The Yellow Wallpaper

by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

"The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman is a poignant work of feminist literature that explores the psychological toll of women's oppression in the late 19th century.

The story unfolds as the protagonist, suffering from postpartum depression, is confined to a room adorned with yellow wallpaper by her husband-physician. As she becomes increasingly obsessed with the wallpaper, the narrative delves into the deterioration of her mental health and the stifling effects of societal expectations on women.

Gilman's work serves as a powerful critique of the treatment of women during the Victorian era, addressing issues of autonomy, mental health, and the impact of patriarchal norms. "The Yellow Wallpaper" remains a seminal piece of literature, celebrated for its psychological depth, feminist themes, and social commentary on the challenges faced by women in the 19th century.

26 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 3, 2025

About the author

Charlotte Perkins Gilman (1860-1935), also known as Charlotte Perkins Stetson, was a prominent American sociologist, novelist, writer of short stories, poetry, and nonfiction, and a lecturer for social reform. She was a utopian feminist during a time when her accomplishments were exceptional for women, and she served as a role model for future generations of feminists because of her unorthodox concepts and lifestyle. Her best remembered work today is her semi-autobiographical short story, "The Yellow Wallpaper", which she wrote after a severe bout of post-partum depression.

She was the daughter of Frederic B. Perkins.

Reviews

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting little read. The only time I wished there was a note from the author and wasn't one. How women made it out the the 19th century is beyond me. Men really thought we were so fragile and simple-minded.

[Louu A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

a book that shouldn’t be rated

*The five stars are just a placeholder for not really wanting to rate it at all because this is a perspective that I don’t think should be rated.*

In this story you are essentially inside the mind of this women who husband is a doctor and puts her on “rest cure” after she gives birth and is diagnosed also by her husband with nervous depression & what we know of today as postpartum depression(which is not what it was called back in the 1800)

Rest cure was a real thing which required you pretty much no stimulation, no outside, no family time, no exercise, just strict bed rest)

Long story short she is walking you through her journey of going completely mad because of it having being confined to a room with “ugly yellow wallpaper”

This is a story about women’s mental health, women’s voice, and freedom.

It’s only about 20 pages long but has a deep meaning.

[Kenyata]

It's tiny. I'm in a little book club (there are only two of us) my co-member chose it before realizing it was a short story. It was sad and it was infuriating how women were treated at the time. The ending left us with questions but we came to a conclusion about what happened. It was sad. We are on a run of sad books right now. Usually about women slowly losing their minds or women being treated badly by men and society, in classic and in contemporary books.

[Allie Dervil · Rating 3 out of 5]

wow wow wow

[Orlaith · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars!