CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Research Background

Mental illness is a form of sickness which bears almost no physically visible

traits for the sick. Never has it been for the development of medial science and
knowledge, to change the entirety of a society’s perception regarding a certain
illness, as fast as the evolution of concept for mental illness.

It was during the renaissance that the mad were portrayed in art as someone who
possess wisdom out of this world. They were depicted as the distinction of what men
were and what they were pretending to be. After that, came the age of reason or
commonly known as the classical age in which the rational response towards the
mad was to have them go through religious condemnation, separated from society
and confined along with prostitutes, vagrants, blasphemers and the like, in newly
created institutions all over Europe as if Mental disability is a free choice for the
outcasts. It was until the end of 18th century, in which modern society emerged that
confinements solely for the mad were created, and to even further stretch the
distinction, these institutions more commonly known as asylum, were placed under
the supervision of medical doctors.

The emergence of asylum which provided a location for art regarding the
mentally ill in the beginning of 19th century allowed madness to rose in popularity as
a theme for literature. Another contributor to this rapid rise of fame is the birth of
romantic movement which identified madness as an exalted state of mind allowing
access to hidden realms. Patients of mental disability are thought to be in privileged
condition, unrestrained by reason and social convention while possessing the access
to profound truth and reality.

Within the context of art, mental disorder or any sort of mental disability might
not necessarily mean illness but a tool for criticism in exploring and questioning
against social and cultural borders and intersections. Madness especially in literature
is constructed through linguistic devices by walking one or several characters
through a series of occurrences and in the end, readers are left to decide and reason
for themselves the possibility of any deviation in the story to be rational.

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The statement above is precisely why madness has sparked the interest for this
topic to be chosen as the main idea of this research. Mad characters are not only
utilized by authors to create a world with unlimited imagination and unexpected
story plots, but also to serve as a portrayal of society during a certain era together
with the criticims of how it should be according to the author. As such, analyzing the
media itself is more than just entertaining since the reading materials are exciting
and it can at the same time, raise the awareness regarding the modern way of life by
tracing the footsteps of historical perspectives, values and norms.

In accordance to what have been stated above, the main purpose for this
resesarch is to prove that madness as a characteristic in literature has always been
exploited in such a way by the writers to specifically challenge the values and norms
that the society has agreed upon and accepted to be the only truth. Values are
abstract concepts in society, in which they believe that certain kinds of behaviors are
good, right, ethical, moral and therefore desirable. On the other hand, norms are a
standard set of behaviors regulated under written laws in a society.

The research for this thesis will be focused on the analysis of two 19th century
short stories, “Diary of a madman” by Nikolai Gogol and “The Yellow Wallpaper”
by Charlotte Perkin Gilman. Following are several reasons behind the decision for
these two choices:

1. According to Clark (2015, p.43-45), during the 19 th century, Madness rose

exponentially as a theme for the creation of literature.

2. Both Gogol and Gilman were during their time, a renowned writer famous for
criticizing the value and norms in society and government, providing new
perspectives through their writings.

3. The two short stories, “Diary of a Madman” and “The Yellow Wallpaper, are
among the two writers’ best artwork.

4. The central theme for both of these stories is mental illness.

5. The technique utilized in elaborating the plot and portraying the characters is
almost similar, as both of them used the first person point of view throughout
the twist and turn of the story.
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As the author of “The Yellow Wallpaper,” Gilman depicted her protagonist to be

facing gradual alienation from the rest of humanity, as she tried to suppress her
thoughts and desires to fit into a patriarchal society. She would be seen to jot down
her thoughts and condition occasionally without her husband knowing in a diary.
During the “rest cure” treatment prescribed by her husband to help recover from
depression, instead of becoming better, she drifted further away from reality and in
the end was consumed by her own madness.

Aside from “The Yellow Wallpaper”, Gilman’s other major works include “In
This Our World” (1893), “Women and Economics” (1898), and her most critically
acclaimed book, “The Home: Its Work and Influence” (1903). The majority of her
works showed that women are oppressed in their home and environment in which
they live in, as such, modifications are needed in order for them to have a healthy
mental states.

On the other hand, unlike the protagonist in “The Yellow Wallpaper,” although
both of them plunged into madness, Aksenty Ivanovich Poprishchin as the narrator
of “Diary of a Madman” crossed the border of the sane as he participated in a
dehumanizing bureaucracy which defined him by the role he served not by his
individual identity. Poprishchin was illustrated as a poor, insignificant civil servant
whose job is to sharpen pens for his director while being humiliated for his
livelihood and low income.

Considered to be one of Gogol’s greatest work, “Diary of a Madman” was also

his only piece written in first person perspective, emphasizing his desire for readers
to experience first-hand Poprishchin’s mental disintegration. Throughout his writing
career, most of Gogol’s characters were illustrated to be struggling in a strictly class
grouped society. Several of his other well - known short stories are “The portrait,”
“The Nose,” and “Dead souls.” All of them are works of satire against the
uncertainty and unseemly sides of imperial Russia during that time.

During the preparation for this study, there are two previous researches utilized
as the basis for thoughts. The first one is “Madness and Existentialism in One Flew
over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975) by Milos Forman” conducted by Mereditha in 2015.
This research is as an attempt to discover how madness is related to the emergence
of existential characteristics in movie by referencing to theories, reports and journals
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from library and internet research. From the result of this research, Mereditha
concluded that characters who are down with mental illness in movies are actually
aware of their own existence, thus providing an insight into the manipulation of
madness in writings.

The second study which is also related to the theme of madness as represented
in literature is “The Subject of Madness: Insanity, Individuals and Society in Late-
Medieval English Literature” conducted by Stephen Harper (1997). The research
focuses on the comparison in the context of madness when being written as an idea
in art pieces and when being endorsed by scholar like Michel Foucault. At the end of
the research, Stephen concluded that although there are multiple levels of diverse
attitudes towards madness, late-medieval English writers have been using madness
as a metaphor for sinfulness or social disintegration, manipulating it as a method to
articulate and consolidate political and moral authority.

Although these two researches seem to be similar to this study, there are several
distinctions between them that can be easily noticeable. First of all, in comparison
with the research “Madness and Existentialism in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
(1975) by Milos Forman,” other than clearly using a different medium, what
Mereditha aims to do is to prove that mad characters in movie are actually aware of
their own existence, while this study is trying to take it another step forward. Not
only it will prove that mad characters are aware of their own existence, but the
awareness itself is a product of an author’s manipulation in an attempt to criticize a
society and offer readers a new perspective.

Secondly, in comparison with the research “The Subject of Madness: Insanity,

Individuals and Society in Late-Medieval English Literature,” Stephen utilized Late-
Medieval English literatures as his media to elaborate on how madness has been
utilized during the middle ages as a symbol of sinfulness. On the other hand, this
research is trying to prove that madness has been manipulated by authors of the 19 th
century as a tool for social criticism. There are 2 main differences and they are the
medium analyzed for this research and the outcome. Hence, from these several
statements, it can be seen that there will definitely be different problems formulation
and solvency for the proposed situation.
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1.2 Problems Formulation

Two main discussions to be done in accordance to the research background:

1. How has madness been manipulated during the 19th century by writers as a
medium of criticism towards values and norms held by society?

2. What values and norms held by the society that are criticized by both Nikolai
Gogol in “Diary of a Madman” and Charlotte Perkin Gilman in “The Yellow
Wallpaper”?

1.3 Scope and Limitation

The scope of this research are two short stories written by Nikolai Gogol, titled
“Diary of a Madman” and Charlotte Perkin Gilman, titled “The Yellow Wallpaper,”
This research is limited to only intrinsic elements in the short stories, such as
characters, plot, point of view, theme and settings, supported with the analysis of
values held by society during the time of creation. Furthermore, the foundation for
the analysis will be based on two books, “Madness and Civilization” by Michel
Foucault and “Madness in Literature” by Lilian Feder.

1.4 Goal and Function

There are 2 goals to this research, and they are as following:

1. To find out how madness has been manipulated by the two writers as a
medium of social criticism towards values and norms held by society during
their time.

2. To find out the values and norms in society criticized by the two writers
during the 19th century.

The functions of this research are:

1. To let readers understand the representation of madness as a form of

exploration towards social and cultural standards, borders and intersections.

2. To raise awareness of readers regarding the values and norms in nowadays

society by tracing through the society of the past.
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 CHAPTER 2

THEORETICAL BACKGROUND

The purpose of this chapter is to describe all theories utilized in the research.
Detailed elaboration on both extrinsic and intrinsic elements in short stories are
included to show how the writers utilized every fragment within their story to
subconsciously deliver their thoughts to the readers.

The main theoretical framework for the interpretation of madness in this thesis
is based on two books, namely “Madness and Civilization” by Michel Foucault
(1961) and “Madness and Literature” by Lilian Feder (1980). In his book, Foucault
described the definition and process of treatment for those with mental disorder from
the classical age until the emergence of modern psychiatry. The emphasis on social
aspects of mental illness in the book is essential for the interpretation of madness in
the story. As for Feder, Insights provided in his book helped to identify madness to
be an instrument for social criticism through character’s point of view,
characterization and social interaction. Feder is highly important for the linguistic
interpretations to explain the importance of revelations in literature, in this case, the
two short stories.

2.1 Intrinsic Elements

Intrinsic elements such as, characters, characterization, theme, plot, point of

view, settings and symbol stand in every literary piece ever written, assisting writers
to create a solid and intact as a whole writing. Analysis on intrinsic elements is
essential, since it is within them that a story can be constructed. As such, Wellek and
Warren (1949, p.139) stated that to start an analysis of any literary piece from its
intrinsic element is only natural and sensible, given that only the works themselves
justify all our interest in its extrinsic affairs.

2.1.1 Plot

Plot is a series of sequentially related events, structured in a logical manner to

construct a contextually understandable literary work. It also served as the
foundation for a piece, creating twist and turn for its storyline by utilizing every
fragment of intrinsic elements instilled within a piece. Following is a quote from

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Diyanni (2001, p.44) regarding the definition for plot.

“Plot, the action element on fiction, is the arrangement of events that make up a story.
A story’s plot keep us turning pages; we read to find out what happen next. But for a
plot to be effective, it must include a sequence of incidents that bear a significant casual
relationship to each other”

As defined by Diyanni, it can be seen that “the arrangement of events is really

important to keep the readers curious of what is to happen next. Diyanni (2001,
p.44) further explained that there are two characteristics to a plot, chronological and
not chronological. A chronologically arranged plot is called the progressive plot
while the other one is called regressive plot.

As mentioned above by Diyanni, a story’s plot is essential for the creation of

engaging story, and therefore, the ability to compose a brilliant sequence of events
within a story is crucial for writers to possess. Arp and Johnson (2006, p.45)
supported this idea stating that “skilled authors are careful to present the sequence
in a significant order.” Although there are a variety of event sequencing, plot is
basically divided into five parts, the exposition, rising action, climax, falling action
and resolution.

2.1.1.1 Exposition

An explanation for the background of a story is always essential in helping

readers to figure out the situation that they are in, enabling them to understand the
upcoming waves of events. Diyanni (2001, p.44) explained exposition to be the the
“background information we need to make sense of the action, describe the setting,
and introduces the major characters.” Exposition is often placed at the beginning of
piece and can be in the form of place or time description.

2.1.1.2 Rising Action

According to Diyanni (2001, p.44), rising actions took place when the
protagonist is faced against a conflict that will heighten the tension and bring the
story a step forward towards the climax. There are two types of conflict; internal and
external. Internal conflict is a problem that the main characters inflicted upon
themselves while external conflict is caused by something outside of a story’s
protagonist.
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2.1.1.3 Climax

Climax is the peak of every story in which the tension is at its highest point, and
thus making it the most exciting part. Kennedy and Gioia (2005, p.12) defined
climax to be “the moment of greatest tension at which the outcome is to be decided”.
As such, climax can also be defined as the turning point of a story, in which the
protagonist is forced to make a crucial decision, whether it is an action or just a
mental decision, but will definitely be life-changing for all the characters involved.

2.1.1.4 Falling Action

Falling action is a section from the story that comes right after the solvency of
the biggest conflict. As the story comes another step closer towards the ending, the
readers can finally see the aftermath and result of the protagonist’s decision.

2.1.1.5 Resolution

Diyanni (2001, p.45) defined resolution, or also known as denouement to be the

time when “the action falls off as the plot’s complications are sorted out and
resolved.” This is usually the part where the protagonist has finally gotten rid of all
his problems, enjoying or suffering the fruit of his last decision.

2.1.2 Characters and Characterization

More often than not, characters in literature acted as the guides for readers,
directing them throughout the story, leading them into one and another events,
helping them to understand the plot and grasp the essence of a writing. Kennedy and
Gioia (2005, p.91) put up a simple definition for character in which stated that a
character is a person who act in a reasonably consistent manner while carrying a
certain motivation within the story, although both of them admitted that their simple
definition is open for exception.

According to Diyanni (2001, p.55) Characters in literature are classified into

several groups based on their roles and complexity within a story. With roles
classification, characters are distinguished based on their appearance in the story and
the impact of their responses when facing conflicts towards the outcome of the story.
Major characters and minor characters are the results of such classification. Diyanni
(2001, p.55) further explained that major characters are often more complex and
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realistic. They are usually the protagonist who dominated the cause and effect of
most events occurring throughout a story, and are also often the one to experience a
shift of values or beliefs at the end. Minor characters on the other hand, only
appeared as a complementary force for the protagonist, often static or unchanging
and acted only as a push to move the plots forward. Diyanni (2001, p.55) defined
minor character as the one who supports and helps major characters, in which
considered as “partly to illuminate major characters.”

In terms of characters’ complexity level, they are divided into two

categorizations, namely round and flat characters. Round characters, also known as
multi – dimensional characters as explained by Diyanni (2001, p.92) are the more
complex presence inside a story with three dimensional quality of real people as they
have been portrayed in “greater depth and more generous details”. They displayed
several traits in one body similar to any real life fully developed human being. In
contrast, flat characters have only a limited number of distinguishable characteristics
and are usually not subjected to changes throughout the whole narrative. Following
is a definition by Kennedy and Gioia (2005, p.92) :

“Flat character is a character that has only one outstanding trait or feature, or at most a
few distinguishing marks, who always stays the same in the story while round
characters refer to the one who often change – learn or become enlightened”

While characters are the product, the result of a writer’s creativity, the process
of characters creation in which a character is instilled with thoughts, ideas, beliefs,
behaviours, and even name, is commonly known as characterization. Diyanni (2001,
p.56) stated that “characterization is the mean by which writers present and reveal
character”. Without proper characterization, the purpose of character to be the guide
in the story is lost, since the character will be inconsistent and difficult to follow.

2.1.3 Theme

Whether it was a question or statement against social or cultural boundaries,

there would always be an idea, an underlying wisdom, and a world that writers
represented through their artwork, and that is what commonly known as theme.
Rather than being stated explicitly, themes in literature are mostly delivered by
layers of intricate and carefully customized intrinsic elements shaping a story and
infused subtly into the reader’s mind.
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Theme often can be summed up in a single word or short sentence such as

humanity, love, death, betrayal, technology and many others, but it needs to be
consistent and unchanging during the entirety of a piece, since it works as the
foundation for a story. Diyanni (2001, p.86) defined theme to be an “idea or point
formulated as a generalization”, and to be able to determine it, readers will have to
recognize the main purpose behind a story.

