Women in the nineteenth century experienced many struggles throughout their lives.  The way they were treated, looked at, and the expectations they had made it difficult for them to live their own lives.  Women were known to be the housewives and they were expected to cook, clean and take care of the children.  During this time, there were what was known as "different spheres." The men stayed in one sphere while the women stayed in another and they only met up for breakfast and dinner.  Men worked outside of the house and were educated while women stayed inside and typically received little to no education.  "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman is an accurate representation of how women were treated by their husbands and others who loved them.  While reading this text, outside sources as well as background information help readers understand the severity of the treatment women received during this time.  Gilman uses her experiences along with other stories to create a text that demonstrates the struggle many women faced and how she dealt with her depression.

"The Yellow Wallpaper" was based off of Charlotte Gilman's experiences with doctor Silas Mitchell, who was a famous doctor of this time for establishing the rest cure, which he put Gilman through.  After Gilman's first child, she began to struggle with emotional problems and became increasingly more depressed.  Mitchell's treatment was bed rest, isolation, overfeeding, and massage (Worldpress).  She was not allowed to write nor do anything intellectual while being treated. And this bothered her she said, "Personally, I disagree with their ideas. Personally I believe that congenial work, with excitement and change, would do me good" (Gilman 209). When Gilman eventually realized Mitchell's treatment was worsening her depression, she left both her husband and doctor and wrote, "The Yellow Wallpaper" in hopes to bring attention to what the doctors believed and why it was wrong.  

Gilman used woman's identity in the 19th century to base her story off; she brought in evidence from her experiences as well as others to reveal the treatment women with depression went through during this time.  The text was written in hopes Doctor Silas Mitchell and other doctors of this time would read and understand their beliefs were not effective to treat patients.  Gilman sent her doctor the story and received no response .  She anticipated that men would read her story and see the way they treated women so delicately was not needed.  If nothing else,  this story would help other women of this time going through a similar illness.  This story would show them that the rest cure would make them worse and that writing and intellectual activities will actually help with depression.  

Before reading this text, it is helpful to have knowledge about the rest cure and responsibilities of women during this time period.  Although it never says "the rest cure" in the story, with outside knowledge, it becomes apparent that is what the narrator was prescribed.  The reader can make this assumption when they talk about the narrator not doing anything; not even writing or socializing. She states, "When I get really well, John says we will ask Cousin Henry and Julia down for a long visit; but he says he would as soon put fireworks in my pillow-case as to let me have those stimulating people about now" (Gilman 211). Gilman is not even allowed to see family members and that represents complete isolation.  Knowing about the rest cure and that women of this time were expected to be taking care of the house and children gives a better understanding of what the main character was going through.  Being familiar with women of the 19th century lessens the extremity of the doctor's treatment.  Without knowing this was the norm of the time or when the story took place, the reader may think drastically different because the lengths they took were so extreme such as not allowing Gilman to see her child. During this time, it was believed that the uterus led to emotional and physical problems in women (Typepad).  Some women seeking help from doctors would be advised to have their uterus removed and that was thought to cure their problems. Readers shocked by the treatment in "The Yellow Wallpaper" would have a harder time comprehending the fact women were going into surgery hoping to heal their problems. This obscurity was not mentioned in Gilman's story, but having insight on the practice before reading provides new interpretations to the text and the factual history. 

After "The Yellow Wallpaper" was published many people became aware of the issue being addressed. Although Doctor Mitchell did not respond to the writing, he lost respect around the community and fewer people sought help from him. More and more women started to realize the rest cure was not helpful and that the way they were being treated was not what they wanted. Many agreed with the text itself and although it has more of a plot the basis is that women were not being treated equally or intelligently.  It was often talked about how "The Yellow Wallpaper" displayed men's arrogance when speaking of women and their mental health (Thomas). It became apparent that what they were doing to help "treat" women was actually making them go crazy and consequently become more ill. Researching the topics presented in "The Yellow Wallpaper" and reading other perspectives helps the reader gain a better understanding of the narrator's struggles to find peace within herself. 

"The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman was written in a time period when men defined womens' roles and identities in society. Men of high standing had very powerful respect that women would listen to what they had to say and follow along. Men decided what the women could and could not do including being educated. Gilman's short story and the impact it had helped people realize the way they were living was unfair and needed to change. Gilman called out Doctor Mitchell and his lack of knowledge to cure depression in women. She showed how his treatment worsened her and made her realize it was not helping. Having knowledge of the time frame of this story with other examples of the rest cure in action helps the reader make a better educated interpretation of the characters and their actions. The reader is more likely to understand why Gilman experienced what she did. After reading Charlotte Gilman's story, it is beneficial to read outside sources and responses to the story and then re-read "The Yellow Wallpaper." By doing this, the readers will notice how the understanding of the text changes with awareness of the history.  

