Charlotte Perkins Gilman

Biography

Charlotte Perkins Gilman was an American humanist, novelist, writer of short stories, poetry, and nonfiction, and a lecturer for social reform. She was a utopian feminist during a time when her accomplishments were exceptional for women. She served as a role model for future generations of feminists because of her unorthodox concepts and lifestyle. Her best-known work is her semi-autobiographical short story The Yellow Wallpaper (1892), which she wrote after a severe bout of postpartum psychosis. The story is now considered a pioneering work of feminist literature.

"The first duty of a human being is to assume the right functional relationship to society."