Jane, a young writer suffering from postpartum depression is prescribed a rest treatment by her physician husband, John, who takes her to a remote country estate for the summer. When they arrive, Jane is enchanted by yet leary of the old house. She becomes intrigued by the peculiar yellow wallpaper that covers the walls in the room that her husband has chosen for her. Over time, Jane’s treatment proves unhelpful and instead of curing her, the bedrest and isolation and the yellow wallpaper—combined with her marriage and baby—drive her deeper into psychosis. She begins to see things in the wallpaper and gardens and becomes convinced that a woman is trapped in the patterns on the wall. As Jane spends the end of the summer trying to figure out how to save the trapped woman—and herself—John and her housekeepers become increasingly worried about her behavior and try to confine her even more. The loved, well known, and much discussed ending is still shocking and disturbing.
