Both of the stories touch upon the subject of freedom and marriage. Perkins Gilman and Chopin utilize the power of confined spaces to represent the state of the unhappiness of their heroines. The main characters of both stories are not imprisoned in their houses in the literal sense; however, their mental condition makes them lose the connection with the outside world. The windows in both stories symbolize their desire for liberation; they are juxtaposed against the locked doors as they acquire the quality of the only way to escape.
The main character of âThe Yellow Wallpaperâ is immediately put into a room that she does not find comfortable. As soon as she finds herself âlockedâ in that bedroom, she seeks an escape. She is mesmerized by a garden on which she has an open view from her window; however, when she mentions it to her husband, he immediately shuts the window (Perkins Gilman 3). The main character is constantly reassuring herself that Johnâs attitude towards her can only be interpreted as care for her; however, throughout the story, his actions become more oppressive. By blocking her only connection with the outer world, John initiates his wifeâs mental downfall. This puts him in the position of the primary violator; John becomes the reason for his wifeâs illness, and her source of unhappiness, even if none of the characters acknowledges it.
In âThe Story of an Hourâ, the husband is absent, but it does not reduce his influence on his wife, Louise. In comparison to Perkins Gilmanâs character, Louise realizes that her marriage kept her feeling entrapped, and the news of his death liberates her from this prison. The room she locks herself in transforms from a birdcage into an open terrace; she feels the smell of rain, sees the patches of the sky, hears the song in the distance as if the walls of the room have collapsed (Chopin 1). The image of the window is also there: âThere stood, facing the open window, a comfortable, roomy armchairâ (Chopin 1). The window is wide open; there is no one to close it or block the view with the curtains. Not only it was open, but Louise was also sitting right in front of it, her gaze fixed on the sky. She realizes that her life has finally opened a new refreshing chapter for her without her husband bringing her down as if one opens a window for getting some air.
The narration implies this realization would not have happened if the window was not open. Indeed, the story bestows the window with magical abilities: âshe was drinking in a very elixir of life through that open windowâ (Chopin 2). Conversely, the only other exit in the room is locked, as Josephine, Louiseâs sister, tries to open it from the outside (Chopin 2). Perkins Gilmanâs heroine also locks the door herself every night, and at the end of the story, John tries to open it (Perkins Gilman 14). Both women arrive to the peak of their detachments from the outside world; they cannot be reached and cannot be pulled back to reality. Finding freedom by escaping through the door does not work for them anymore because that would be an obvious and reasonable choice. Heroinesâ attachment to the windows (Perkins Gilmanâs character sees figures in hers) reflects the inversion of their situations and the abnormality of their mental conditions.
In conclusion, the window in both stories becomes the source that nourishes heroinesâ escapism. After they feel ignored by their husbands, they lose the sense of reality because it no longer provides happiness or relief; their only interest is absolute freedom. It is not coincidental that both stories end tragically; looking for an escape through a window is staring in the eyes of death; it is the most severe measure that becomes attractive only when any other exit is locked. Thus, being said, Chopin and Perkins Gilmanâs creative excellence reflect the harsh reality of women in the nineteenth century.
References
Chopin, Kate. âThe Story of an Hour.â Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1894. shorturl.at/enACS
Perkins Gilman, Charlotte. âThe Yellow Wallpaper.â 1892. Gothic Digital Series. Web.