"The Yellow Wallpaper" is a 6,000-word short story by the American writer Charlotte Perkins Gilman, first published in January 1892 in The New England Magazine. It is regarded as an important early work of American feminist literature, illustrating attitudes in the 19th century toward women's physical and mental health. Presented in the first person, the story is a collection of journal entries written by a woman whose physician husband has confined her to the upstairs bedroom of a house he has rented for the summer. She is forbidden from working and has to hide her journal from him, so she can recuperate from what he calls a "temporary nervous depression - a slight hysterical tendency," a diagnosis common to women in that period. The windows of the room are barred, and there is a gate across the top of the stairs, allowing her husband to control her access to the rest of the house. The story depicts the effect of confinement on the narrator's mental health and her descent into psychosis. With nothing to stimulate her, she becomes obsessed by the pattern and color of the wallpaper. "It is the strangest yellow, that wall-paper! It makes me think of all the yellow things I ever saw - not beautiful ones like buttercups, but old foul, bad yellow things. But there is something else about that paper - the smell! ... The only thing I can think of that it is like is the color of the paper! A yellow smell." In the end, she imagines there are women creeping around behind the patterns of the wallpaper and comes to believe she is one of them. She locks herself in the room, now the only place she feels safe, refusing to leave when the summer rental is up. "For outside you have to creep on the ground, and everything is green instead of yellow. But here I can creep smoothly on the floor, and my shoulder just fits in that long smooch around the wall, so I cannot lose my way." A woman gradually suffers a mental breakdown as a result of confinement and denial of her creative energies by her husband.
American · Middle Aged · Female · Narrative Story · Serious
“This voice's intense and slightly haunting quality is ideal for conveying the narrator's gradual descent into psychological distress, perfectly matching the Gothic horror elements of the story.”
American · Middle Aged · Female · Narrative Story · Husky
“A breathy, gravelly texture with an intimate presence perfectly captures the character's internal monologue and growing sense of secrecy as her madness unfolds.”
American · Middle Aged · Female · Narrative Story · Calm
“Gabriela's expressive tone and emotional depth allow for the nuanced portrayal of initial introspection, shifting into vulnerability and eventual unraveling.”
American · Middle Aged · Female · Narrative Story · Calm
“The soothing low register and measured pacing of Solenne offer a perfect contrast, embodying the narrator's initial calm and reflective journal entries before the onset of her mental distress.”
American · Middle Aged · Female · Narrative Story · Meditative
“Choosing Hailey provides a unique, whispery energy, subtly highlighting the narrator's growing isolation and the intimate, yet unsettling, nature of her deteriorating mind.”
For listeners: use the Best Narrator voice above in ElevenReader or Fish Audio. Character casting is for authors producing audiobooks with studio tools.
John
antagonist
The narrator's physician husband, a well-meaning but ultimately domineering and dismissive figure. His voice should be authoritative, confident, and perhaps subtly patronizing.
1
DJ Smokey Sauce
Editor’s Pick
DJ Smokey Sauce
Editor’s PickFish Audio
Fish Audio
Male · Middle-Aged · Narration · Deep · Measured · Confident · +3 more
“A deep and measured delivery perfectly suits John's domineering yet calculated personality, reflecting his physician's detached perspective on his wife's condition.”
Male · Middle-Aged · Narration · Educational · Authoritative · Confident · +3 more
“His calm and professional tone, combined with a measured pace, underscores John's seemingly well-meaning but ultimately patronizing medical approach to the narrator.”
Male · Middle-Aged · Narration · Deep · Confident · Serious · +3 more
“Denzel's serious presence and deep vocal texture convey the unwavering and perhaps rigid authority John holds over his wife, fitting the patriarchal context.”
Male · Middle-Aged · Social-Media · Narration · Deep · Calm · +3 more
“The measured, deep voice of Elon Musk captures John's analytical mindset and subtly dismissive communication style, always prioritizing his rational explanations.”
Male · Middle-Aged · Narration · Character-Voice · Entertainment · Deep · +9 more
“Thragg's dramatic and expressive quality brings out the inherent power dynamic in John's character, emphasizing his role as the controlling figure within the Gothic narrative.”
John's sister and the housekeeper. Her voice should sound practical, dutiful, and perhaps with an undertone of quiet observation or concern.
1
Daphne - Sweet, Calm and Friendly
Editor’s Pick
Daphne - Sweet, Calm and Friendly
Editor’s PickElevenLabsprofessional
ElevenLabsprofessional
American · Middle Aged · Female · Narrative Story · Calm
“This friendly, clear, and warm conversational voice beautifully portrays Jennie's pleasant and dutiful demeanor, making her an approachable, yet subtly concerned, presence.”
American · Middle Aged · Female · Narrative Story · Professional
“Clara's professional and calm delivery highlights Jennie's practical nature as a housekeeper, hinting at her underlying sense of responsibility and quiet observation.”
American · Middle Aged · Female · Narrative Story · Calm
“A steady, articulate tone from Kira is ideal for Jennie, showcasing her diligent and methodical approach to household duties while suggesting a quiet strength.”
American · Middle Aged · Female · Narrative Story · Professional
“Mia’s empathetic quality and clear articulation perfectly capture Jennie's role as John's sister, implying a genuine, albeit constrained, concern for the narrator's well-being.”
American · Middle Aged · Female · Narrative Story · Calm
“Trinity brings a smooth, gentle, and reassuring presence to Jennie, effectively conveying the quiet concern and watchfulness that the character often displays towards the narrator.”