The protagonist at the center of The Yellow Wallpaper is at the mercy of her husband due to dual legitimacy.

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Dual legitimacy refers to the idea that men in the 19th century had both legal and moral authority over their wives, which often resulted in women being confined to domestic roles and limited decision-making power. In the story, the protagonist's husband is a physician who uses his professional credentials to justify his control over his wife and her treatment for what he diagnoses as "nervous depression." As a result, she is confined to a room with the titular yellow wallpaper and deprived of social interaction, further exacerbating her mental condition. Therefore, the protagonist is at the mercy of her husband due to dual legitimacy.

The Protagonist at the Center of the Yellow Wallpaper Is