The Narrator

The unnamed protagonist of "The Yellow Wallpaper" is a creative and imaginative upper-middle-class woman, recently a new mother. She suffers from an ailment now recognized as postpartum depression, but her physician husband, John, misdiagnoses her condition as “temporary nervous depression” or "nervous prostration." Consequently, he prescribes a "rest cure"—a regimen that severely restricts mental and physical activities, confining her to a room that was once a nursery in their temporary country house. This rest cure becomes the source of her rebellion, as John forbids her from writing, reading, or engaging in any intellectual activities, activities through which she naturally seeks expression.

Despite John's strictures, the narrator clandestinely writes in a journal, creating the very text of the story. As the days pass, she becomes mesmerized by the room's yellow wallpaper, perceiving within its patterns the presence of women trapped and trying to escape. This fixation grows as her mental state deteriorates, ultimately leading to a profound psychological breakdown. The narrator's dependency on John, coupled with the societal expectations of women as merely wives and mothers, reflects the secondary status imposed on women in the 19th century. Her descent into madness underscores the destructive effects of suppressing women's autonomy and intellectual freedom.

John

John, the narrator’s husband, is a well-regarded physician who epitomizes the rational, scientific thinking of the 19th century. He lacks imagination and is dismissive of anything beyond his immediate comprehension. After the birth of their child, John assumes full control over his wife's treatment and daily activities, believing he knows best for her well-being. His decisions are firm and unyielding, often couched in paternalistic endearments such as "blessed little goose" and "little girl." This behavior typifies the era's paternalistic attitudes towards women, who were expected to be docile and focused solely on domestic duties.

John's insistence on the rest cure involves isolating his wife from mental stimulation and social interaction. He chooses their living arrangements and restricts her freedom, claiming it is for her own good. Despite his belief that he is acting in her best interest, his actions reveal a deep-seated need to control, reflecting broader societal norms that viewed women as inherently weak and needing male guidance. John's frequent absences for work allow the narrator to pursue her secret writing and progressively deepens her obsession with the yellow wallpaper.

Jennie

Jennie, John’s sister, serves as both the narrator's sister-in-law and the household's diligent housekeeper. She assumes many of the responsibilities and roles that the narrator might have taken on. Described as "a perfect and enthusiastic housekeeper," Jennie embodies the 19th-century ideal of womanhood—domestic, efficient, and uncomplaining. Though Jennie aligns with John's rational worldview, she exhibits a fleeting curiosity about the yellow wallpaper that captivates the narrator, suggesting a subtle undercurrent of sympathy for her sister-in-law's plight.

Jennie's presence is a constant reminder of the societal expectations placed on women, serving as a foil to the narrator's struggle for self-expression and autonomy. She inadvertently becomes part of the system that limits the narrator, although not out of malice, but rather out of adherence to the roles prescribed to women during that era.

Mary

Mary, a minor yet essential character, is briefly mentioned as being "good with the baby." She is presumably employed to care for the narrator’s child, highlighting the common practice in middle-to-upper-class families of delegating childcare to nannies or nurses. Her presence underscores the narrator's detachment from her maternal role—a consequence of both her mental health struggles and the societal norms dictating women's roles within the domestic sphere.

Weir Mitchell

Though not a character with an active role in the narrative, Weir Mitchell is an influential presence through his development of the "rest cure" treatment. This real-life figure, referenced in the story, treated the author, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, and inspired the depiction of the narrator's medical regime. Mitchell's methods, which aimed to restrict women's intellectual activity to "cure" their supposed hysteria, contributed significantly to the narrative's critique of such oppressive treatments.