchal belief that women are inherently fragile and in need of male guidance and supervision. However, their delicate and emotional behaviour was often interpreted as mad and insane.

Patriarchal Control and the Medical Profession

The short story also critiques the medical profession’s tendency to dismiss women’s voices and experiences and perceive them as emotional. The protagonist’s husband and brother consistently invalidate her concerns. They forbid her to work and prescribe “phosphates or phosphites“ as a scheduled prescription “each hour in the day”. Gilman highlights how coercive behaviours, whether intentional or not, can have devastating consequences on an individual’s mental health and sense of agency.

Even today, society tends to dismiss women, specifically in the medical profession. This is suggested in Sarah Graham’s book Rebel Bodies, which explores evidence that there is still a refusal to listen to women and their physical health concerns. Their symptoms are often overlooked without further investigation and are attributed to psychological factors.  They are frequently prescribed tranquillisers instead of painkillers.

Stereotypes Today and Madness

Surprisingly, biases about women persist in many aspects of society today, including the workplace, politics, media, and everyday interactions. According to a recent UN report in The Guardian, bias towards women is as entrenched as it was a decade ago. The report even suggests that as a result of social and cultural norms, devaluing women has even gone into reverse. These stereotypes limit opportunities for women and contribute to gender inequality. The Metro states that women are still twice as likely to be in unstable work. Moreover, they are more likely to go without food to ensure their children are fed!

Stereotypes and biases about women and madness continue to persist in society. These are often linked to historical misconceptions and stigmas surrounding mental health. Society still sometimes unfairly labels women as ‘hysterical‘ or even ‘mad‘, especially when they are expressing emotions or confronting challenges.

Mental Health Today

In our contemporary context, anxiety and depression are particularly prevalent in society today. Young people aged 13-15 are experiencing a noticeable increase in their mental health.  Recently, the BBC reported that an NHS-purpose-built mental health clinic is opening in the southeast. The clinic is designed to specifically provide support for young people with a ‘wide range of disorders and complex needs, including mood disorders and acute psychosis’.

Meanwhile, social media still emphasises the importance of appearance for women with pressure to conform to specific beauty standards. Specifically, Instagram promotes unrealistic beauty standards. Women feel pressured to conform to conventional beauty ideals on these media platforms, with professionally styled photos or edited images. 

Conclusion

The haunting power of “The Yellow Wallpaper” lies in its enduring relevance. While we’ve made significant strides since Gilman’s time, the story’s core themes of madness and insanity continue to echo in our modern world. Most importantly, Gilman’s masterpiece reminds us that mental health isn’t just about individual struggles, but about the social structures and expectations that can either support or suppress our wellbeing. As we witness rising mental health challenges, particularly among young people, the story’s message about the importance of agency, self-expression, and being honestly heard feels more vital than ever.

Perhaps the most powerful lesson from “The Yellow Wallpaper” is that real change requires us to look beyond surface-level solutions. Just as the protagonist’s ‘rest cure’ only deepened her madness, eventually leading to her insanity, we must address the root causes of gender inequality and mental health stigma rather than merely treating their symptoms.

Did you enjoy reading about how society impacts women? If so, I’ve written a companion piece you might be interested in reading about another female and her relationship with alcohol in my blog post, Blanche Dubois’ Alcoholism in A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams.

Literature That Features Themes of Madness and Insanity

After reading about madness and insanity in “The Yellow Wallpaper”,  why not explore more literature featuring this theme? Why these works of literature are important?  They depict a descent into clinical depression while critiquing 1950s psychiatric treatment. They also show a psychological unravelling as the protagonist rejects societal norms. Finally, a male protagonist manifests madness after hearing a victim’s heartbeat, driving him to confession.

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

This novel masterfully explores the themes of suffocation and isolation through the symbolism of the bell jar. Throughout the narrative, we follow the protagonist, Esther Greenwood’s harrowing descent into mental illness. This semi-autobiographical work draws heavily on Plath’s own experiences with depression, her psychotic treatment and her account of madness.  The story offers a raw and unflinching look at depression, suggesting that Esther’s experiences could be mirroring Plath’s struggles. In this way, it gives readers an intimate view of the impact of mental health and madness.

The Awakening by Kate Chopin

This was one of my favourite novels on my university reading list! In this groundbreaking work, Chopin delves into female autonomy, societal constraints, and personal transformation. Edna’s journey is marked by a profound psychological transformation. She gradually awakens to her desires, individuality, and dissatisfaction despite the restrictive role society imposes on her. This growing self-awareness triggers this awakening, leading to intense emotional and mental turmoil. As Edna becomes more aware of her true self and desires, she increasingly feels isolated from the people around her. Her mounting sense of alienation contributes to her inner conflict, where she feels disconnected from the societal norms and expectations that previously defined her life.

“The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar Allan Poe intricately weaves madness into the narrative in this short story through an unreliable narrator who insists on his sanity throughout. His actions suggest otherwise, highlighting the disconnect between perception and reality, a common sign of madness. The narrator becomes fixated on the old man’s ‘vulture-like’ eye from the story’s opening. This fixation becomes obsessive and descends into madness.  Ultimately, he believes the only way to get rid of his torment is to kill the older man. Yet, in the aftermath of committing the murder, the narrator becomes paranoid, believing he can hear the older man’s heartbeat under the floorboards. With mounting intensity, the sound grows louder and more persistent, symbolising his overwhelming guilt and his descent into madness.

Continue Your Journey: Personal Development, Madness and Insanity

You’re not alone in this. These reads may help you explore, reflect, or take the next small step.

1. Outside Mental Health: Voices and Visions of Madness Kindle Edition
2. From Madness to Mental Health: Psychiatric Disorder and Its Treatment in Western Civilization Paperback
3. The Colour of Madness: 65 Writers Reflect on Race and Mental Health Paperback
4. Out of Her Mind: Women Writing on Madness (Modern Library)

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