Dansky

Mary Caroline Dansky

Kirschner
English II
14 December 2015
Approach to insanity through Realism and Dark Romanticism
Insanity is the mental condition of being insane, a derangement of the mind. Insanity is a
wide used theme amongst the Realistic and Dark Romantic writers, occurring in both of these
American Literary movements. The Realistic movement began in 1865 surviving through the
early 1900s until 1910. Realistic writing

depicted life as realistic as possible, making it

extremely easy for the readers to relate to. Realistic writing was aimed towards creating strong
characters that connected with the audience, the middle or working classes. The Realistic literary
movement followed the Dark Romantic movement, which originated in 1840 and lasted until
around 1860. Dark Romanticism is branded by its horrific symbols, images, figurative language,
and themes. Charlotte Perkins Gilman and Nathanial Hawthorne both portray the theme of
insanity in their writings The Yellow Wallpaper and The Scarlet Letter, while staying within
each literary movement.
In The Yellow Wallpaper one of the main characters, the unnamed narrator is driven to
madness as she suffers from postpartum depression and her growing obsession with her
wallpaper. The narrators depression is due to her newborn baby, which is a leading factor to her
insanity, which is also aided with this unhealthy fascination in the wallpaper. She deeply studies
the detailed designs in her wallpaper, she is unable to depict it and is trying to understand and
grasp the meaning of it. She is completely losing her mind in the paper when she says, The
faint figure behind seemed to shake the pattern, just as if she wanted to get out (Gilman 6). She

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hallucinates a women trapped in the wallpaper and she continues to spiral down a rabbit hole of
insanity throughout the story. This begins her insanity, which only continues to grow. Towards
the end of the story the narrator makes it exceptionally clear that she has been driven to absolute
insanity, no questions asked when she says, Life is very much more exciting now than it used to
be. You see I have something more to expect, to look forward to, and to watch. I really do eat
better, and am more quiet than I was Gilman (12). This woman besides being mentally
disturbed is fairly ordinary which introduces the realistic aspects of Gilmans writing while
emphasizing the major theme of insanity.
One of the main characters, Dimmsdale in The Scarlet Letter, written by Nathaniel
Hawthorne, is also driven to insanity through the guilt of a sin, which is a key element in Dark
Romanticism. Dimmsdale is a well-respected minister and has an outstanding reputation in his
society, but he feels as if he does not deserve the praise because he committed a great sin for this
time period, adultery with Hester Prynne, who has taken all of the repercussions. Although the
town does not punish Dimmsdale he is being tormented everyday with the guilt of his actions,
the same guilt that is driving him insane. He is so remorseful that he is physically appearing
unhealthy; Hawthorne describes him to be, suffering under bodily disease, and gnawed and
tortured by some black trouble of the soul, and given over to the machinations of his deadliest
enemy (Hawthorne 117). This shows that his guilt and self shame is so severe that he cannot
even live he has taken something mental and has transformed it into something physical, and he
has turned himself into his own enemy. Dimmsdales guilt is not the only thing punishing him, he
is physically harming himself also, due to the tremendous amount of remorse he has, Hawthorne
describes this as, This Protestant and Puritan divine had plied it on his own shoulders laughing
bitterly at himself (Hawthorne 120). He has been driven to insanity to laugh at the pain he his

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putting himself through, he believes that this is the only way to, purify the body and render it
the fitter medium of celestial illumination,-but rigorously, and until his knees trembled beneath
him, as an act of penance (Hawthorne 120). This not only proves the extent of his guilt, but
also greatly contributes to the characteristics of Dark Romanticism using the extreme guilt, and
the horrific images and language Hawthorne portrays the theme of insanity through Dimmsdale
and his guilty conscience.
Although The Yellow Wallpaper and The Scarlet Letter share the theme of insanity or
madness, the way each piece goes about crafting this theme is significantly unique. The Yellow
Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman is part of the Realistic movement, during the years
1865-1910, and this is shown throughout the story in the way that the theme is presented.
Realistic writing is real life, real situations, and easy to connect with. The author in the story is
driven to insanity partially as a result of her postpartum depression, which is a sickness that
women across the world are faced with daily. The author has common symptoms that women
can relate to, and she does not explain why everything happens, just that it did happen, which is a
characteristic of Realism. The authors situation happens to women everywhere, unlike some of
the events that take place in The Scarlet Letter. Unlike The Yellow Wallpaper, The Scarlet
letter is a part of the Dark Romantic Literary movement that took place from around 1840-1860
is centered on why certain things happen. Dark Romanticism also contains elements of
supernaturalism, and other non-realistic actions, such as the comet forming the letter a in the
sky in The Scarlet Letter. The two stories share one theme of insanity, but it still has two
different characteristics and meanings.
Throughout the Yellow Wallpaper and The Scarlet Letter insanity is a theme used and
shows the mental illness and derangement of the mind in some of the main characters.

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Dimmsdales insanity is shown through Dark Romantic techniques, using gory and horrific
themes, images, language, and symbols. While the authors madness in They Yellow
Wallpaper is shown in a more real life situation with her postpartum depression. Although the
two stories share one common theme there are two different interpretations of insanity shown
through They Yellow Wallpaper and The Scarlet Letter.