In six pages these two works from the 19th century are analyzed in terms of the sacrifice of female characteristics throughout history as these works reflect. Six sources are cited in the bibliography.
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Charlotte Perkins Gilman is one of the most noted writers of all time. She took to task the male dominated
world which preceded her and indeed which comprised a significant aspect of even the more contemporary world. Gilman undertook her task, however, using a writing style and subject matter
which was as varied as it was interesting. Two of her most noted writings, "Women and Economics: A Study of the Economic Relation Between Men and Women as a
Factor in Social Evolution" and "The Yellow Wallpaper" illustrate the depth of her approach. The characters of these books stand in testament to
the historical sacrifice of female qualities for male qualities due to perceived societal need which has been a component of our lives presumably since the beginning of human reign
on the earth. This sacrifice had perhaps reached its peak by the nineteenth century. By the time of Gilman the dependence and gender hierarchy which had previously been
ingrained into nineteenth century values was beginning to change. Previous to that decade it was simply accepted as a natural law that females should function in subordinate and often
demeaning roles in comparison with men (Readers Companion to American History, 1991). Gilmans writings reflected the changes which she not only saw unfolding around her but which she made
it her life destiny to ensure occurred. The time during which Gilman wrote was a time of vast changes in the literary world
as well (Fleissner, 1996). This decade produced feminine authors like Gilman as well as Chopin, Jewett, and Freeman. It did so primarily because of the changing status