The Issue of Hysteria In The Yellow Wallpaper and Mrs. Dalloway

Abstract

This paper explores the concept of hysteria throughout history and its representation in literature, in "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman and "Mrs. Dalloway" by Virginia Woolf. The thesis explores the history of madness and the portrayal of hysteria in "The Yellow Wallpaper". It deals with the protagonist's struggle with patriarchal oppression and mental illness. In addition, the paper examines the theme of shell shock in Mrs. Dalloway, how it reflects the trauma experienced by soldiers during World War 1, and how society rejected the ones who suffered mental illness.