Many readings and just as many interpretations have been made of this short story by Charlotte Perkins Gilman since it first came to public attention in 1892. The feminist movement considers it one of its first "literary manifestos," a cry of protest against patriarchy and the oppression of women in marriage. Lovers of gothic literature classify it among the classic texts of the genre.

Gilman narrates the story of a woman who struggles with her mental demons in a world of constraints and discrimination. Following the advice of her husband, a prestigious doctor, for "her own good," she is isolated in an old mansion. However, instead of healing, she gradually descends into madness.

With its literary aesthetics, subtle humor, underlying irony, intense symbolism, and provocative themes, "The Yellow Wallpaper" continues to be a modern and dangerous work.