Sometimes, a piece might be made up of several themes and by looking

carefully into its characters, plot, conflicts, scenes and settings through different
perspectives, readers will be able to uncover several different interpretations upon
one story.

2.1.4 Settings

Settings may it be physical, social, historical or cultural are background

information supporting a literary piece and every fragment within it, to create life–
like characters, events, and stories, rendering a writing believable for readers.
According to Diyanni (2001, p.61), settings are vision, noise, colours, basic
structures and dialect, designed to create a scene as natural as possible, so as to
provide historical and cultural context for the readers.

Another similar definition of setting is stated by Kennedy and Gioia (2005,

p.124). They defined settings as pieces of information, such as time and place, to
create a seemingly real and easily identifiable story. Information regarding place
could be illustrated by mentioning physical environment or surroundings, such as an
exact description of location, buildings, houses, and even trees, while time in this
case might be made up of hours, months, years and even centuries in which a
sequence of events or certain occurrences in the story took place.

According to Diyanni (2001, p. 62), settings are essential for a story because it
provides the readers not only the information regarding the story, but it also
“symbolizes the emotional state of the characters.” There are 4 types of settings in
general, but only two will be discussed in this thesis, and they are place and time.

2.1.4.1 Place

Place refers to visual illustration of surrounding situation in which a story took

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place. Kennedy and Gioia (2005, p.124) stated that place is the description of
physical environment, such as a house, street, city, landscape, or region.

2.1.4.2 Time

According to Kennedy and Gioia (2005, p.124), time setting is crucial for a
story whether “it takes place during the dawn, or on the day of the first moon
landing. When we begin to read a historical novel, we are soon made aware that we
aren’t reading about life in the twenty-first century.” As such, we can see that time
setting can be the implication for way people live during a certain period.

2.1.5 Point of View

Writers have the ability to impose certain character’s emotions, opinions and
perspectives upon readers and determine the way a story unfolds for them by
utilizing point of view. The deviation upon how things and events are observed is
eventually a choice of characters to be the narrator, and every decision made could
evoke different emotions and experiences for the readers.

According to Diyanni (2001, p.72) “An author’s decision about who is to tell
the story and how it is to be told are among the most important he or she makes.”
Kennedy and Gioia (2001, p.73) further explained that there are four types of point
of view that can be utilized by the writers and they are the first person, limited third
person, objective and omniscient point of view

2.1.5.1 First Person Point of View

As mentioned before, distinctive reading experiences could be achieved by

utilizing these three types of narrators. With the first person point of view, Narrator’s
mind and emotions are embodied into texts, hence enabling readers to not only see
an event as an observer, but to experience an occurrence first hand, without the
mitigating influence of an external party. According to Kennedy and Gioia (2005,
p.24) by using the first person point of view, “the narrator is cast as a participant in
the events of the story, he or she is a dramatized character who says “I.”

2.1.5.2 Third Person Limited Point of View

Another type of readers positioning is the third person point view, in which
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employed pronouns such as “he,” “she,” “It”, or the name of a certain character to
indicate the narrators. Describing this type of view point, Kennedy and Gioia (2006,
p.25) stated that it happens when “a nonparticipating narrator sees events through
the eyes of a single character, whether a major character or a minor one.” Readers
existed purely as the observer for a certain ongoing event, following the steps of one
or several characters within a story. As such, writers could broaden the scope of a
piece by taking readers through several settings as different characters of distinctive
personality and characterization.

2.1.5.3 Omniscient Point of View

Although similar to third person point of view, in which its angle of observation
allowed readers to walk through stories as various characters, omniscient point of
view exclusively provided readers with unlimited access over all characters’ mind
and emotion in a story. Kennedy and Gioia (2005, p.25) put up a simpler definition
by stating that “the narrator sees into the minds of all (or some) of characters,
moving when necessary from one to another.” The advantage of utilizing such view
point is that readers can be engaged more strongly by contrasting several significant
characters’ thoughts and opinions.

One unique technique in implementing this point of view is the use of unreliable
narrator, or as has been defined by Frey (1931), “someone whose credibility has
been seriously compromised” or simply put, not trustworthy. According to William
Riggan (1981), there are 5 types of unreliable actors, and they are the picaro, the
madman, the clown, the naif, and the liar.

Picaro as the first type of unreliable narrator is characterized by constant

exaggeration and bragging. The madman as the second type is illustrated by
someone who is experiencing mental dissociation and self-alienation. The clown
being the third type is someone who consciously plays with convention, truths, and
the reader’s expectation. The naif being the fourth type is characterized by a narrator
whose perception is immature or limited through their point of view. Last but not
least is the liar who deliberately misrepresents themselves, often to obscure their
unseemly or discreditable past conduct.
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2.1.5.4 Objective Point of View

In regards to this point of view, Kennedy and Gioia (2005, p.26) stated that “the
narrator does not enter the mind of any character but describes it from the outside.”
In this point of view, the narrator is enabled to present readers with an in-depth
analysis of all condition he or she thinks is essential, since the narrator is neither
looking through the mind of any character, nor acting as a part of the story.

2.1.6 Symbol

Symbolism is the use of language in which depicted an action or object as the

representatives of several other aspects, traits and concepts. Those represented are
usually concealed at first sight but could enrich a writing much more than its literal
meaning. Diyanni (2001, p.95) suggested that the things and meanings that they
“conveyed extend beyond their literal significance, beyond their more obvious
actual reason for being included in the story.” Some symbols have already
established wide spread and commonly accepted values that most readers would
recognize, such as a rainy event may symbolizes sadness within the story.

2.2 Extrinsic Elements

Analysis on extrinsic elements consists of working under several specified

theories while searching for materials, still in relation but beyond the piece itself
such as, writer’s biography, social values and cultural condition in which a piece was
produced, to create a better understanding on the causality of a literature. As quoted
from Wellek and Warren (1949, p.65), “nobody can deny that much light has been
thrown on literature by a proper knowledge of condition under which it has been
produced,” hence it becomes necessary for extrinsic elements to be thoroughly
investigated. Theories in which served as the resources for analytical thoughts and
foundation in this thesis are Michel Foucault’s “Madness and Civilization” and
Lilian Feder’s “Madness in Literature.”

2.2.1 Madness According to Michel Foucault

Through his most acclaimed work, Foucault has been able to extensively discuss
and explain regarding the mad, insane, and how society at that particular time
perceived those ideas. According to Foucault, madness was often constructed and
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the institutions, such as the hospitals and government that deal with it were highly
powerful towards the society. But rather than trying to create a discourse between
the reason and the mad, those in power disbarred them from society, and thus at the
same time taking away the voice that they deserved.

Foucault (preface to the 1961 edition) further emphasizes on this idea by

explaining how the more enlightened and compassionate ways of treating the mad in
the modern 19th century medical institutions to be as cruel as its earlier treatment. He
stated in his book as following:

“Modern man no longer communicates with the madman. There is no common

language, or rather, it no longer exists. The constitution of madness as mental illness at
the end of 18th century, bears witness to a rupture in dialogue, gives the separation as
already enacted, and expels from memory all those imperfect words, of no fixed syntax,
spoken falteringly, in which the exchange between madness and reason was carried out.
The language of psychiatry, which is a monologue by reason about madness, could only
have come into existence in such silence.”

Foucault truly believes in the idea of how a society’s values and norms could
create false perception and disillusionment regarding the world, and this will
become a source of derangement for its people. In elaborating this idea, Foucault
(2001, p.183) stated that “For as the origin of these diseases is nothing more than a
violent desire for a thing that the sufferer envisages as good,” and if the reality is
unachievable, then “The rejection of this new reality can directly modify the course
of an organic processes.” This phase of drifting away from reality was illustrated by
Foucault (2001, p.123) in another statement, saying that:

“What had been perceived as heat, imagined as hesitation of spirits, conceived as

fibrous tension, would henceforth be recognized in the neutralized transparency of
psychological notions: exaggerated vivacity of internal impression, rapidity in the
association of ideas, and lastly inattention to the external world.”

In trying to explain how the mind of the mad works, Foucault (2001, p.168)
stated that movements made by the mad are “no longer aimed at restoring the
invalid to the truth of the exterior world, but only at producing a series of internal
effects, purely mechanical and purely psychological.” This statement illustrated a
mad man’s state of mind in which he or she would respond to the call from the
outside world.

Foucault (2001,p.99) classified three types of madness in regards to different

forms of access to the truth, and they are as following:
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1. “The class deliria, which alter that relation to the truth which take shapes in
perception. (general delirium of the mental faculties, in which the diseased
perceptions are taken for reality).”

2. “The class hallucinations which alter representation (error of the mind in

which imaginary objects are taken for reality, or else real objects are falsely
represented).”

3. “and last, the class dementias, which without abolishing or altering the
faculties that afford access to the truth, weaken them and diminish their power.”

For the truth itself in the realm of the mad, according to Foucault (2001, p.99)
can be categorized into two types just by looking at the truth itself and with the
forms proper to it, and below are the two categorization:

1. Physical truth: consists of accurate relation between our sensation with

physical objects. There will be form of madness determined by the impossibility
of acceding to this form of truth; a kind of madness of the physical world which
includes illusions, hallucinations, and all perceptual disturbances. “It is a
madness to hear choirs of angels as certain enthusiasts do.”

2. Moral truth: consist of ability for people to discern between moral subjects, or
between those objects and the people themselves. “Such is the madness of
character, of conduct, and of passions. Veritable madnesses, then, are all the
derangement of our mind, all the illusions of self-love, and all our passions
when they are carried to the point of blindness; for blindness is the distinctive
characteristic of madness.”

2.2.2 Madness in Literature According to Lilian Feder

Since the first application of madness within a literature piece centuries ago,
written art work has already been adjusted and modified to become a platform for
madness to be communicated to readers by a huge diversity of authors through the
implementation of different characters. All these previous art pieces, according to
Feder are attempts to find a place for the language of the mad in this society and to
convey this “other thought.” Below is one definition by Feder (1980, p.5) in regards
to madness.
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“a state in which unconscious processes predominate over conscious ones to the extent
that they control them and determine perceptions of and responses experience that,
judged by prevailing standards of logic thought and relevant emotion, are confused and
inappropriate.”

One opinion by Feder that might bring us another step closer to the light of
madness as being implemented in literature is that a madman’s perception of reality
might not be wrong or immoral, if the madman himself can consider his own
reasoning, in which created a state of truth for his own philosophy. Others may
disagree but it is certainly true, especially in literature that a madman defines his
reality by observing his enviroment and responds to it. Below is a paragraph quoted
from Feder (1980, p.4-5) to better illustrate the previous statements.

“recurrent literary representations of madness constitute a history of explorations of the

mind in relation to itself, to other human beings, and to social and political institutions.
The madman, like other people, does not exist alone. He both reflects and influences
those involved with him. He embodies and symbolically transforms the values and
aspirations of his family, his tribe, and his society, even if he renounces them, as well as
their delusions, cruelty, and violence, even in his inner flight.”

And to further emphasize on the idea that the mad can be utilized to symbolize
disintegration in society, Feder (1980, p.4) has also observed the pattern for the
usage of madness in literature and stated that “the mad protagonist not only
symbolizes but reveals the very psychic processess that account for strange and
violent behavior and the inextricble connection of such processs with the most
ordinary relationship and conduct of life.” This perspective from Feder is what
allows madness to be recognised to possess a discourse of its own that can be
implemented to challenge assumptions, explore limitations, and provide new
insights to values in society.

2.2.3 The Author’s purpose

Before looking into a literary texts to see how a piece has been manipulated for
social criticism, it is essential for readers to assume that an author’s background and
biography are important aspects in this subject. To further elevate this idea, there
might even be a need to consider that the art work and the characters in the story
itself are the embodiment of beliefs and values of a writer, and the enviroment, the
writer’s social and political condition.

In support of the statements above, Wellek and Warren (1949, p.65) stated that
“nobody can deny that much light has been thrown on literature by a proper
18

knowledge of condition under which it has been produced.” This sentence alone
revealed the impact of an author’s life towards the end result of the piece that he was
working on during that time. Wellek and Warren (1977, p.39) further enlightened
this idea by explaining that the works of an author will justify the author’s life, such
as the social environment and process of literature.

All authors’ final purposes of creating a piece are to provide new information
regarding a certain condition and to express their opinions and beliefs by utilizing
every element in a story, so that the readers will be able to reach new perspectives
regarding the society on their own.

2.2.3.1 Biography of Nikolai Gogol

Gogol was born in the Ukrainian Cossack village of Sorochyntsi, in Poltava

Governorate of the Russian Empire. Gogol’s father who belonged to a petty gentry
family and was an amateur Ukrainian-language playwright, passed away when he
was 15 years old. After the death of his father, Gogol has since then been living
together with only his mother. For most of his childhood, Gogol helped to stage
Ukrainian-language plays in his uncle's home theater.

Gogol was enrolled into the school of higher art in Nezhin in 1820 and
continued to study there until 1828. It was during this time span that Gogol became
interested in writing. He was not popular among his schoolmates, and was often
adressed as their “mysterious dwarf.” That might be the reason why in this very
early phase of his life, Gogol has already developed a dark and secret disposition,
marked by painful self-consciousness and boundless ambition.

During his teenage year, Gogol was faced with a severe failure as the poetry he
tried to publish at his own expenses was almost universally derided by the magazine.
This first attempt towards literature crushed his spirit so much that he swore to never
write a poetry again. After this incident, he turned his attention to writing plays and
stories and earned only mild success in doing so.

According to Fanger (2009), Having undergone several turmoil and

uncertainties in his life, things are finally looking to pick up for Gogol during the
1836 when he has finally established his style of writing in Russian, and started
writing plays and stories to criticize Russian’s provincial bureaucracy. It was only
 19

after the presentation of his comedy “The Government Inspector” at the Saint
Petersburg State Theatre on 19 April 1836 that he finally came to believe in his
literary vocation. It was a comedy play, a violent satire of Russian provincial
bureaucracy, and it was only staged thanks to the intervention of the emperor,
Nicholas I.

After this event, Gogol came to publish his greatest success, “Dead Souls,” and
since then, all his contemporaries regarded him as a great satirist who lampooned the
unseemly sides of Imperial Russia and the inhumane society. His frequent use of
words that ridiculed a character’s physical feature as a metaphor comes from his
experience of being humiliated as a kid, while the choice of theme for the majority
of his works, which is to criticize the government body and society, is because of the
harsh life that he had to go through under Russia’s corrupted government. Hence,
throughout his writing career, most of Gogol’s characters were illustrated to be
struggling in a strictly class grouped society. Several of his other well-known short
stories are “The portrait,” “The Nose,” and “Dead souls.”

2.2.3.2 Biography of Charlotte Perkin Gilman

Gilman was born on July 3, 1860 in Hartford, Connecticut to Mary Perkins and
Frederic Beecher Perkins, although during her infancy, her father left and abandoned
both of them in an impoverished state. Since Gilman’s mother was unable to support
the family on her own, the Perkins were often in the presence of her father's aunts,
namely Isabella Beecher Hooker, a suffragist, Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of
Uncle Tom's Cabin, and Catharine Beecher, educationalist.

In 1884, Gilman decided to marry an artist by the name of Charles Walter

Stetson, after she initially turned down his proposal because she felt that it was not
the right thing for her to do. After the birth of her daughter the following year,
Gilman suffered from a very serious bout of post-partum depression, although her
claims were at that time dismissed, since it was an era which women were seen as
hysterical and nervous beings. The majority of her diary entries from the time she
gave birth until several years later describe the depression that she had to face.

