TITLE:
Out of the Attic: An Analysis of the Evolution of the “Madwoman” Image in Anglo-American Literature
AUTHORS:
Xiaohan Li, Nan Zhao
KEYWORDS:
The “Madwoman”, Image Evolution, Female Consciousness
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Access Library Journal,
Vol.13 No.8,
August
3,
2026
ABSTRACT: The image of the “madwoman” has gone through a series of changes in English and American literature. The “madness” of women in literature not only refers to pathological mental breakdowns but also reflects the social oppression suffered by women. The “madwoman” in British and American literature has gone through a series of changes from the image of “madness” under patriarchal oppression to the image of awakening and “madness” resistance, and to the image of various ethnic groups of women resisting multiple oppressions in the later period. The change in the image of the “madwoman” from silence to awakening to break through the shackles of the “attic” reflects the change in the status of women in society, and also greatly reflects the awakening and growth of women’s self-consciousness. The emergence of the image of the “madwomen” is of great significance, and their voices help to awaken the self-consciousness of the relevant groups in society, which deserves the attention and research of society and academia. The paper selects typical images of the “madwoman” in different periods of English and American literature, explores the manifestations and causes of their “madness”, and analyzes the changes of spiritual connotations behind them, in order to provide favorable perspectives for understanding the changes of women’s social status and self-consciousness.