Mental Illness In The Yellow Wallpaper

The Yellow Wallpaper, the female protagonist is described as having “typical nervous depression—hysterical tendency” a euphemism to explain the woman’s behavior that is in conflict with the patriarchal view (Gilman, 1892). The Yellow Wallpaper is an example of how mental illness has long been utilized as a plot device to explain the actions of the femme fatale that do not conform to the patriarchal or societal views. Femme fatales are characterized as a woman who tempts men into dangerous and usually destructive circumstances (Snyder, 2001).

Femme fatales are perceived as a threat to the patriarchal view and represent societal harms (Id).

In contrast the homme fatale, the male version of the femme fatale and just as dangerous and

destructive,

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual aids the perception of non-normal feminine behaviors by labeling women who display extravagant feminine qualities with a mental disorder such as the nervous depression from The

Yellow Wallpaper (Id). Females that do not conform to traditional roles of femininity are labeled as having a defective personality and mentally ill (Id). The femme fatale is cured by personifying more traditional feminine roles (Id). Homme fatales in contrast as the dominant patriarch of society do not have disorders specifically for non-conformance of traditional masculine roles.

Femme fatales are sexually appealing to men until the defective personality is revealed

(Id). A femme fatale with the defective personality disorder is depicted as dangerous and destructive (Id). The defective personality disorder is perceived as requiring to be fixed and any deviation is considered to be against the norms and a societal problem (Id).Society can create disorders based on the current feminine traditional roles and any behavior beyond the parameters

Women’s Studies 580Z Graduate Paper

Stefanie