In 1894, Charlotte and her husband filed for a divorce, following their
separation in 1888, a rare occurrence in the late 19 th century. During the time of their
20

separation, Charlotte moved with her daughter to Pasadena, California, where she
became active in several feminist and reformist organizations such as the Pacific
Coast Women's Press Association, the Woman's Alliance, the Economic Club, the
Ebell Society, the Parents Association, and the State Council of Women, in addition
to writing and editing the Bulletin, a journal put out by one of the earlier-mentioned
organizations.

In 1890, she was introduced to Nationalist Clubs movement which worked to

end capitalism's greed and distinctions between classes while promoting a peaceful,
ethical, and truly progressive human race. Published in the Nationalist magazine, her
poem, "Similar Cases" was a satirical review of people who resisted social change
and she received positive feedback from critics for it. Throughout that same year,
1890, she became inspired enough to write fifteen essays, poems, a novella, and the
short story “The Yellow Wallpaper,” which becomes her most famous piece.

According to Dock (1998), as one of the most important literatures being

supportive of female’s right during the 19 th century, this most popular piece of
Gilman which became the best seller on feminist press, was continuously adapted
into audio plays, drama and even movies. Throughout her writing career, Gilman has
been thinking against the Victorian value held by society, questioning those in belief
of woman to be a belonging of domestic sphere and should be suppressed of their
thoughts and desires. This is mostly affected by her own life, in which she had to be
docile towards her husband in her marriage and the oppression she had to go through
by becoming a female writer during the 19 th century. In fact, “The Yellow
Wallpaper” is often being regarded as Gilman’s autobiography since the story bears
a great similarity to her life. Her other major works include “In This Our World,”
(1893) “Women and Economics,” (1898) and her most critically acclaimed book,
“The Home: Its Work and Influence.” (1903) The majority of her works showed that
women are oppressed in their home and environment in which they live in, as such,
modifications are needed in order for them to have a healthy mental states. In the
1909 until 1916, Gilman then proceeded to write and edit her own magazine and
serial works, “The Forerunner,” which will later be cited as the greatest literary
accomplishment of her long career.
 21

2.2.4 Russia Under the Reign of Czar Nicholas I

Czar Nicholas I rose to his throne on 14 December 1825, after successfully

smashing out a demonstration consist of 3000 young Imperial Army officers and
other liberal-minded citizens. This demonstration was an attempt to force the
government to accept a constitution and a representative form of government.

During his regime, Nicholas I took a great fondness in military man and by the
end of his governance, according to Bruce (1975), “Of the men who served as
Nicholas's ministers, 61% had previously served as a general or an admiral.” This
proved to be something of a handicap in a sense that the sort of qualities that could
make a man distinguished on the battlefields such as bravery did not necessarily
make a man capable of running a ministry.

Broadly speaking, during the regime of Emperor Nicholas I, society in Russia

fell into a state of economic stagnation and poverty, and this made it hard for people
to prosper, especially for members from lower working classes. Members who
voiced out their resentment were repressed while the countries were being controlled
by corrupt bureaucrats with poor administrative policies. Historian Barbara Jelavich
(1974, p.119) points to all of the failures in the government body of Russia during
that time, including the "catastrophic state of Russian finances," and a bureaucracy
"which was characterized by graft, corruption, and inefficiency.”

Sergey Uvarov, the ministry of National Education, in 1833, devised a program

in which acted as the guiding principle for the way members should act during the
regime. The name for this program is “Orthodoxy, Autocracy, and Nationality.”
According to Lincoln (1981, p.428), this program is aimed to increase the repression
of all classes, excessive censorship to protect the bureaucrats, surveillance of
intellectuals and persecution for the use of languages other than Russian and practice
of non-orthodox religious.

Despite the repressions of this period, Russians outside official control produced
a flowering of literature and arts. The Imperial Academy of Fine Arts in St.
Petersburg grew in importance by its recognition and support of artists. Through the
works of Aleksandr Pushkin, Nikolai Gogol, Ivan Turgenev and numerous others,
Russian literature gained international stature and recognition.
22

2.2.5 History of Czar Nicholas I

Nicholas was born to Grand Duke Paul, and Grand Duchess Maria
Feodorovna of Russia. Five months following his birth, his grandmother, Catherine
the Great, died and his parents became emperor and empress of Russia. He was a
younger brother of Emperor Alexander I of Russia, who succeeded to the throne in
1801, and of Grand Duke Constantine Pavlovich of Russia. Nicholas inherited his
brother's throne despite the failed Decembrist revolt against him and went on to
become the most reactionary of all Russian leaders.

During his youth, other than being seen by people as a junior officer who were
totally consumed by spit and polish, he was highly nervous and very aggressive.
According to his biographer, Riasanovsky (1959, p.3), "Nicholas I came to represent
autocracy personified: infinitely majestic, determined and powerful, hard as stone,
and relentless as fate."

Emperor Nicholas I became the reigning monarch for Russia from 1825 until
1855, in which during the time he was also the King of Poland and Grand Duke of
Finland. During his regime, he succeeded in creating a better expansion in going
against Russia’s neighboring rivals when he seized the last territories held by the
Persian. While doing so, he successfully ended the Russo-Turkish War ar as well.
Although, later on, he led Russia into the Crimean War, in which the result was
disastrous. Historians noted this event with emphasize on his weak
micromanagement of the armies that hindered his generals, as did his misguided
strategy. Among the historians is Fuller (1998, p.243) who stated that "the reign of
Nicholas I was a catastrophic failure in both domestic and foreign policy.”

2.2.6 United States’ Social Condition During the Victorian Era

In the 19th century, although the United States was gaining a tremendous amount
of increase in national power and wealth, its social condition was illustrated to be
appalling. During the era, women did not have the right to vote, sue, or possess any
kind of property under their name, although more and more women participated in
the workforce after the industrial revolution. One important point to note is that, the
feminist movement only started to gain some momentum during the last half of the
Victorian era, as feminist ideas were spread among the middle classes.
 23

In the first half of the 19 th century, by the middle to working classes of the
Victorian era, women were considered to be possession or properties, belonging to a
household, and this particular stereotype required them to provide their husbands
and family with a clean environment and food on the table. According to Alfred
(2005), “Women’s rights were extremely limited in this era, and this condition was
illustrated in the lost of ownership for their wages, all of their physical property,
and all the other cash that they have generated once they were married.”
Furthermore, they were obligated to also be the one in charge of raising the children.

If women were to be married into a household during the Victorian era, the
rights of the women will immediately be legally passed over to her husband. It was
stated under the nation’s law that a married couple will be deemed as an entity, and
the husband would be the representative for this entity, rendering him the control of
all the possessed properties, earnings, and wealth. To further illustrate the condition
of women during that time, Alfred (2005) stated that upon marriage, “Victorian
women will become not more than a property to their husbands, giving them rights
to what their bodies produced; children, sex and domestic labor.” Marriage revoked
a woman’s right over her own body, and therefore their matrimonial consent became
a contract to give herself to her husband as he desired, a contract which was
extremely difficult if not impossible to get out of during the Victorian era. In regards
to this condition, Bailey and Joanne (2007, p.144) noted that, although women’s
rights groups fought for equality and over time made strides to change rights and
privileges, “there were still many Victorian women who endured their husband's
control; including sexual violence, verbal abuse and economic deprivation” and
were given no way out.

During that time, there was even a popular belief among society that physical
activity was too dangerous and inappropriate for girls. And thus, young women were
manipulated to reserve their feeble health for the only purpose of birthing healthy
children and managing the house. What is worse is that, the physiological
differences between men and women were utilized to reinforce the societal
inequality. An anonymous female writer (1876, p.7) provided a clearer depiction for
this condition stating that during that time, women were not intended to fill male
roles, because "women are, as a rule, physically smaller and weaker than men; their
24

brain is much lighter; and they are in every way unfitted for the same amount of
bodily or mental labour that men are able to undertake."

The idea as mentioned did not just shape the way society treated women, but
also influenced a number of important issues, and one of them was women’s mental
health. In this field of study, Dr. Silas Weir Mitchell was one important figure for us
to take notice of. According to Ellenberger and Henry (2008, p.244), “Mitchell's
name became prominent after his introduction of the rest cure treatment,
subsequently taken up by the medical world, for nervous diseases, particularly
neurasthenia and hysteria.” His rest cure treatment was in particular, prescribed
mostly to female patients, telling them to rest isolated in bed and to be continuously
fed all the time. His sexist way of treatment was brought into attention by a popular
short story, “The Yellow Wallpaper,” written by Charlotte Perkin Gilman.
 CHAPTER 3

RESEARCH METHOD

In this chapter, all necessary information regarding the methodology of this

study will be thoroughly discussed. So as to facilitate a better understanding for all
the elaborations below, this chapter is divided into 5 parts; research design,
materials, instrument, data collection and data analysis.

3.1 Research Design

The methodology implemented for this study is the qualitative method,

specifically done through library research. Formal analysis regarding the text will
first be conducted in order to show how various parts of a work are welded together
to make an organic whole, before information regarding the author and environment
are included as the supporting pieces. This approach is selected because the main
argument for this thesis can only be concluded by studying all the elements within
the materials to identify how authors are manipulating them to deliver their point.

3.2 Materials

This study will be focused on the analysis of two short stories, “Diary of a
Madman” by Nikolai Gogol and “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkin
Gilman. Both of these stories depicted their main character to be plunging deeper
into madness, after being met with social exclusion while living in a society with
falsely constructed social assumption. These two stories are chosen because madness
is utilized as the central idea, and thus in regards to the topic, a study upon them can
be conducted to see if madness can really be used in literature for social criticism.

3.3 Instruments

The two instruments taken from the short stories to be analyzed are the
dialogues and narrations. Upon the extraction of essential parts related to the theme
of madness from both of these instruments, they will then be compared to another
two instruments to create a contrast for a better understanding on the discussion. The
two other instruments are the biography of both authors and historical information
regading the location for the short stories.

25
26

3.4 Data Collection Procedure

There are several sources that can be utilized to collect data for the analysis.
This research will begin by gathering data from its first source, the short story
written by Nikolai Gogol, “Diary of a Madman.” After that, more information will
then be gathered from the second source, a short story written by Charlotte Perkin
Gilman, “The Yellow Wallpaper.” These two short stories are related to the topic in a
way that both of them utilized madness as their central idea. The next step to be
taken is to thoroughly read the two short stories, in which at the same time, texts in
within the stories that correlate with the research topic will be identified and
underlined. The collected data will then be classified into types of intrinsic elements.

Figure 3.1 Chart of Data Collection

3.5 Data Analysis

In the data analysis, the procedure is outlined through this following process.
The research will begin with a thorough reading of both short stories, “Diary of a
Madman” and “The Yellow Wallpaper.” Within the texts, intrinsic elements such as
plot, characters, theme, point of view, symbols and settings will be identified and
observed. Afterwards, the collected information will then be processed by using
theories of madness according to Michel Foucault’s “Madness and Civilization” and
Lilian Feder’s “Madness in Literature.”

information that has been gathered beforehand are then structured in a way that
can be researched through the viewing eye of extrinsic approach. Intrinsic elements
within the texts are taken apart and observed individually based on thoughts and
 27

ideas from the book “Madness and Civilization” and “Madness in Literature.”
Conclusions are in the end drawn after the connection between the intrinsic and
extrinsic elements is found.

Figure 3.2 Chart of Data Analysis

28
 CHAPTER 4

RESULT AND DISCUSSION

The purpose of this chapter is to create a better understanding for discussion on

both “Diary of a Madman” and “The Yellow Wallpaper,” by analyzing thoroughly
the intrinsic elements within the short stories. Afterwards, the extrinsic elements,
such as the author’s biography and the environment in which the two pieces were
created will be discussed in accordance to theories of madness by Michel Foucault
and Lilian Feder as the foundation. As for the outline of this chapter, intrinsic
elements for “Diary of a Madman” will first be discussed before moving on to the
intrinsic elements for “The Yellow Wallpaper.” And after that, the last part of the
discussion will be regarding the utilization of madness for social criticism by the
authors of both the short stories.

4.1 Intrinsic Elements within “Diary of a Madman”

Analysis on intrinsic elements has proven to be essential for literature

elaboration as it is what is within the story that can manipulate the reader’s thought
and experience. Plot, characters, theme, point of view, symbol and settings for the
short story, “Diary of a Madman,” will be observed in this section.

4.1.1 The Plot

October 3rd as written by Poprischin in his diary marks the date of an entry in
which the story will begin. In the exposition part of the story, Poprischin, the main
character has already been established by Gogol to be an unreliable actor by
portraying him to possess unsettling qualities and train of thoughts, such as
constantly rushing around without any particular reason and making nonsensical
documents that non of his colleagues can understand. Other than being ridiculous,
Poprischin is also illustrated to be overly judgmental towards people regarding
material possessions and social ranking, an extreme form of how society was
constructed in Russia at the time.

Despite his demeaning behavior, the protagonist himself is portrayed during the
rising action part of the story to live in a bitter irony as he is in no better condition
than those he despises. He works only as a lowly paid insignificant titular councilor

29
30

whose daily job is to mend pens for his colleagues. As a participant of such
dehumanizing society which define people only by the role they serve, Poprischin is
constantly being humiliated for his livelihood and the way he looks. To make things
worse, he fell into a distressing one sided love with his director’s daughter, a love in
which substantial interactions were never made. It was even known to him later that
Sophie had already been engaged to a man with a higher ranking job, a chamberlain.

The climax took place after Poprischin Drowned deeper into his madness with
his social condition and desires unaligned, as he started to fantasize about dogs
talking in human’s language and even corresponding to each other through letters.
As a result of such fantasy, he decided to look for Fidel, Sverkoff’s pet, to get his
hand on more information regarding the director and his daughter. He managed to
forcefully snatch those letters and make a sense out of them, although he commented
the writings to be quite “doggish.”

Afterward, His journal entries got more and more incomprehensible as written
sentences and even the dates no longer make any sense. Eventually, he believed that
he was the king of Spain and that was the turning point for the changes in how
Poprischin sees the world and people around him. He is now even looking down on
that one person he admired most before, the director.

In the falling action part of the story, he decided to make himself a royal
uniform from pieces of overcoat and waited for Spanish deputies to arrive. In the
end, as the consequences for his insanity, the resolution for Poprishcin is when he
was brought to an asylum, shaved and beaten until he was pleading nonsensically for
his mother to come and save him.

4.1.2 Settings

Settings are one of several key points in trying to understand a literature as they
provide fragments of background information to the world within a story. There will
be 2 types of settings observed and analyzed in this chapter.

4.1.2.1 Setting of Place.

Although the author did not specifically write the location, he did mention
several names of the street in the story. It was written in the story that “Accordingly,
 31

I opened my umbrella and went after the two ladies. They went down Bean Street,
turned through Citizen Street and Carpenter Street, and finally halted on the Cuckoo
Bridge before a large house.” (p.5)

Since the names of the street that has been mentioned, “Bean Street, Citizen
Street, and Carpenter Street” are all real locations that can be found in Saint
Petersburg, one of the city in Russia, thus it is safe for us to conclude that the events
in the story took place in Russia. Another thing that we can learn from the story is
that, during the 19th century, the place is considered to have a really bad freezing
weather, as it was mentioned in the story to have an “abominable weather.” (p.4)

Asylum must also be considered as the setting of place, as when the story is
approaching the end, the main character was moved to an asylum. Two quotations
are taken from the book to be used as the proofs for this second location. The first
one is when Poprischin thought he was being brought to Spain, while in reality he
was being taken to an asylum, and he stated that “Over all Europe now there are
cast-iron roads.” (p.28) During the time, asylum was constructed similarly to a jail,
and from the statement, we can see that Poprishcin was being brought to a jail-like
place, and thus we may say that most probably he was brought to an aylum.

