熊芮悦
贵州省龙里中学 551200
Charlotte Perkins Gilman is an important American writer who showed feminism in her best-known writing the yellow wallpaper. The novle tells us that a intelletual woman lived in the male-dominated society and finally went to the verge of mental breakdown and depression. It is worthy mentioning that we felt pathetic about women’s situation at that time, so we should attach importance in author’s feminism from two aspects.
In the author’s self consciousness.Fristly, from her childhood, she suffered a painful and lonely life because of their parents’ broken relationships,then with her growm-up, she became aware of the injustices with which women were afflicted. After her marriage, she was fond of writing but was driven crazy in that women at that society were acknowledged as the property of their husbands and they were confined in that time.however, the author was completely disagreed it. She tried her best to creat this novel which intended her ideas about equality and independence and divorced with her husband with strong revolution. By her these experience and decisions, she merely followed her heart and at last put her ideas into her mind. Her self-mind made everyone consider that women should have equal rights as male, and they can accept good education and they can do anything as they like.Whether physical or psychological demands, women could satisfy these needs. If we would get great progress in this society, individuals could eliminate these inequal conditions and cruel exploitation for women.In other words, she hold more advanced consciousness about feminism than others in the 19th century.
In the symbolism of this novel.for instance, the character John in the novel symbolify the powerful rigths and authority as males.He says‘‘I feel so I shall neglect proper self –control;so I take pains to control myself- before him, at least, and that makes me very tired.” (645) and “he is not only in control of his wife physically, but also psychologically”, we can see that male always considered females as their belongs and the society also provided much more opportunities for males to develop their professional skills and to build up foundation of their authority.Males never thought of women’ s feelings and habbits, let alone make females went out to work, play and so on. In males’ mind, the only thing for women was staying in homes as housekeepers.Moreover, “ it is the same woman, for she is always creeping” in this novel can give us deep impression about the biggest chang in feminist revolution. Although the femisnist movement is slow but potential and gradual, it is sure that we must pursue women identity and equal human rights as males.Once women’ s economy depended on men, but now, to be free women should be necessary in the increasingly enlightened society.
Therefore, we should deny the ideas that women are subordinate to men and to be free women in a more balanced and socially constructive way. It is imperative that women should have equal rights to share freedom, independence,and glorified dignity as persuing feminism goals.