Trapped and Silenced： Claustrophobic Fear in The Yellow Wallpaper and The Handmaid’s Tale.docVIP

Trapped and Silenced： Claustrophobic Fear in The Yellow Wallpaper and The Handmaid’s Tale 　　[a]　University　of　Macau，　China. 　　*　Corresponding　author. 　　Received　22　June　2012；　accepted　30　September　2012. 　　Abstract 　　This　paper　is　to　explore　women’s　fear　in　the　two　renowned　texts，　The　Yellow　Wallpaper　（1892）　and　The　Handmaid’s　Tale　（1985），　written　respectively　by　Charlotte　Perkins　Gilman　and　Margaret　Atwood.　In　the　two　texts，　tagonists，　Jane　and　Offred，　erned　and　imprisoned　by　patriarchal　authority，　a　claustrophobic　fear　of　being　cut　off　and　segregated，　which　is　mainly　reflected　in　two　aspects：　trapped　in　the　“room”，　and　silenced　voice.　Their　respective　struggles　and　resistances　would　be　analyzed　as　well. 　　Key　words：　Claustrophobic　fear；　Space　and　room；　Silenced　voice 　　WANG　Fanghui　（2012）.　Trapped　and　Silenced：　Claustrophobic　Fear　in　The　Yellow　Wallpaper　and　The　Handmaid’s　Tale.　Studies　in　Literature　and　Language，　5（2），　-0.　Available　from：　http：///index.php/sll/article/view/j.sll.1923156320120502.635　DOI：　http：///10.3968/j.sll.1923156320120502.635 　　The　Yellow　Wallpaper，　minent　American　feminist　Charlotte　Perkins　Gilman　（1860-1935），　was　published　in　1892，　when　the　first-wave　feminism　was　in　full　swing　in　the　U.S.　Since　then，　it　was　widely　anthologized　and　later　became　recognized　as　a　classic　and　canonical　masterpiece.　The　short　story　is　based　on　Gilman’s　real　life　experience：　her　serious　bout　of　post-partum　depression　after　she　gave　birth　to　her　daughter　and　the　exhausting　“rest　cure”　prescribed　by　the　popular　doctor　Silas　Weir　Mitchell.　Like　Gilman，　the　narrator　Jane　suffered　from　a　nervous　breakdown　and　was　forced　to　receive　the　rest　cure　treatment　prescribed　by　her　physician　husband　John.　Complete　rest　and　isolation　thus　became　her　entire　life　in　the　rented　house　where　she　was　kept　in　nursery　room　at　the　top　of　the　house.　As　there　were　nothing　that　engaged　her　attention　（except　for　her　secret　writing），　she　was　gradually　drawn　to　the　yellow　wallpaper，