The second proof is in accordance with how Poprischin described the other
people around him, while he is being confined.

“The grandees with the shorn heads, whom I met in great numbers in the hall, were
very intelligent people, and when I exclaimed, “Gentlemen! let us save the moon, for
the earth is going to sit on it,” they all set to work to fulfil my imperial wish, and
many of them clambered up the wall in order to take the moon down.” (p.29)

From the statement above, we can see that there are people with their heads
already shorned. During the 19th century, the mad is treated similarly to a criminal
prisoner and that’s why by looking at their shaved heads, the location can be said to
either be in jail or asylum. But if we are to further look into the texts above, we will
be able to see that the people around him can be ordered illogically. It is when
Poprischin told them to save the moon, and all of them tried to clamber up the wall
to take the moon down. Judging from such irrationality, it is safe for us to say that
the story is located in an asylum.
32

4.1.2.2. settings of Time

Other than the fact that this story was written in 1835, there is no other clear
indication in the story that the events took place during the 19th century but
conclusions can be made by analyzing its social condition. The society which was
illustrated in the story bears a deep resemblance to the situation in Russia under the
reign of Czar Nicholas I. The first evidence is the implementation of heavy
censorship upon the creation of art, which can be seen from quotation below.

“I wonder the censor passed it. In the comedy lines occur which accuse the merchants
of cheating; their sons are said to lead immoral lives, and to behave very disrespectfully
towards the nobility. The critics also are criticised; they are said only to be able to find
fault, so that authors have to beg the public for protection.” (p.9)

Above is a comment made by Poprischin while he is watching a performance by

the name of “Russian House Fool.” It can be clearly seen that Poprischin is
criticizing the harsh censorship during the time, as he stated that “he wonder the
censor passed it” and “Critics are only able to find fault”. Thus, we may see that in a
sense, it does bear a resemblance with the condition of Russia during the 19th
century. And another evidence to back up the initial statement is a piece of
information mentioned in the story by Poprischin while he is commenting on a verse
inside his own head, which is “I think they are by Pushkin.” (p.7) Pushkin is a friend
of Gogol and is also a renowed writer during the 19 th century in Russia, so it
becomes easier for us to draw the timeline of the story to be around the regime of
Czar nicholas I.

4.1.3 Characters and Characterization

There are actually a total of 7 pivotal characters that must be analyzed in the
story, but since several other characters’ action are only described from the main
character’s point of view, only the protagonist’s characteristics will be explained
thoroughly. Although for the others, a brief insight will still be provided so that the
topic can be properly discussed.

4.1.3.1 Aksenty Ivanovich Poprischin (Protagonist and Narrator)

Poprischin is the main character of this story as the plot revolves around his
erratic diary entries. Poprischin is depicted to be a poor low ranking servant in
society whose only job is to mend pens for his director and colleagues, as uttered in
 33

the story by Poprischin that “I came early on purpose, sat down, and mended all the
pens.” (p.6) But ironically, Poprischin would always judge the others based on their
social status and physical feature. This can be seen from his statement when he was
judging someone he does not know in his office stating that “there some ungainly
fellow sits in a corner and writes and writes; he has such a shabby coat and such an
ugly mug that one would like to spit on both of them.” (p.3) This is the irony in the
character Poprsichin as he would judge the others disregarding his own condition.

Another important point to note regarding the characteristic of Poprischin is that

no matter how irrelevant something may be, he would always turn even his praises
into comments consisting of ideas regarding material possession or social ranking.
One such example can be seen when Poprischin assisted the director’s daughter in
retrieving her fallen handkerchief. After the picked up the handkerchief from the
floor, he stated that “ye heavenly choirs, what a handkerchief! So tender and soft, of
the finest cambric. It had the scent of a general's rank!” (p.6) We know that there is
no such thing as “the scnet of a general’s rank, and thus this event revealed
Poprischin’s obsession towards a higher social status, and this characteristic is
further emphasized when he was mad for being judged by his colleagues, stating that

“I can also work my way up. I am just forty-two—an age when a man's real career
generally begins. Wait a bit, my friend! I too may get to a superior's rank; or perhaps, if
God is gracious, even to a higher one. I shall make a name which will far outstrip yours.
You think there are no able men except yourself? I only need to order a fashionable coat
and wear a tie like yours, and you would be quite eclipsed.” (p.8)

It can be seen from the quotation above that Poprsichin kept thinking about
achieving more in term of social status and material possession comparing to his
colleagues. One of the most clearly visualized comment is when he said that “I shall
make a name which will outstrip yours.” As such is the illustration for the
characteristic of Poprischin, one who is completely obsessed with social status.

4.1.3.2 Department Chief

Being the leader in Poprischin’s department and the one who will have to
supervise his work, department chief tend to get weirded out when he is submitted
with nonsensical documents by Poprischin.

“Look here, my friend; there is something wrong with your head. You often rush about
as though you were possessed. Then you make such confused abstracts of the
34

documents that the devil himself cannot make them out; you write the title without
any capital letters, and add neither the date nor the docket-number.” (p.3)

From the statement above, we can see that the department chief did notice
something strange about Poprischin when he said that, “there is something wrong
with your head,” but he still cannot figure out the problem. Yet, he will not try to
find out why and will even be the man to harshly criticize Poprsichin.

“What do you imagine? Do you think I don't know all your tricks? Are you trying to
pay court to the director's daughter? Look at yourself and realise what you are! A
nonentity, nothing else. I would not give a kopeck for you. Look well in the glass. How
can you have such thoughts with such a caricature of a face?” (p.8)

Above is a criticism thrown by the department chief towards Poprischin when

he found out that Poprischin is in love with the director’s daughter. Harsh
judgmental words were used such as “Look at yourself and realize what you are! A
nonety, nothing else” and “how can you have such thoughts with such a caricature of
a face”. It can be seen that the department chief does not care at all about
Poprsichin’s feeling and thought, and he will just condemn him from what he is as
can be seen from the outside.

4.1.3.3 Director

Although the man has only been described through Poprischin’s point of view,
this character has proven to be important as almost throughout the story, he is
mentioned as someone who possess the quality that the main character would like to
achieve. And in the end, this character also symbolizes the turning point of attitude
for the main character.

Initially, Poprishcin would always be seen to be singing praises of his director,

by saying things such as, “The director likes to see many pens lying on his table.
What a head he must have! He continually wraps himself in silence, but I don't think
the smallest trifle escapes his eye.” (p.11) This is a statement made by Poprischin
when he saw that the director is sitting in front of his desk with several pens lying on
the table. It can be seen that the way he admired his director is not logically related
with his praises, since there is no direct relation between “the number of pens lying
on the table” with someone’s focus. Through this event, Poprsichin is depicted to
admire his director so much even when his admiration is irrelevant. But the
important point for us to notice is the immediate change of attitude from Poprischin
 35

towards his director the moment he thought that he is the king of Spain as can be
seen when he stated that “what is the director to me? Should I stand up before him.
Never. What sort of a director is he? He is a bottle-stopper, and no director. A quite
ordinary, simple bottle-stopper—nothing more.” (p.24) From this statement, we can
see that the moment Poprischin thought that he has obtained a higher social ranking,
he will immediately lose his respect towards his director. This sesrved as an example
of how shallow a feeling or a human being is appreciated in the story.

4.1.3.4 Sophie

Sophie is also never clearly depicted in the story, and the only way we can learn
about her is through the depiction from Poprischin. The first thing that we know of
her is that she has a lovely voice as described by Poprischin stating that “what a
voice. A canary bird! A real canary bird! ‘Your Excellency,’ I wanted to exclaim,
‘don't have me executed, but if it must be done, then kill me rather with your own
angelic hand.” (p.6) This is a statement made by Poprsichin after Sophie asked him
regarding the whereabout of her father. From this quotation, we can also see that
Poprsichin is madly in love with the director’s daughter and in his perspective,
Sophie is high above his own condition.

As the story unfolded, another important thing regarding Sophie that we know
of is that she is in love with a chamberlain by the name of Teploff. This can be seen
in the letters, as imagined by Poprischin to be written by Sophie’s and Teploff’s pet
dogs stating that “the young chamberlain is always here. Sophie is wildly in love
with him and her papa is quite contented.” (p.18) As such, we know Sophie that is
already in a good term with her lover, someone with a higher social ranking than
Poprischin. Her family is also happy with this soon coming marriage although, all of
this may just be false news since it may just be Poprsichin’s imagination.

4.1.3.5 Teploff

Teploff is the character that Poprishcin envies a lot as he is the rival for his love
towards Sophie. The one most important point regarding Teploff can be seen in the
letter written by Maggie, Sophie’s dog in which stated that “i heard from Gregor,
who sweeps the floor, and is in the habit of talking to himself, that the marriage will
soon be celebrated.” (p.18) From this statement, we can see that Teploff has already
36

been arranged to marry Sophie.

4.1.3.6 Fidel and Meggy

Fidel and Meggy are both dogs, pets of Sophie and Teploff. Although along the
story, we can see that both of them started to act in a humanly manner, but it is all
inside of Poprischin’s head. Following is a quotation regarding this condition.

“Meanwhile what Meggy went on to say seemed to me still more remarkable. She
added, “I wrote to you lately, Fidel; perhaps Polkan did not bring you the letter.” Now I
am willing to forfeit a whole month's salary if I ever heard of dogs writing before. This has
certainly astonished me. For some little time past I hear and see things which no other
man has heard and seen.” (p.5)

From this letter, we can see that Fidel and Meggy are according to Poprischin,
exchanging their own hand written letters regarding their life. But a more important
point as has been illustrated in the story is that Meggy is blaming someone by the
name of Polkan, who is seemingly a servant, that did not bring Fidel the letter. It is
as if Meggy posses a higher social ranking than Polkan, although it is a comparison
between a dog and human. Furthermore, Meggy is also illustrated to judge Polkan, a
human being, in regards to how and what he eat, stating that “I must confess to you
that I find no satisfaction in those large, gnawed-at bones which Polkan devours in
the kitchen.” (p.15) From this statement, we can see that even the dogs are portrayed
to see humans based on their social status, and if someone did not possess a good
social ranking during the time, he might be deemed to be lower than animal.

4.1.3.7 Grand inquisitor

After thinking that he is the king of Spain, Poprischin would be seen to wait for
his “deputies” daily to arrive at his home and pick him up, returning his title as the
king of Spain. The Grand inquisitor is the character that Poprischin thought to be his
assistant, but in reality, they are actually the guards and keepers from the asylum
where he will be locked in. This can be seen from their attitude and actions towards
Poprischin, as has been quoted below.

“The Chancellor of the State, who led me by the hand, seemed to me to behave in a
very strange way; he pushed me into a little room and said, “Stay here, and if you call
yourself ‘King Ferdinand’ again, I will drive the wish to do so out of you.” (p.28)

The guard is illustrated to push him around and to punish him if he were to call
himself King Ferdinand. We can see that Poprischin was treated really badly and
 37

punishment was administered, as if that was the only treatment for the mad to come
back to their senses.

4.1.4 Point of View

Point of view is one of the ways that can be utilized to tell a story, and to better
deliver the experience of being a madman in the story, the author utilized the first
person point of view.

“A strange occurrence has taken place to-day. I got up fairly late, and when Mawra
brought me my clean boots, I asked her how late it was. When I heard it had long
struck ten, I dressed as quickly as possible. To tell the truth, I would rather not have
gone to the office at all to-day, for I know beforehand that our department-chief will
look as sour as vinegar. ” (p.3)

These are the few sentences utilized to open the story, acting also as the first
entry for Poprischin’s journal. In the story, it is proven that the author utilized the
first person point of view, as the narrator / protagonist uses the word “I” to address
himself. The usage of the word “I” also emphasized on the fact that the author would
like the readers to experience the story first hand, rather than to have it told by
another character in the story.

Another important point for us to note is that, right from the start, the narrator’s
mental state has already been portrayed by Gogol to be questionable. This can be
seen when the department chief confronted Poprischin because of his ridiculous
works, stating that

“Look here, my friend; there is something wrong with your head. You often rush about
as though you were possessed. Then you make such confused abstracts of the document
that the devil himself cannot make them out; you write the title without any capital
letters, and add neither the date nor the docket-number.” (p.3)

As can be seen from the statement when the department chief is pointing out
Poprischin’s weird behavior, such as making “such confused abstracts of the
document,” and writing “the title without capital letters,” we know that Poprischin is
not at all that trustworthy. Such is the characteristic of the narrator that makes the
readers question his perspective on things in the story.

4.1.5 Theme

Theme is an important aspect of the story as it stands as the main idea for a
piece and most of the time, it also builds the tension from within the story. Usually,
38

after reading through the story, readers will be able to see what the author is trying to
convey. From “Diary of a madman,” it can be concluded that the main idea behind
the story is a society that views social status as the only thing important and that
becomes the souce of madness for its people. The society here can be defined by
how people interact with each other and how they would judge each other based
only on what they can see, while madness can be seen as the alienation of Poprischin
from reality throughout the story.

“I went just for the fun of the thing. The chief clerk thought I would bow humbly
before him, and make excuses; but I looked at him quite indifferently, neither angrily
nor mildly, and sat down quietly at my place as though I noticed no one. I looked at all
this rabble of scribblers, and thought, “If you only knew who is sitting among you!
Good heavens! what a to-do you would make. Even the chief clerk would bow himself
to the earth before me as he does now before the director.” (p.24)

This is a quotation to show the changes in the attitude of Poprischin after he

thought that he is the king of Spain. By stating that “even the chief clerk would bow
himself to the earth before me”, it shows that Poprischin will immediately join the
part of the society that mocks other people’s social status if he did achieve a higher
social status. Based on this, we can see how the society at large treated and
interacted with each other. It is a dehumanized society that sees people only of their
social status and material achievement.

4.1.6 Symbol

Throughout this story, there are several essential symbols that must be taken
note of. First of all is the main protagonist himself. Poprischin represents the society
at large during that time, but to make it more easily discernable, the author created
him as the extreme version of all the society members. He would be seen to make
either direct comments about another people’s social status or just think about it in
his head, for example, “There some ungainly fellow sits in a corner and writes and
writes; he has such a shabby coat and such an ugly mug that one would like to spit
on both of them,” (p.3) was a statement that Poprischin made when he was judging
his colleague that he did not get acquainted with. The thought and comment by
Poprischin is thoroughly manipulated by the author to show how people in Russia
would respond to one another at that particular time. To further emphasize on the
idea of how inhumane the society that he lives in, the second symbol utilized are
animals that can talk and write just like humans, as imagined by Poprischin.
 39

“The young chamberlain is always here. Sophie is wildly in love with him. Her papa is
quite contented. I heard from Gregor, who sweeps the floor, and is in the habit of
talking to himself, that the marriage will soon be celebrated. Her papa will at any rate
get his daughter married to a general, a colonel, or a chamberlain.” (p.18)

The astonishing part from these sentences is that, according to Poprsichin, even
the animals judge humans from their social status as can be seen from the quotation
above, taken from the letters between Meggy and Fidel. It is illustrated that the dogs
are conscious about how the director is happy to marry her daughter to someone
with a good social status, after talking about Gregor, who is defined with his job of
only sweeping the floor. Such is the harsh reality that the author tried to convey, that
if someone do not have a good social status during that time, they might deemed to
be lower than animal.

