Sometimes it can be hard to understand what the author's argument is, especially if one was not alive during the cultural event to which they are referring. It is important to learn the context of the time period the text was written in order to further understand the author's viewpoint. In the short story, "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, a woman's treatment for depression is simply rest and confinement. Through the gathering of information, one can find that this short story was written during the height of woman's suffrage which explains why Gilman, a victim of oppression, writes with such conviction. By learning more about the history of women in the nineteenth century, one can appreciate the decent to madness of the main character in "The Yellow Wallpaper," because it is clear that the oppression of women was a cultural problem that resulted in mental illness for many women in this time period.

Rhetorical analyst, Deborah Thomas', "The Changing Role of Womanhood" gives insight into how exactly women were oppressed during the nineteenth century by providing examples of specific laws and regulations women had to follow. Thomas explains that many people in the late eighteen hundreds heavily relied on religion as their standards of law regarding gender roles. Specifically, "Religion serves to pacify any desires that could cause a deviation from the set of standards for women, because their submission implied a vulnerability and dependence on the patriarchal head which aligns with their religious values" (1). The reason why so many women were suffering from depression was because, "men were assigning and defining the roles for women" (1). Women were treated with very little respect and had no control over how they could live their lives, taking a toll on them emotionally and psychologically. Since men and specifically doctors were mistaking women's feelings as illness, women began to develop mental disorder. Without the ability to voice their opinions, women in the nineteenth were stuck in a sickening progression of depression to madness.

Male doctors of the nineteenth century believed that rest was the best cure for women with depression, and although women did not agree with their diagnosis, they could not over step their boundaries by speaking out. Specifically Thomas states, "The medical profession's godlike attitude in 'The Yellow Wallpaper' demonstrates men's arrogance in the nineteenth century" (1). Understanding that women did not have the freedom to express their own thoughts and opinions allows the reader to sympathize with them. Without knowing that male doctors were purposefully treating women as secondary citizens, one might not pick up on why women were experiencing so many of these "health" issues. Not only were male doctors dismissing the health of women, but they were also not trying to find a cure for their illness. This instance explains why women's mental diseases were only getting worse, ultimately ending in their insanity. 

Within the "The Yellow Wallpaper", there are several specific instances where it is obvious that the narrator is being looked down on by a male figure. A prevalent example is how the narrator's husband, John, takes the narrator's condition into his own hands and determines that his wife is feeling better no matter how she feels personally. The narrator tries to explain how she is not getting better, but she says, "I stopped short, for he sat up and look at me with such stern, reproachful look that I could not say another word. 'My darling' said he, "I beg of you  do not let this disease enter your mind. Can you not trust me as a physician when I tell you so?" (Gilman 7). John will not even recognize how upset his wife is and refuses to tend to the severity of her condition. He basically undermines her wellbeing to re-enforce his superiority as a male doctor. Being culturally aware of women's oppression while looking at "The Yellow Wallpaper" allows the reader to feel more connected to the narrator and how she John is treating her. 

After most women failed to break out of the "pre-determined boundaries" set by men, they fell to diseases of depression and insanity (Thomas 1). In "The Yellow Wallpaper," the main character slowly turns to insanity because her husband is forcing her to confinement. She must rest and stay in her room where something as simple as an ugly wallpaper turns into an obsession that consumes her thoughts and mind. This obsession becomes so apparent that she begins to believe she is the woman in the wallpaper (Gilman). Although the ending of this story is exaggerated, once the reader learns how strong the oppression of women in the nineteenth century was, one can understand easy it was for women to be afflicted with such mental diseases merely because no one would listen to them.

A similar short story, titled "The Story of an Hour," by Kate Chopin was written a few years after Gilman's story about a woman whose lack of independence is expressed in a shocking way. In this story the protagonist, Mrs. Mallard, is informed that her husband has been killed in a railroad accident. After the initial shock of her husband's death sets in, Mrs. Mallard returns to her room where she requests to be alone. Slumped down in her armchair, she is left with her thoughts and imagination as she gazes out the window. Suddenly, a weird sensation begins to come over her; feelings of joy and independence naturally creep into her mind. A certain weight has been lifted off her because she no longer has to live under her husband's demand; she realizes that she can now be her own person. Soon after this, Mrs. Mallard is interrupted by her sister who forcefully drags her down the stairs where a man opens the door to the living Mr. Mallard who strangely missed the railroad disaster by miles. The story ends abruptly with the shocking one liner: "When the doctors came they said she, 'Mrs. Mallard,' had died of heart disease--of the joy that kills" (Chopin). Although the doctors believed that Mrs. Mallard died because of the pure joy of her husband's return, the historical timing of this event reveals that Mrs. Mallard died of shear depression and sadness. 

Mrs. Mallard began to think of the entire life of independence she had ahead of her, and when it was all stripped away, her heart physically stopped. Once again one can see how male doctors skewed the diagnosis of women who were believed to be secondary citizens and incapable of carrying their own opinions or emotions. The ability to come to the conclusion that male doctors willfully ignored the reason of Mrs. Mallard's death is only possible through the culturally context of women's oppression. Without research, one could simply agree with the standings the doctors took because he or she would not be able to identify the actual reason why Mrs. Mallard dropped dead. Furthermore, the author's true intentions for this short story would be unclear because the story is not supported by any context. Research should always be used in conjunction to the text because then one can identify with the cultural movements that were happening while works like "The Story of an Hour" were being written. 

The fact that "The Story of an Hour" was written around the same time as "The Yellow Wallpaper" shows just how prevalent women's oppression was in the nineteenth century. By having this knowledge, one can truly understand why authors like Gilman and Chopin wrote with such conviction. These authors were being deprived of their freedoms and writing was one of their only form of expression. Although both these stories are fiction with exaggerated endings, the emotions of both authors are accurately represented through the main characters. For example, it is likely that Gilman had thoughts of madness swirling in her head just as Chopin probably yearned for independence with all of her heart. Knowing the historical context behind these authors creates a whole other dimension to reading a text; one can understand why an author is passionate about the topic she is writing about. 

Through the collection of specific resources, one will obtain a clear interpretation of "The Yellow Wallpaper" which exposes the oppression of women in the nineteenth century. In addition, readers are able to sympathize and connect with the author and her work on a deeper level due to research. Without the background information and the research collected, it is much harder to understand what the authors are writing about and more importantly why. If it was not for writers like Gilman, Chopin, and Thomas, the knowledge of the history of oppressed women would not be as widely known or respected.

