Gothic Elements In The Yellow Wallpaper

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The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman exemplifies aspects of gothic literature through Perkins Gilman’s usage of setting and mood. To establish an almost claustrophobic atmosphere, the narrator describes how she gazes out of the window and see “a lovely view of the bay and a little private wharf belonging to the estate...but John has cautioned me not to give way to fancy in the least” (Perkins-Gilman 3). Clearly, a thorough analysis of the details present in the setting must occur in order to extrapolate the significance from this piece of literature. For instance, the “lovely view of the bay” or “little private wharf” may not necessarily appear crucial to the story (Perkins-Gilman 3). However, upon closer inspection, both of these …show more content…
Examining this from a more general perspective, this scenario the author describes explores how confinement is not necessarily the cause of fear, but the vulnerability people are forced into instead drives claustrophobia. Through this exploration of fear, Perkins-Gilman uses a prime element of suspense in Gothic Literature: mixing physical and psychological feelings. Employing this gothic element enhances the story by increasing the intensity of the fear by exploring the psychological aspects of it. Specifically, the intensity of the fear increases with this gothic element because it forces the reader to experience what disturbs the subconscious area of the mind. Although readers are not directly threatened by the creature, the vivid portrayal of the scene appeals to the childhood fear of something lurking behind the wallpaper or in the shadows buried away in the back of people’s minds. Consequently, by re-exposing readers to this raw fear, The Yellow Wallpaper’s intensity increases. Therefore, the setting and mood of this short story helps to define it as an excellent model of gothic
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