And the last symbol utilized in this story is the play watched by Poprischin,
namely “The Russian House Fool.” While watching, Poprischin made a statement
regarding the performance, as following:

“There was also a kind of musical comedy which contained amusing hits at barristers.
The language was very broad; I wonder the censor passed it. In the comedy lines
occur which accuse the merchants of cheating; their sons are said to lead immoral
lives, and to behave very disrespectfully towards the nobility.” (p.9)

First of all, what we can see from the statement above is regarding the
censorship for art, in which Poprischin say that he “wonder the censor passed it.” As
such, we know that behind the scene, the government body is the one in charge of
selecting art pieces that they deemed fit to be published. If otherwise, they will be
discarded. The second thing that we can see from the quotation is that government is
also controlling the way people behave in society. Although, the context is only
brought up from a comedy play, but if the government is censoring behaviors such
as cheating and disrespect towards the nobility, it means that the government is also
exercising control towards the way people live their daily life. Hence, From this
short excerption above, we can conclude that “The Russian House Fool” play
symbolized a government under Czar Nicholas I in which implemented a very strict
rules regarding, not only the censorship for the creation of art, but also the way
people live in society during that time.

4.2 Intrinsic Elemets of “The Yellow Wallpaper”

Similar to what has been done for the analysis on “Diary of a Madman,” all the
40

intrinsic elements such as plot, characters, point of view, theme, symbol and setting
will also be analyzed for the short story, “The Yellow Wallpaper.”

4.2.1 Plot of the Yellow wallpaper

In the exposition part of the story, Gilman depicted her protagonist and also the
narrator of the story to be facing gradual alienation from the rest of humanity as she
tried to suppress her thoughts and desires to fit into a patriarchal society, in which
prohibited woman their freedom of thoughts, imagination, and even identity. The
nameless character, as her husband and at the same time well - known physician
prescribed to be under post - partum depression after giving birth, was ordered to “
rest - cure “. Even though she believed herself to be sane, but there is nothing she
could do other than to comply. She was brought to a house, somewhere quiet and far
from the ruckuss of the city. She was forbidden to work, to interact with her
daughter, to write and as told by John, her husband “ to not indulge in her
imagination “ until she has recovered, or otherwise, she would be sent to Dr.
Mitchell.

As the story unfolded along the rising action part of the story, the protagonist
would be seen to jot down her thoughts and her condition occasionally without her
husband knowing in a diary, which served as narrative for the readers. Much less
than helping her to recover, during the treatment, the character was seen to be
drowning deeper and deeper into her own world, losing touch with the reality. She
started to take a keen interest in analyzing the pattern of the yellow wallpaper inside
her room which she initially loathed to the core. In her own reasoning, she then
started suspecting John and Jennie, her sister in-law to have taken the same interest
towards the wallpaper and thus, tried to stop them from touching it.

Soon after concluding that the shape on the wallpaper is a woman, she then
started to picture her coming out of the wallpaper, creeping everywhere around the
house. The climax too place when in the end, she assumed herself as the woman
behind the wallpaper and started strip off all the wallpapers in her bedroom.

The falling action took place when the protagonist who is already mad, crept
around the house as if she is finally free from all her constrictions. The resolution for
the story is that John was taken aback by the scene of his wife creeping around the
 41

room and fainted.

4.2.2 Settings

In order to provide necessary background information regarding this second

short story, two types of settings will also be analyzed here.

4.2.2.1 Setting of Place

This story is situated in America, specifically in a deserted house far from all the
other villages. This quotation below from the story is the narrator’s opinion
regarding the house and it will provide evidences for the previous statements.

“The most beautiful place! It is quite alone, standing well back from the road, quite
three miles from the village. It makes me think of English places that you read about,
for there are hedges and walls and gates that lock, and lots of separate little houses for
the gardeners and people.” (p. 648)

Focusing on the narrator’s thought about how the house is standing “three miles
from the village” and “there are hedges and walls and gates that lock,” we can see
that the house is quite isolated, and was constructed to have locks as if it is a
confinement for someone before. Furthermore, although it is a very large house with
a beautiful garden, there are only two rooms in this house, and the protagonist was
forced to live in one with wallpaper that she absolutely hated, as can be seen from
her opinion regarding the wallpaper. In commenting the motif, she stated that “one
of those sprawling flamboyant patterns committing every artistic sin.” (p.648) From
this one sentence, we can see that the protagonist not only hated the looks of the
wallpaper but is also annoyed with it. Another opinion from the narrator to further
describe this wallpaper stating that, “The color is repellant, almost revolting; a
smouldering unclean yellow, strangely faded by the slow-turning sunlight.” As such
is the condition of the wallpaper according to the narrator, hideous and disgusting.

4.2.2.2 Setting of Time

From what we can see in the story, it is written to take place in the 19 th century
during the Victorian era. Although it is not clearly mentioned, but we can try to
make an estimation for the timeline of the story. One of the information that we will
be using is a prescription for the narrator’s depression, the rest-cure treatment, which
is a very popular treatment prescribed by doctor for women during the 19 th century.
42

This can be seen when the narrator tried to convince herself to follow her husband’s
instructions stating that she will “take phosphates or phosphites whichever it is, and
tonics, and journeys, and air, and exercise, and am absolutely forbidden to ‘work’
until I am well again.” (p.648) Such is the description of treatment for the narrator,
hence the story most probably did take place in the 19th century.

Another evidence in support of the previously determined time setting is that

there is a dialogue mentioning the name of a doctor by the name of Dr. Mitchell, a
physician who was famous during the 19th century. The protagonist was told by her
husband that if she “don't pick up faster” he shall send her “to Weir Mitchell in the
fall.” (p.650) Dr. Silas Weir Mitchell, the country’s leading specialist in nervous
disorder during the 19th century, is the one who coined the term rest cure treatment.
In this treatment, the patients are forced into inactivity, since Dr. Mitchell believe
that depression on women is brought by too much mental activity.

4.2.3 Characters and chatracterization

There are 4 characters to be analyzed in this short story. There characters are
chosen to be elaborated based on their contribution towards the creation of this story.

4.2.3.1 Narrator

The name of the narrator is never mentioned in the story, and this piece of
information itself is already very important for us to take notice of. According to
Dock (1998, p.22-23), “The Yellow Wallpaper” was essentially Gilman’s response
towards her doctor, Dr. Silas Weir Mitchell, who tried to cure her of her depression,
but instead, worsened her condition. Hence, it is definite that there might be a
possibility for the narrator to be an illustration of Gilman herself in reality. And since
women, especially female writers were highly oppressed in the past, that might be
the reason for the exclusion of the character’s name, as opposed to using her own
name to be the character.

Another thing that we know of about the narrator is that she is a wife to a
renowed physician, having just gave birth and suffering from post partum
depression. Below is a quotation from the narrator as a proof for the previous
statement.
 43

“You see he does not believe I am sick! If a physician of high standing, and one's own
husband, assures friends and relatives that there is really nothing the matter with one
but temporary nervous depression …?” (p.648)

Above is an excerpt from the narrator’s journal when she was talking about her
own condition. The first thing that we can see is that the narrator is actually
conscious of her own condition, as she stated that her husband “does not believe”
that she is sick. The next thing we can see is that she is talking about a physician of
high standing, which is actually her husband.

Other than that, the Narrator is illustrated to be a writer with a great fondness
for writing. She would love to spend her time inside her imagination and pour her
thoughts on paper. Furthemore, she believed that writing can actually be a cure for
her condition, as she wrote about this in her journal, stating that “i think sometimes
that if I were only well enough to write a little it would relieve the press of ideas and
rest me.” (p.649) As such is the condition of the narrator, forced to rest even when
all she wanted is to write.

And even when she does disagree with her husband’s rest-cure treatment, in the
end she will have to comply because other than the fact that her husband is a famous
physician, during the Victorian Era, women are obliged to follow their husband’s
instructions. Another quotation from her journal is added here to illustrate the
condition in which she tried to assure her husband of her own condition but to no
avail, stating that “Personally, I disagree with their ideas. Personally, I believe that
congenial work, with excitement and change, would do me good. But what is one to
do?” (p.648) The statement above shows us the helplessness of the narrator in going
against, not only her husband, but also the whole patriarchal society.

She eventually did try to write behind her husband’s back, jotting down her
thoughts to relieve herself. But because of the heavy opposition, even writing
becomes an activity that is exhausting for her. She wrote down in her journal stating
that “I did write for a while in spite of them; but it does exhaust me a good deal-
having to be so sly about it, or else meet with heavy opposition.” (p.648) These
sentences further illustrate the oppression towards the narrator in voicing out her
opinion as a female member of the society.

At the end of the story, the narrator was illustrated to delve deeper into her
44

madness and lost herself during the time. She thought that she was the woman
behind the wallpaper who has successfully broken out of the wallpaper. At the end of
the event, she told her husband that "I've got out at last," said I," in spite of you and
Jane? And I've pulled off most of the paper, so you can't put me back!" (p.656) This
is to show that her depression has taken over her mind, and in the chase for her own
freedom, she finally found it in her own madness.

4.2.3.2 John

In the story, John is illustrated to be the narrator’s husband and also a very
renowed doctor during that time. This can be seen from how he is being confident
about himself in analyzing his wife’s condition, stating that “I am a doctor, dear, and
I know. You are gaining flesh and color, your appetite is better, I feel really much
easier about you.” (p.652) By reminding the narrator that he is a doctor, other than
telling her that he does not need her opinion, John is also exercising control over the
narrator’s thought and behavior.

But even so, John actually loved his wife a lot, and this can be seen from how
he treated her. When the narrator is telling John about her condition, John replied
that “Bless her little heart!" said he with a big hug, "she shall be as sick as she
pleases! But now let's improve the shining hours by going to sleep, and talk about it
in the morning!” (p.652) As can be seen from this quotation, John is actually very
patient towards his wife and he would do whatever he can to help her get better.

But still, since this story is set to be in the Victorian era, John is depicted to treat
the narrator as if she was a kid. This can be seen when the narrator refused to stay in
the room while John tried to coax her into staying. The quotation according to the
narrator stated that “he took me in his arms and called me a blessed little goose, and
said he would go down cellar, if I wished, and have it whitewashed into the
bargain.” (p.649) The action of calling the narrator as a “blessed little goose” while
taking her in his arms is how John is placing himself in a superior, paternal position
from which he denies the validity of the narrator’s perception of her own
experiences and well-being.

4.2.3.3 Jennie

Jennie is John’s sister, who came to help manage the house and limit the
 45

narrator’s behavior during the course of the narrator’s illness. According to the
narrator, because of Jennie’s existence, now she has nothing to do since everything
has been done by Jennie. One statement made by the narrator in regards to this
condition, stated that “Of course I didn't do a thing. Jennie sees to everything now.”
(p.650) The way that “Jennie sees to everything” is actually a statement to show that
Jennie acted as the opposition of the narrator, in which she behaved similarly to the
majority of women during the Victorian era. The main responsibility for a woman
during that time is to assist the male in managing and taking care of the house for
their families. As such, Jennie appeared to be bound by her brother’s concrete view
of the world, although she is the only one who tried to look at the wallpaper, as an
attempt to understand the narrator’s fascination. But in the end, Jennie ultimately
aligned herself with her more rational brother.
4.2.3.4 Weir Silas Mitchell

Weir Silas Mitchell, as the doctor who popularized the rest-cure treatment, was
only briefly referred to in the story but significant nevertheless. In the story, John
can be seen to tell the narrator that she will be brought to Dr. Mitchell if she did not
recover fast enough.

“John says if I don't pick up faster he shall send me to Weir Mitchell in the fall. But I
don't want to go there at all. I had a friend who was in his hands once, and she says
he is just like John and my brother, only more so!” (p.650)

From the quotation above, we can see that the narrator is very reluctant and
rejective about being brought to doctor Mitchell, as she described him to be “just
like John and” her “brother, only more so!” The statement just like John took the
meaning of being someone who forced her to stick to her rest-cure treatment, and
thus, we know that Dr. Mitchell is someone who will force her even harder in going
through the rest-cure treatment. Furthermore, the character of Dr. Mitchell was
actually not a literary invention but a real figure in the author’s life. In 1887, doctor
Weir Mitchell was the doctor in charge of the author’s “nervous condition” at his
Philadelphia sanatorium, in which the treatment was proven to be extremely
unsuccessful and instead harmful.

4.2.4 Point of View

Point of view is one of the ways that can be utilized to tell a story, and to better
46

deliver the experience of being a madman in the story, the author utilized the first
person point of view. Below is an excerpt from the narrator’s journal.

“I sometimes fancy that in my condition if I had less opposition and more. Society and
stimulus - but John says the very worst thing I can do is to think about my condition,
and I confess it always makes me feel bad..” (p.648)

It is proven in the story that the author utilized the first person point of view, as
the narrator and protagonist use the word “I” to address herself. The usage of the
word “I” also emphasizes on the fact that the author would like the readers to
experience the story first hand, rather than to have it told by another member in the
story. By utilizing the word “I” as can be seen in the story, readers are expected to
feel the oppression and helplessness as being felt by the narrator living as a woman
during the Victorian era.

Similar to the narrator in “Diary of a Madman,” we can also see that the story
teller in “The Yellow Wallpaper” is an unreliable character. One quotation below to
depict this condition as has been written in the story.

“if a physician of high standing, and one's own husband, assures friends and relatives
that there is really nothing the matter with one but temporary nervous depression - a
slight hysterical tendency - what is one to do?” (647)

The statement is made by the narrator in describing how her husband did not
believe in her, although she had tried to convince him of her own condition. By
stating that her husband who is also “a physician of high standing” believed her to
be suffering from “nervous depression,” it gives the readers a hint of the narrator
being an unreliable one.

4.2.5 Theme

From the short story “The Yellow Wallpaper,” it can be concluded that the main
idea behind the story is that people must be allowed to express themselves. With a
stifling society that denied women of their freedom for expression, it is only natural
that a mental breakdown from within will occur.

“He is very careful and loving, and hardly lets me stir without special direction. I have
a schedule prescription for each hour in the day; he takes all care from me, and so I feel
basely ungrateful not to value it more.” (p.648)

From this one quotation above, there are so many things that we can see and one
of them is that John has basically taken control over his wife’s life, directing and
 47

limiting things as he wished. The statement “hardly let me stir without special
direction” clearly depicted a situation where the narrator have no choices to make
for her own life. The narrator, although being a writer, was limited to have any
opinion and the only thing that she can do is to follow all the orders given to her.
And to make things worse, the narrator stated that she will feel “ungrateful not to
value it more.” This futher emphasized on the fact that woman during the Victorian
Era were so opressed that they were even taught to be sorry even when she was
being controlled.

4.2.6 Symbol

There are several essential symbols to be taken note of for the analysis of this
short story. First, is the room where most of the occurences in the story took place.
As has been mentioned in the story, the house that they live in is located far away
from the other villages, and in their room, the windows are barred. The author seems
to intentionally illustrate this place to be a jail for the narrator to be put into.

