Lacanian Reinterpretation of Charlotte Perkins Gilman's The Yellow Wallpaper based on Theories of “Mirror Stage” and “Three Orders”

摘要

The Yellow Wallpaper was a representative work of feminist literature by Charlotte Perkins Gilman.In the novel,the heroine under great repression gradually awakes to seek self identification and revolt against the patriarchy.Many researchers have conducted studies from perspectives of feminism,image,theme and structure of the novel.This paper aims to employ Lacan’s"mirror stage"theory and"three orders"theory to analyze the story.Through observing the image of the"confined woman"in the"mirror"(the yellow wallpaper),her awareness of"selfhood"is gradually awakened:she lives in the Symbolic Order where the patriarchy has imposed many restrictions on her.Unable to live in such a world,while the Real is also incomprehensible,what she could do is to totally immerse herself in the Imaginary Order.That’s why she is creeping like a child.