The Effect of Collective Psychology on the Mistreatment of Nineteenth-Century Women in Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre and Charlotte Perkins Gilman's "The Yellow Wallpaper"
Collective psychology, at its core, is the study of the ways in which individuals act in group settings. An overview of various works written in the field of collective psychology brings forth an understanding of this phenomenon and how the behavior which ensues from its presence in a group or crowd can lead to devastating results. This thesis demonstrates how collective psychology was a primary cause for the mistreatment of women in the nineteenth century. This phenomenon is utilized as the basis for an analysis of literary works written by nineteenth-century women. More specifically, this study observes the influence of a patriarchal society on the behavior of individuals within society, as well as within their homes. This thesis explores literary examples that feature women who undergo various types of mistreatment based on the effects of collective psychology. I will consider Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre and Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper” to demonstrate the important patterns of mistreatment which emerge due to the complex phenomenon of collective psychology. This analysis will demonstrate how the female characters from these works endure mistreatment by those closest to them because of the insidious presence of this phenomenon in their lives.
Collective psychology Mistreatment Phenomenon Group Crowd Nineteenth century Women Feminism Characters Literary women