“The most beautiful place! It is quite alone, standing well back from the road, quite
three miles from the village. It makes me think of English places that you read about,
for there are hedges and walls and gates that lock, and lots of separate little houses
for the gardeners and people.” (p.648)

As can be seen from the quotation above, although the narrator did say that it is
a beautiful place, but she did also mention that it is far away from all the other
villages, and that is why we know that the place is isolated from human’s
civilization. And the hedges, walls, and gates, all of those can be identified as the
symbol for confinement. Thus, they can mean both the confinement of the body and
the illustation of the narrator’s limited freedom and inner consciousness.

The second symbol is the yellow wallpaper itself. As has been stated by the
narrator in her journal , she depicted the colour of the wallpaper to be the “strangest
yellow” and “not beautiful ones like buttercups, but old foul, bad yellow things.”
(p.654) As the story unfolded with problems surrounding the Yellow wallpaper, the
statement above then stood as a very important piece of information for this
analysis. the wallpaper can be a represention of the structure and tradition of a
family, in which the narrator finds herself trapped. Wallpaper is domestic and
humble, and by depicting it as “not beautiful” and “old foul, bad yellow things,”
Gilman skillfully uses this nightmarish, hideous paper as a symbol of the domestic
48

life that traps so many women.

The third essential symbol in the story is the woman behind the wallpaper that
only the narrator can see. As was stated in the story, “And it is like a woman
stooping down and creeping about behind that pattern,” (p.652) The woman behind
the wallpaper represented the narrator's repressed self that she envisioned as a
prisoner in the domestic sphere of her life. The action of “stooping down and
creeping about” can be seen as things that someone would do if they are looking for
a way out. Similar to the narrator, she was trying to look for a way out and to
become free, hence the more that she focused on this wallpaper, the more it will take
shape as the narrator herself.

4.3 The Implementation of Foucault’s Madness and Civilization

In this part of the research, extrinsic approach as an attempt to better understand

the connection between the writing and the environment under which a literature is
produced, will be utilized. By using the ideas and thoughts from the book “Madness
and Civilization” by Michel Foucault, analysis and discussion regarding the society
during the time of creation can finally be done. This will include a detailed
elaboration on the condition of the society members, social construction, and the
marginalization of society members in regards of their basic rights and principle.
The result will provide this study a step forward towards the interpretation of the
author’s purpose.

4.3.1 The society

A society is commonly defined as a group of people who either voluntarily or

involuntarily participated in a persistent social interaction while sharing the same
geographical or social territory, typically being subjected to the same political
authority, and social construction. Another defining characteristic of a society is that
it consists of people who share a certain distinctive culture and institution. Briggs
(2000, p.9), as he quoted from Adam Smith, gave a more generalized definition for
society, stating that a society “may subsist among different men, as among different
merchants, from a sense of its utility without any mutual love or affection, if only
they refrain from doing injury to each other.”

As a particular collaborative member of the group make progresses, all the

 49

members in within a society will most likely receive the impact of that action,
whether it may be benefitting or regressing. In regards to this section of the study,
there are 2 essential points that will be discussed. These 2 main points are the social
construction in which limited the people of their basic principle and the
discrimination towards a certain group from society.

4.3.1.1 Social Construction

Social construction is an idea that is widely agreed and accepted among the
society as something natural, but may not represent a reality shared by those outside
the society. According to Hurwitz (2009,p892), “Social construction or more
commonly known as the social construction of reality is a joint effort of all members
within a society to create a common understanding of the world, that will in the end
create the foundation for shared assumption regarding certain issues in reality.” In
the idea itself, civil value and norms are created, in which stand as the indication for
the whole society. It is also important to note that as an idea, it might at the same
time be beneficial and also regressing for different members in a society.

4.3.1.2 The Discriminated

A treatment can be considered to be discrimination when the action is in favor

of or works against a certain member of society, based on their gender, religion or
other categories. The differences might not really matter but it is how the society
perceives them to be that might become an issue for a certain group of people.
According to Norton & Company (2009, p.334), “It involves the group's initial
reaction or interaction going on to influence the individual's actual behavior,
restricting members of one group from opportunities or privileges that are available
to another group,” in which will in the end lead to the social exclusion of the
individual or entities based on “logical or irrational decision making.”

4.3.2 Social Construction Within “Diary of a Madman.”

During the reign of Czar Nicholas I in the first half of the 19 th century, Russia's
economic condition developed more slowly than all of the other major European
nations to its west, but Russia's population was substantially larger than those of the
50

more developed Western countries. This situation created an extremely harsh

environment for people to survive, not to mention to attain a better living standard
by moving up in social strata. Because of this, the society there adapted the way of
life in which the way they see and judge people revolve around their social standing
and material posessions instead of who they really are as human beings. As such is
an illustration of how Russia’s society was dehumanized during that time. Provided
below are the elaborations of these ideas as being told in the story.

Since the people are the most important aspects of a society, this part will begin
by looking at the characters in within the writing. First of all is the narrator and
protagonist, Poprischin. Regardless of him being mad, Poprischin is successfully
made as an example of Russian during that period by being portrayed as the most
extreme version of them. He often, ironically, disregarded his own fiscal and
physical condition and criticized all the people around him with disrespectful
manner. For example, in judging his colleague, he stated that “There some ungainly
fellow sits in a corner and writes and writes; he has such a shabby coat and such an
ugly mug that one would like to spit on both of them.” (p.3)

As can be seen from the quotation above, it is clear that Poprischin does not
know much about the man that he is judging, and he just described him as an
”ungainly fellow” without mentioning his name. But the thing is he talked, as if the
man is nothing just by looking at what he do and possess, saying that he “ sits in a
corner and writes and writes” and “he has such a shabby coat and such an ugly mug
that one would like to spit on both of them.” Such is the portrayal of Poprischin, thus
It is not at all surprising that all the other people around him talk in more or less the
same demeaning tone. One example below is a quotation of how his department
chief judged Poprischin.

“Look at yourself and realise what you are! A nonentity, nothing else. I would not
give a kopeck for you. Look well in the glass. How can you have such thoughts with
such a caricature of a face?” (p.8)

The way he told Poprischin that he is a “nonety” showed us how inhumane a

society can be, by stomping on another with lower social ranking and disregarding
people’s feeling. And when all of them interacted in such an abhorent manner, it is
definitely Predictable that when Poprischin was put to face against his director, he
will instantly change into a person full of admiring praises.
 51

“The director likes to see many pens lying on his table. What a head he must have!
He continually wraps himself in silence, but I don't think the smallest trifle escapes
his eye.” (p.11)

This quotation was taken when Poprischin saw his director sitting inside the
office. Notice how his complimentary words have no connection with what the
directors did. The way Poprischin linked the two things, “many pens lying on the
table” and nothing “escapes his eyes”, is totally irrelevant. And thus, the quotation
above showed us how Poprischin will change his attitude immediately when going
against someone who possess a better social status. We can also observe how the
socially constructed reality is affecting the members of the society, in regards of
their basic human’s needs for affection. And to better illustrate this point, the author
has also provided the readers with a perspective to Poprischin’s love life as well. In
the story, Poprischin can be seen to be flattering the woman he love by comparing
her to a social status, stating that “Ye heavenly choirs, what a handkerchief! So
tender and soft, of the finest cambric. It had the scent of a general's rank!” (p.6)
This event took place when Poprsichin assisted the director’s daughter in retrieving
her handkerchief. Notice the strange use of “general’s rank” in describing the scent
from the handkerchief. And thus, it is sensible for us to say that this is the author’s
emphasis on the society’s obsession towards social status.

In order to further illustrate the idea of regressing social construction, even the
dogs that Poprischin think can write letters just like human, criticize people around
them without hesitation. Below is the quotation from one of those letters.

“I cannot understand, my dear, what is the pleasure in going to a ball. She comes
home from the ball at six o'clock in the early morning, and to judge by her pale and
emaciated face, she has had nothing to eat. I could, frankly speaking, not endure such
an existence.” (p.10)

This is an excerpt of one letter from Meggy to Fidel, and the “she” in the
sentences is the director’s daughter, Sophie. Although Meggy itself is a pet of
Sophie’s, we can see that it is actually criticizing the way that Sophie live, by saying
that “I could, frankly speaking, not endure such an existence.” This might be done
because the author is trying to imply that the society is interacting in such a
horrendous mental state, in which might be worse than the animals. To further
support this statement, there is another thing that we can see from the letter and that
is the sentence “she comes home from the ball at six o’clock in the morning.” As
52

such, we know that Sophie is actually partying all day long before she finally came
home. It was also stated that Sophie came home with “emaciated face” as if “she has
had nothing to eat” and as such, we can see that the party might be horrible, but she
still attended it anyway as a from of social participation. This in the end, can be seen
as a criticism towards the society of Russia, in which during that time, although the
majority of people were financially poor and unstable, there were also the rich
minority who only spent their life partying away.

Either way, one thing to be sure is that, all of this pointed out to the fact that all
the members of the society during that time did concede to the idea that social
standing and material possession are the most important aspects of a human’s
identity. One last evidence from the story in support of this thought is that while
watching the performance “The Russian-House Fool” in theatre, Poprischin can be
seen to be thinking about the censorship.

“The language was very broad; I wonder the censor passed it. In the comedy lines
occur which accuse the merchants of cheating; their sons are said to lead immoral
lives, and to behave very disrespectfully towards the nobility.” (p.9)

Notice the part about being disrespectful towards the nobility. It is essential to
be reminded that when Czar Nicholas I was in charge of the nation, he took control
over most of the art content created by Russian artist. Hence, we can safely conclude
that, even the government was also strongly promoting the importance of respect
towards people of higher social status.

4.3.3 The Discriminated in “Diary of a Madman.”

As has been illustrated regarding the social construction of Russia during the
19th century, people who lived without a prefferable social ranking and material
posessions will have to undergo brutal discrimination. As such, the protagonist in
“Diary of a Madman” is among those who are socially excluded from the society,
since what he held is only a low ranking job, in which consist of only mending pens
for his colleagues. Regarding this, it is stated in Poprischin’s journal that “i was as
usual in the office. I came early on purpose, sat down, and mended all the pens.”
(p.6) From this sentence, we can see that Poprischin’s job is almost of no importance
and because of this, he is constantly criticized by his colleagues, and among them is
his department chief.
 53

“Consider well. You are already past forty; it is quite time to be reasonable. What do
you imagine? Do you think I don't know all your tricks? Are you trying to pay court to
the director's daughter? Look at yourself and realise what you are! A nonentity, nothing
else. I would not give a kopeck for you. ” (p.8)

Above is a statement by department chief in criticizing Poprischin’s career. By

telling Poprischin to be “reasonable” in his age of already passing fourty, he is
actually saying that Poprischin should be ashamed of his job, in which consist only
of mending pens for the others. And to further emphasize on the fact that social
status is regarded to be very important in the society, the department chief added
that, because of his job, he should not try to “pay court to the director’s daughter.”
As such, we can see that there are very clearly portrayed social exclusion, since
people without good social position are prohibited to stay in close contact with
someone of greater ranking.

These two quotations from the story above portrayed the condition that
Poprischin is in when he is put into a social circle, being constantly demeaned and
ridiculed. He is deprived of all his human rights, just because the society assumed an
idea to be the truth. To put things in perspective, In reality, during the 19 th century,
there were a tremendous amount of people who suffered the same fate as the narrator
since the nation itself was facing economical stagnation. And with this, we may
safely draw a conclusion that the author wanted to show readers the cruelty of the
society in Russia during the 19th century.

4.3.4 Social Construction Within “The Yellow Wallpaper.”

During the 19th century, although America was flourishing with the increase of
its national power and wealth, the nation at the time is illustrated to possess the most
appaling social conditions. But, as to not stray away from the purpose of this
chapter, the only discussed issues will only be the ones in regard to the marginalized
women’s rights.

During the Victorian era, women became the object of repression, the second
class citizen, and a feeble member of society who is easily susceptible to mental
illness. Rights and privileges of Victorian women were limited, and both single and
married women had hardships and disadvantages they had to live with. The only
thing that they were taught to do was to be docile and to learn how to manage a
home. Another important note for this story regarding the mad is that, most of the
54

women who reported themselves to be sick to doctors are either dismissed or to have
themselves diagnosed with mild hysteria. Such are the condition of women during
the Victorian era, and below are the illustrations of these ideas as being told by
Gilman in the story.

Similar to what have been done in the previous discussion, this chapter will also
start by discussing the narrator and protagonist of the story. To perfectly capture the
condition of women during that time, Gilman depicted her character to be a married
woman, although living in a loving family, but was at the time suffering from post-
partum depression. She was portrayed to be very docile towards her husband and
will follow whatever she was told to do, even if she doesn’t approve of it.

“If a physician of high standing, and one's own husband, assures friends and relatives
that there is really nothing the matter with one but temporary nervous depression - a
slight hysterical tendency - what is one to do?” (p.648)

Above is a quotation from the narrator’s journal, in which showed us that she is
helpless of what to do since her husband, who is also “a physician of high standing,”
has determined her condition to be a “tendency” for hysteria. The narrator did try to
tell him of her own condition but he will not believe it. One thing that we need to
remember is that during the Victorian era, most of the women who came to the
doctors were told that they were suffering only from slight hysteria.

This condition as has been stated, revealed the fact that there is no room for
discussion between the narrator and her husband. Even when she just wanted to
write, as pouring her thoughts on paper might be the only activity that could make
her feel better, she will have to hide it from him. This can be seen when the narrator
wrote in her journal, stating that “I did write for a while in spite of them; but it does
exhaust me a good deal-having to be so sly about it, or else meet with heavy
opposition.” (p.648) Writing is basically communicating opinion through written
texts, hence by looking at the previous statement, we can conclude that the narrator
is harshly oppressed because she is forbidden to write, or else she will have to “meet
with heavy opposition.” It is never mentioned in the story of how she will be
oppossed by her husband, but judging by her fear, the consequences could be dire,
and that is why the narrator in the end chose to comply with her husband.

To further emphasize on the idea that women is weak, her husband is portrayed
 55

to only keep patronizing her without really taking her words and advices into
consideration. He is also depicted to give him several nicknames, which are in a
sense, diminishing the very importance of her existence. Regarding this, it is stated
in the narrator’s journal that “he took me in his arms and called me a blessed little
goose, and said he would go down cellar, if I wished, and have it whitewashed into
the bargain.” (p.649) By looking at how her husband took the narrator “in his arms”
and called her “a little blessed goose,” we may say that her husband is actually
exerting a paternal-like control over his wife. Such is the condition of the narrator,
being regarded only as a child with no capacity to voice out her opinion.

And to better put things into perspective for readers, Gilman did also create a
character with the name of Jennie, John’s sister, who fulfilled all the criteria of being
a good woman during the Victorian era. The narrator wrote in her journal that “Of
course I didn't do a thing. Jennie sees to everything now.” In a sense, Jennie is a total
contradiction to the narrator, as she assisted John in taking care of the house, kid,
and also the narrator herself. Since the responsibility of women during the 19 th
century was only to assist their husband in household affairs, the character of Jennie
further emphasized on the way women should be acting during the time and how the
narrator is being different from the majority of the society.

