REASSURANCE (Charlotte Perkins Gilman)
REASSURANCE by Charlotte Perkins Gilman: A woman, confined to a room by her husband, is treated with various remedies and prescriptions in an attempt to cure her of what he believes is a nervous disorder. However, the woman begins to question the nature of her confinement and the motivations of her husband, leading her to suspect that she may be suffering from a more sinister fate.
By Charlotte Perkins Gilman · First published 1890 · Genre: Feminist Literature, Literary Fiction, Short Story · 298 words
First lines
Can you imagine nothing better, brother, / Than that which you have always had before? / Have you been so content with "wife and mother," / You dare hope nothing more?
Have you forever prized her, praised her, sung her, / The happy queen of a most happy reign? / Never dishonored her, despised her, flung her / Derision and disdain?
Go ask the literature of all the ages! / Books that were written before women read! / Pagan and Christian, satirists and sages -- / Read what the world has said.
There was no power on earth to bid you slacken / The generous hand that painted her disgrace! / There was no shame on earth too black to blacken / That much-praised woman-face.
What this Textopian page supports
REASSURANCE (Charlotte Perkins Gilman) is listed on Textopian as a poem by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, dated 1890 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Charlotte Perkins Gilman
- Date: 1890 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Feminist Literature, Literary Fiction, Short Story, Social Commentary
- Length: 298 words
- Structure: 1 section, 7 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for REASSURANCE (Charlotte Perkins Gilman) by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Similar titles
- Reassurance by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
- Waste by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
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- Too Much by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
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Genres
- Feminist Literature — The author is known for her work in feminist literature and her advocacy for gender equality.
- Literary Fiction — Gilman's strong focus on characterization and exploration of societal themes generally class her work as literary fiction.
- Short Story — Gilman was a prominent writer of short stories, and Reassurance is in this format.
- Social Commentary — The author often used her writing to analyze and critique societal norms and injustice, qualifying it as social commentary.
Tags
feminism · mental health · gender roles · society · isolation · identity · self-discovery · patriarchy · women's rights · psychological fiction · social commentary · narrative style