In addition to all of the given information, since this short story acted also as
Gilman’s own semi-biography, she created a character who is actually a real person,
a doctor who has treated her in real life. That character is Dr. Mitchell, a doctor who
was notorious for his rest-cure method, a treatment that was proven to be
unsuccessful and harmful. What makes it worse is that the treatment was mostly
prescribed for his female patients, as during the 19th century, women are considered
to be mentally weak, and too much activity will the main cause for their mental
breakdown. In his prescription, the patient is forced to have an absolute bed-rest and
to do nothing other than being fed abundantly.

This character appeared in the story when the narrator is explaining how her
husband has threatened her, and the quotation is as following.

“John says if I don't pick up faster he shall send me to Weir Mitchell in the fall. But I
don't want to go there at all. I had a friend who was in his hands once, and she says he
is just like John and my brother, only more so!” (p.650)
56

The narrator can be seen to show unwillingness towards the suggestion since
she knew that John’s prescription is already bad for her, and she described Dr.
Mitchell to be “just like John” but “only more so”. During the 19 century, although
renowed, the treatment of Dr. Mitchell was highly biased againt his female patients.
And by looking at how the presence of Dr. Mitchell is used to threaten the narrator,
we can conclude that the female members of society were during the Victorian era,
repressed under a falsely constructed reality.

4.3.5 The Discriminated in “The Yellow Wallpaper.”

As has been illustrated above regarding the condition of women during the
Victorian era, we now know that women were being constantly and brutally
discriminated, and even deprived of their basic human rights. Since gender has never
been a choice for humans to make, the reality in which the society has constructed
can definitely be deemed unfair. This is what the protagonist in the story has been
illustrated to undergo during that time.

“I don't know why I should write this. I don't want to. I don't feel able. And I know
John would think it absurd. But I must say what I feel and think in some way - it is
such a relief!” (p.651)

As can be seen when story unfolded, the narrator went through a lot of
contradictions in her mind, in comparing her own opinion against the reality that she
is in. By stating that “i don’t know why i should write this” and “John would think it
absurd,” we can feel the dilemma the narrator is in and there is no way her thought
can be communicated to her husband. As such, we can see that women’s right were
during that time, oppressed by men after their marriage. In reality, during the 19 th
century, all female members of society were largely subjected to this kind of hurtful
paradigm. And to further illustrate how the falsely constructed reality has affected
women, the narrator stated that “I don’t want to. I don’t feel able to.” These two
particular utterances have certainly illustrated how women were pushed to
submission and in the end silence after going through all the opposittion.

4.4 The Implementation of Lilian Feder’s “Madness in Literature.”

It has always been true that authors utilized their writings in order to criticize
 57

certain value and norm in society. In this part of the discussion, a better depiction
regarding the use of madness in literature for this purpose will be elaborated. One
thing to remember before the presentation is that, although it might be true that
according to Foucault (2001, p.183), madness comes from within an individual who
is unable to achieve a reality that he so violently desires, but if a person’s only desire
is to acquire not more than his or her basic human rights which are restricted by a
certain inevitable social construction, it then becomes unfair if the blame was to be
put on tthem. Hence, this is what Gogol and Gilman were trying to criticize and the
arguments will be further illustrated below.

4.4.1 Madness Utilized for Social Criticism in “Diary of a Madman”

Gogol utilized his protagonist’s journal as a narrative for readers, in which it’s
entries got more and more erratic throughout the story. By exploiting and
manipulating the madness in his character, Gogol succeeded in both illustrating the
world from his point of view and having the readers emphatize with his character
when he was forced to go along with the cruel society.

Unrelentlessly, Gogol depicted his protagonist to be plunging deeper into

madness after being constantly critized and identified only by his social status and
and physical appearances.

“Look at yourself and realise what you are! A nonentity, nothing else. I would not give
a kopeck for you. Look well in the glass. How can you have such thoughts with such a
caricature of a face?” (p.8)

Above is a quotation when Poprischin is criticized by his department chief in

regards to his job and social position. As can be seen from the statement, Poprischin
is harshly criticized by being told to realize that he himself is “a nonety, nothing
else.” In general, this is how the society during that time viewed Poprischin and all
the people with fate similar to his. But the cruelty did not stop just there because
after criticizing his job, the department chief proceeded to humiliate his physical
feature by stating that he has “a caricature of a face.” These two degrading
criticisms, in reality, are among the greatest desperation faced by the majority of
Russian during that time and by Gogol, it was modified to be a criticism thrown
towards the unfairness of value and norms held by a dehumanized society in which
no longer interacted as if people are human beings with emotions and thoughts. To
58

further support this statement, a quotation below is taken from the story to show how
even the basic human’s needs for love is being deprived because of the falsely
created social construction.

“Still I succeeded in picking up the handkerchief. Ye heavenly choirs, what a

handkerchief! So tender and soft, of the finest cambric. It had the scent of a general's
rank!” (p.6)

The event for this quotation took place when Poprischin assisted the director’s
daughter in retrieving her fallen handkerchief. Upon retrieving, Poprischin is
immediately full of praises for the handkerchief’s scent, but the thing is, he praised
the fragrance as if social status can represent a descriptive word, by stating that “it
had the scent of a general’s rank.” This is to show us that the false reality as
perceived and agreed upon by society has rooted so deeply into its people that it was
affecting even their smallest details in life.

By utilizing the story and plot, Gogol has so skillfully illustrated the social
condition of Russian during that time. But even so, the elaboration for the utilization
of the “mad” characteristic does not stop there as the depth of Gogol’s character in
literature explained so much more. One opinion quoted from Feder (1980.p4) in
support of this truth is as following.

“In literature, the mad protagonist not only symbolizes but reveals the very psychic
processess that account for strange and violent behavior and the inextricble connection
of such processs with the most ordinary relationship and conduct of life.”

As can be seen from Feder’s opinion, the mad in literature must be able to
symbolize the most ordinary conduct of life and such is the creation for Gogol’s
character. As a member of a dehumanized society, Poprischin in the state of being a
madman, is illustrated to take the extreme form of people being judgemental and full
of obsession towards social ranking. Although, if the foundation for the reason
behind this is observed, readers will be able to see that Poprischin is actually not
ridiculous for acting the way he was in the story. To put it simpler, Poprischin might
not be mad, but he just held much stonger the beliefs constructed by society. If he is
considered to be mad, then it must also sensible for us to say that madness prevails
over the entirety of the society that he lives in.

Other than the use of human beings, Gogol also utilized dogs as his characters
namely, Meggy and Fidel. In the story, both of them can be seen to write letters for
 59

each other as if they are human beings, but what should be the focus of our attention
is the content of those letters. Written in within one of those letters is a statement, “I
must confess to you that I find no satisfaction in those large, gnawed-at bones which
Polkan devours in the kitchen.” (p.15) From these sentences, we can see that even
the pets are criticizing and disparaging human beings, specifically Polkan the
servant, for how he is gnawing only “bones.” The idea that if animals can talk, they
will also criticize human beings for their social position in society, emphasized a lot
more in regards to Gogol’s criticism towards the society.

Last but not least is Gogol’s criticism towards the asylum during the 19 th
century. Below is a quotation from the time when Poprischin is jailed for his
behavior.

“My head was shorn, although I exclaimed as loudly as I could, that I did not want to
be a monk. What happened afterwards, when they began to let cold water trickle on my
head, I do not know. I have never experienced such hellish torments.” (p.30)

From this quotation, we can see that Poprischin’s head was forcefully shorn as
he stated that he “did not want to be a monk.” This served as a proof that there is no
communication between the mad and the people in charge of the asylum.
Furthermore, the condition is worsened by all the “hellish torments” that he had to
go through, one of them specifically being trickled with cold water. The mad are
being punished as if madness is a choice made by themselves.

From these two quotations, we can see that during the 19 th century, asylum is
basically a confinement for the mad, and punishment was addressed as if it was the
only treatment for the mad, so that they will come to their senses. The idea behind
the loss of discourse because of this treament is what precisely Gogol tried to
criticize, and thus at the end of the story, rather than making Poprischin better, he
made Poprischin to be even more nonsensical. Poprsichin is illustrated to be
pleading to his mother, stating that “Mother, mother, have pity on your sick child!
And do you know that the Bey of Algiers has a wart under his nose?” (p.32)

This criticism by Gogol does actually align with what Foucault (preface to the
1961 edition) sees to be the truth in society stating that “the language of psychiatry,
which is a monologue by reason about madness, could only have come into
existence in such silence.” The silence in this statement can be regarded as the
60

implication for the unheard pleading and screaming under the harsh treatment of the
authority in the asylum.

4.4.2 Madness Utilized for Social Criticism in “The Yellow Wallpaper”

Although both of them are criticizing different social construction established in

different location, Gilman’s writing and Gogol’s story possess several similar
qualities, and one of which is the use of first person point of view upon the narrator
who is also the “mad” main character. Throughtout the story, readers are being
carefully guided by Gilman to see the world, not only in the view of her mad
protagonist, but also Gilman’s own perspective of this society. She skillfully took
readers for a ride in her main character’s inner thought to portray how she would
feel and react when facing against someone, who Gilman illustrated to be the
embodiment of value in society.

Gilman’s character was depicted to be drifting away from the reality after being
subjected to the deprivation of her human rights, which in reality, was a very
common practice during the Victorian era. Right from the start of the story, Gilman
immediately established this condition by having her character define the situation
as something usual by stating that “John laughs at me, of course, but one expects
that in marriage.” (p.647) From this quotation, we can already see that, the action of
demeaning a woman is completely acceptable, especially towards a married woman,
as the narrator casually stated that “one expects that in marriage.” It can also be said
that people during the time did agree, although some involuntarily, to a certain social
construction, in which diminished the importance of woman’s basic right as human
beings. To further illustrate this idea, John as the narrator’s husband, is also
portrayed to see his wife as unreliable and he will never take her words seriously.
This can be seen when the narrator is trying to convince her husband of her own
condition, stating that “You see he does not believe I am sick! And what can one
do?” (p.647) These utterances revealed the sign of being helpless as a woman during
the Victorian era, as the narrator neither has the power to assure her husband, nor
someone to consult to of her own difficult circumstances.

And to further portray her helplessness, the narrator can be seen to bottle up her
opinion inside her thoughts, as stated in her journal that “Personally, I disagree with
their ideas. Personally, I believe that congenial work, with excitement and change,
 61

would do me good. But what is one to do?” (p.648) From this statement, we can see
that the narrator does have opinion in regards to her own condition. She knew that
her condition might just be better if she was let to do “congenial work, with
excitement and change,” rather than have her do nothing. But there is nothing she
can do and as such, forced to accept her condition.

At this point, we can already see that Gilman is trying to establish a depiction
for women during that time, an illustration of how their opinion is never heard and
their identity, never recognized. As a contradictory to the main character, Gilman
created the character of Jennie, John’s sister, someone who has always been faithful
in obeying all the criterias of being a good woman during the Victorian era. In her
journal, the narrator wrote that “Of course I didn't do a thing. Jennie sees to
everything now.” This is definitely a perfect fit for the description of women’s
responsibilities during the Victorian era, in which were not to create or lead, but
instead to be a helping hand for her husband in managing the house and taking care
of the kids. And so, the character Jennie acted as a contrast against the narrator,
shedding light for the readers that there were actually women who have accepted the
distorted truth.

Moreover, John was illustrated to be a loving husband, but also blind to the
facct that what he is doing does not provide a betterment for his wife. The narrator
described the relationship between herself and her husband briefly in the journal,
stating that “he took me in his arms and called me a blessed little goose, and said he
would go down cellar, if I wished, and have it whitewashed into the bargain.”
(p.649) From this quotation, we can see that her husband is treating the narrator as if
she is a little child by taking her “in his arms” and called her “a blessed little goose.”
As such, we can see that during the 19th century, it was acceptable for man to always
try to only patronize women and to exert a paternal-like control over them, although
women were also completely capable of their own thoughts and opinions.

All of the information mentioned above are elements utilized by Gilman to

make a point for her readers in regards to the awful social construction, in which
women were expected to submit themselves to the men. And to make it even worse
for women, they were not even given the chance to reject any form of kindness as
offered by men, although they knew that it will be harmful for them. Regarding this,
62

the narrator wrote in her journal that “I have a schedule prescription for each hour
in the day; he takes all care from me, and so I feel basely ungrateful not to value it.”
(p.648) This quotation is taken when the narrator’s husband is trying to cure and
take of her. As can be seen when the narrator said that she “ feel basely ungrateful”
to not value her husband’s effort, we know not only that women could not reject an
offer by man, but they will also be forced to feel guilty if they do not subject
themselves to the man’s orders. Hence, we can now clearly identify the unachievable
reality for the narrator, which modified her to become a madman.

One last character that we have to pay attention to, although he does not really
appear in the story, is Dr. Silas Weir Mitchell. Dr. Mitchell’s name can be seen to be
mentioned in the story when the narrator’s husband threatened her stating that if she
did not “pick up faster he shall send” her “to Weir Mitchell in the fall.” (p.650) Dr.
Mitchell is a person in reality who has treated Gilman during her depression. He was
notorious for his gender biased prescription of rest-cure treatment towards all his
female patients. Moreover, the false claim that women were more susceptible to
mental illness because they were inherentlhy weak, were also accepted as the truth
during the time. As such, the utilization of this character strenghtened the idea of
Gilman criticizing the notion of discrimination towards women.

Before going deeper into the madness as has been constructed by the character,
we will have to take general look regarding the soon to-be unfolding events. After
her madness took over, the narrator is illustrated to start imagining that there is a
women behind the wallpaper trying to break out from it. Her imagination at this
moment might seem to be wild and out of the world, but it is actually arguable that
this imagination serves as a portrayal of her deepest wish, in which is to be free. In
support of this idea, Foucault (2001, p.168) will be quoted, stating that the thought
of the mad “is no longer aimed at restoring the invalid to the truth of the exterior
world, but only at producing a series of internal effects, purely mechanical and
purely psychological,” to obtain something that she dearly wishes for. From here, we
can see that Gilman is trying to criticize the society for inhumanely robbing the only
one thing she so wished for, freedom.

To further dissect the utilization of madness as a tool for social criticism, we

will have to take a deeper observation into the narrator’s imagination. First of all, is
 63

the wallpaper constricting the women behind it. The wallpaper itself is a
symbolization for the social construction that limited her freedom. The narrator is
repeatedly seen to be making comments regarding the wallpaper and several of them
will be discussed here, since they are essential for the understanding of how Gilman
viewed the socially constructed world during that time. One of the most inital
comment made by the narrator regarding the wallpaper is that “The wall-paper, as I
said before, is torn off in spots, …” (p.650) In this part of the comment, by stating
that the wallpaper “is torn off in spots,” we already can see that in Gilman’s opinion,
the socially constructed truth is already broken. But even so, the wallpaper in the
story can still be seen to used on the wall, hence we may say that, although the value
held by society is broken, but it is still being implemented in the people’s life.

After the previous comment, the narrator then proceed to say that “this
wallpaper has a kind of subpattern in a different shade, a particularly irritating one,
for you can only see It In certain lights, and not clearly then.” (p.650) As such, we
can see that Gilman moved on to point out another important perspective regarding
the wallpaper, by stating that “you can only see” the irritating shade only “in a
certain lights and not clearly then.” The phrases can be taken to indicate that
although the socially constructed truth is already broken, it is difficult afterall for
people to recognize the mistake within it. Afterwards, Gilman tried to illustrate how
society will react towards such falsely constructed reality. The narrator in story
having unable to determine the “irritating” shade, stated that “I'm getting really fond
of the room in spite of the wallpaper. Perhaps because of the wallpaper.” (p.650) As
such, we can see that according to Gilman, instead of looking for the error, society
will unknowingly adapt themselves to that certain truth without realizing the
mistake, and they themselves in the end become unsure of the “real” truth.

That is how Gilman delicately criticized the social condition during that time.
And to obtain a complete understanding of her imagination during her madness, we
will then move on to discuss about the woman behind the wallpaper. The woman as
imagined by the narrator is actually the embodiment of her spirit and thought. She
tried so hard to break free from her constriction in real life, but was unable to, and
that’s why she seek for refugee in her imagination, in which she finally tasted the
freedom that she so dearly wished for. We can see this happen at the end of the story
when the narrator stated that "I've got out at last," said I, " in spite of you and Jane?
64

And I've pulled off most of the paper, so you can't put me back!" (p.656) This
statement came out when the narrator was already completely devoured by her
madness. She finally thought that she was the woman behind the wallpaper who
successfully got out of it, and hence can not be imprisoned again. This might be the
implication for the fact that during the Victorian era, women were so harshly
constricted that the only way they can be free was to become mad, or “different.”

4.5 The Manipulation of Madness as a Tool for Social Criticism in Literature

In this last chapter of the discussion, we will see how both Nikolai Gogol and
Charlotte Perkin Gilman have manipulated the madness in their characters in order
for them to be functioning as their tools for social criticism. There are 3 underlining
reasons that will be discussed here.

First argument of all is regarding the loss of organized thinking. In all

practicality, someone who is mad must not have the ability to think or to
communicate in an orderly manner. In support of this argument, Foucault (2001,
p.71) stated that a person who was devoured by madness has become “a beast of
burden with the absence of reason that follows wisdom and its order.” Foucault
(preface to the 1961 edition) even go so far as to describe the mad’s way of
communication to contain “imperfect words” with “no fixed syntax” and being
“spoken falteringly.” But as can be seen from both short stories, “Diary of a
Madman,” and “The Yellow Wallpaper,” the narrator’s journal was delicately
organized with quite a method of story telling that enabled reader to understand their
thought. Below is a quotation from “Diary of a Madman” in regards to the argument.

“About eight o'clock I went to the office. The chief clerk pretended not to notice my
arrival. I for my part also behaved as though he were not in existence. I read through
and collated documents. About four o'clock I left. I passed by the director's house,
but no one was to be seen. After dinner I lay for a good while on the bed.” (p.20)

The quotation above was taken from a page of Poprsichin’s journal as he

described his entiry daily activity in one brief paragraph. The paragraph started out
with the moment he ”went to the office,” followed by the things he did in the office,
before he went home to have dinner lay down on his bed. Judging from the structure
of all these sentences, we can actually see that Poprischin is thinking in an orderly
manner. Hence, this can regarded as one supportive point for us to say that Nikolai
Gogol did manipulate the madness in his character in order for him to deliver an
 65

understandable story.

Another quotation from “The Yellow Wallpaper” will be presented below to

further strengthen this idea. It was taken from the narrator’s journal while she was
trying to describe the environment around the place that she is in.

“Out of another I get a lovely view of the bay and a little private wharf belonging to the
estate. There is a beautiful shaded lane that runs down there from the house. I always
fancy I see people walking in these numerous paths and arbors.” (p.649)

Although in the story, the journal itself is written by a narrator who is mad, the
paragraph itself is so comprehensively written that readers are able to understand
and even imagine the surrounding that she was trying to describe. She started out by
saying that there is “a lovely view of the bay,” followed by describing the smaller
things, “the shaded lane,” and the “people walking in these numerous paths and
arbors.” Such orderly way of thinking and also perfectly written sentences cannot
possibly be achieved as if the character is truly mad. In support of this statement,
similar to Foucault, Feder (1980, p.5) defined the consciousness of the mad to be
“confused and inappropriate.” Hence, we know that madness as a characteristic in
the story has been modified for the sake of telling the story.

The second argument is in regards of how the mad was portrayed to be able to
reason fairly well in the story. According to Foucault (2001, p.168) the way of
thought for the mad is “no longer aimed at restoring the invalid to the truth of the
exterior world, but only at producing a series of internal effects, purely mechanical
and purely psychological,” but we can actually see the mad characters as has been
illustrated in the story to be able to create a reason in support of their own opinion
against the value held by society during the time. One particular paragraph was
taken from “Diary of a Madman” in order to better illustrate this condition.

“It is not possible that the marriage should take place; it is only idle gossip. What does
it signify if he is a chamberlain! That is only a dignity, not a substantial thing which one can
see or handle. His chamberlain's office will not procure him a third eye in his forehead.
Neither is his nose made of gold; it is just like mine or anyone else's nose. He does not eat
and cough, but smells with it. I should like to get to the bottom of the mystery.” (p.20)

This paragraph is taken from the story when Poprischin has just learned about
Sophie’s marriage. What we can see from this paragraph is that, Poprsichin is
actually making a real sensible comment regarding the world not within his thought,
but of the reality during the time. By stating that the position of chamberlain “is only
66

a dignity” and “not a substantial thing that one can see or handle,” Poprischin is
voicing out his opinion regarding a certain condition in society. And because of this,
the paragraph itself contradicts with the statement of Foucault as has been
mentioned before, since the character is trying to make sense of the reality. Another
example that can be taken from that one quotation is when Poprischin stated that it
does not matter whether someone is a chamberlain or not, everyone should be
valued the same as human being since the status will not “procure him a third eye on
his forehead” or give him “a nose made of gold.” As such is the capacity of
reasoning within Poprischin that he can be confident with the reality that he lives in.

Another example regarding the manipulation of reasoning capacity can also be

seen from “The Yellow Wallpaper,” as has been quoted in the paragraph below.

"The repairs are not done at home, and I cannot possibly leave town just now. Of
course if you were in any danger, I could and would, but you really are better, dear,
whether you can see it or not. I am a doctor, dear, and I know. You are gaining flesh and
color, your appetite is better, I feel really much easier about you." ‘I don't weigh a bit
more,’ said I, ‘nor as much; and my appetite may be better in the evening when you are
here, but it is worse in the morning when you are away!’ (p.652)

The paragraph above took place when the narrator’s husband was trying to
convince her into staying in the house, while she wanted both of them to leave.
When her husband stated that he knew she was getting healthier because she was
“gaining flesh and color,” she replied perfectly reasonable by stating that she “don’t
weigh a bit more”, because her appetite can only “be worse in the morning” when
her husband is away. The act of affirming one’s opinion as has been done by the
narrator can be considered as human’s capacity for reasoning. Moreover, we can also
see that the narrator was comparing two things; her appetite in the evening and in the
morning when her husband is away. The act of comparing things can only be done
through the ability of logical thinking, hence we do see that the narrator in “The
Yellow Wallpaper” does indeed possess the capacity for logical reasoning. Since the
trait of the mad as has been illustrated in the story contradicted with the
characteristic of the mad in reality, we now know that both Gogol and Perkin have
manipulated the reasoning capacity for their characters.

Finally, the last argument for this discussion is regarding the background for the
characters to become mad in literature. According to Foucault (2001, p.184), the
origin of madness “is nothing more than a violent desire for a thing that the sufferer
 67

envisages as good.” As such, we know that for the mad, there is a reality that is not
achievable for them, hence the sickness. Truthfully, the desire of the mad can be
directed towards anything, but in literature, it was specifically chosen to portray the
social and political condition during the time of the writing. In support of this
statement, below is a quotation is taken from Feder (1980, p.4).

“the mad protagonist not only symbolizes but reveals the very psychic processess that
account for strange and violent behavior and the inextricble connection of such
processs with the most ordinary relationship and conduct of life.” Simply put, the
madness is not randomly created, but there was actually a context for the mad to be
portrayed in the story.”

As an example, in “The Yellow Wallpaper,” right from the start of the story, the
narrator is depicted to be living under the oppression of her husband, before in the
end, she thought that she was the woman trapped behind the wallpaper and she
finally got out of it. A statement was quoted from the narrator at the end of the story
stating that "I've got out at last, in spite of you and Jane? And I've pulled off most of
the paper, so you can't put me back!" (p.656) The condition in which the narrator
think that she is trapped, matches with the condition in which the piece was written
during the Victorian era. What became the unachievable reality for the women back
then is freedom, hence the background itself became the main idea for the writing.
Furthermore, if we were to trace back to the freedom that the narrator thought she
has finally obtained, what we can see from the story is that she is actually suffering.
This condition is explained by Feder (1980, p.34) stating “patterns of
communicatioin do emerge in literary as in actual madness. Tracing such patterns
in literature, one finds revelations of suffering more often that of achievements of
freedom or glory.” As such, by looking at the pattern, we know that the background
behind the madness in “The Yellow Wallpaper” was purposely manipulated by the
authors for the exact reason of social criticism.

As for the “Diary of a Madman,” a quotation below was taken from the story to
illustrate the condition.

“Perhaps I am really a count or a general, and only appear to be a titular councillor.

Perhaps I don't even know who and what I am. How many cases there are in history of
a simple gentleman, or even a burglar or peasant, suddenly turning out to be a great lord
or baron? Suppose that I appear suddenly in a general's uniform, on the right shoulder
an epaulette, on the left an epaulette, and a blue sash across my breast, what sort of a
tune would my beloved sing then? What would her papa, our director, say? he is
ambitious!” (p.20)
68

The quotation was taken from the story when Poprischin is already confused
with his own identity, after he found out that his lover is going to get married. We
can see the confusion that Popriscshin is in when he stated that “perhaps, I don’t
even know who and what I am.” Such is the condition of Poprischin after being
constantly and harshly humiliated. It can be seen in the story that Poprischin was
mainly asking if he was “a count or a general, and only appear to be a titular
councillor” and “how many cases there are in history that a simple gentleman” who
“suddenly turning out to be a great lord or baron?” We can see that all of
Poprischin’s questions regarding his identity revolved around social position, and
because of this, we can say that the underlining problem for Poprischin’s identity
confusion is caused by the unachievable social ranking in society. Similar to “The
Yellow Wallpaper,” it matches with the condtion of Russia during the time, in which
the living condition is harsh, and the entire society is overly judgmental regarding
people’s social status. As such, we can see that the background of madness in “Diary
of a Madman” is also carefully selected and manipulated by the author so that it can
function as a tool for social criticism.
 CHAPTER 5

CONCLUSION

5.1 Conclusion

In this chapter, the conclusion for the analysis on the utilization of madness
within both short stories, “The Yellow Wallpaper” and “Diary of a Madman,” will be
presented. Theories of madness in the books “Madness and Civilization” by Michel
Foucault and “Madness in Literature” by Lilian Feder are utilized as the foundation
for study in determining the manipulation made by authors regarding the use of
madness in literature to achieve a certain level of social criticism.

In the analysis using the theories of madness in “Madness and Civilization” as

defined by Michel Foucault, the society becomes the main aspect for the discussion.
As has been mentioned in the study, within a society, there will always be a set of
values and norms that the majority of a society member agrees upon, and that is social
construction.

In the story “Diary of a Madman,” we can see that Poprischin as the main
character live in a dehumanized society where people are only identified by their
social status. As such, we can see that the truth, in which all the members agree upon,
is emphasized on the importance of social status, rather than the individual possessing
it. This condition perfectly symbolizes Russia under the reign of Czar Nicholas I, in
which the whole nation was facing economic stagnation, and life was really harsh for
the people. Because of this, as being portrayed in the story, people during the time
adapted to a life where social status became the most essential aspect of a human
being. Those without a preferred ranking in society will be excluded, not only by their
social circle, but also the society at large. Hence, all characters in the story can be
seen to judge each other based on their social position, and one among the people
being judged is Poprischin, the narrator. Because of his insignificant work and social
status, Poprischin is illustrated to endure constant humiliation for his job and love,
until he was devoured by his madness, thinking that he is the king of spain.

On the other hand, in the story “The Yellow Wallpaper”, female members are the
one being oppressed and excluded from the society. We can see from the story that the
main female character’s voice and opinions are almost completely ignored, while the

69
70

character herself is regarded as only a kid by her husband. This is the illustation of life
during the Victorian era as being told by the author, a female writer in the 19 th century.
The narrator is forced to undergo rest-cure treatment for her post-partum depression
because of a falsely constructed reality, in which women were regarded to be more
susceptible to mental illness because of their inherent weak mental health. She is then
portrayed to live as if she is under confinement, and although she does not agree to it,
she has no other choice than to comply. Such is the oppression towards female during
the 19th century, deprived of all their rights and freedom. Her unachievable desire for
freedom in the end brought her into madness, in which she thinks that she is the
woman constrained behind the wallpaper, successful in breaking out of it.

In addition to the theories of madness by Michel Foucalt, the concept for the mad
in “Madness in Literature” by Lilian Feder is also discussed to analyze how both
Gogol and Gilman have manipulated their characters to become a tool for social
criticism. There are 3 main points for the conclusion to be drawn on and they are in
regards to the aspect of organized thinking, reasoning capacity and background for the
madness itself.

Firstly, looking into the way thoughts are being processed by the mad in both of
the stories, we can actually see that they are thinking in an orderly manner. In reality,
according to Faucult, madman will not able to communicate with fixed syntax and
words. But both the narrators, despite being mad, are able to tell their story in their
journal in such a chronological manner, in which enables the readers to understand the
story. Moreover, they also display a reasonably well honed capability in describing
their environment and surroundings. And because of this, we can say that the mad in
literature has been manipulated by authors to possess an organized thinking process.

Secondly, in regards to their reasoning capacity, both of the narrators are also
portrayed to be able to logically seek for truth in the reality that they live in. They are
again, in contradiction to Foucault’s theos stating the mad is only looking for internal
effects, but also searching for recognition from the world outside their thoughts. This
can be seen when both narrators tried to argue reasonably for their own opinion.
Furthermore, the narrator in “The Yellow Wallpaper” can be seen to compare two
conditions in her arguments. This can be seen as an act of logical reasoning, hence it
can be said that the authors have also manipulated their mad character’s reasoning
 71

capacity in order to promote the truth that they believe in.

Last but not least is the background for madness itself. As has been defined by
Feder, the mad is not randomly utilized but their behaviors are portrayed to be in
correlation with the most basic conduct of life. In “Diary of a Madman,” we can see
that Poprischin’s madness is contextually illustrated to be character constructed by the
society itself. The social and economical condition that pushes Poprischin over the
boundaries of the sane is very much similar to the condition in reality. Similar things
can also be seen in “The Yellow Wallpaper,” where women were commonly
oppressed because of a falsely constructed reality. Hence, we can say that the
background for the mad in the story is manipulated by the writers to criticize a certain
social norm and value.

As such, we can see that madness is although not exactly being illustrated as it is
in literature, but it does in the end serve its purpose for its author, in which is to
criticize a certain aspect of society. Both of the stories were published during the time
when the condition of society is illustrated in the story, as such we know that there are
certain perspectives from the authors that they wanted the reader to take into
consideration in regards to what have been believed to be the only truth.

5.2 Suggestions

My suggestion for the future research to come in regards to the use of madness in
literature is to trace the illness as a form of study towards the differences of perception
towards gender in a certain era. That way, a clearer light regarding society’s
perspective upon gender can be shed.

I hope that my work can be used to raise awareness of people to be more critical
regarding the implementation of values and norms in modern society, hence a better
living environment for all can be achieved.
72
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