Psychological thriller, "The Yellow Wallpaper", by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, delves into the social stigma faced by those suffering from mental illness and the utter suppression of women in the time period between the late eighteen and early nineteen hundreds. The refreshed excerpt from "Hill's Manual of Social and Business Forms: A Guide to Correct Writing" by Thos. E. Hill and "Rest in the Treatment of Nervous Disease" by S. Weir Mitchell, were useful sources in developing a new, clearer interpretation of the short story and its representation of these past social stigmas. Historical treatment of nervous diseases and the social role of women is expressed in the literary work, "The Yellow Wallpaper" through its portrayal of supposed treatment and the expectations of the protagonist. Without existing knowledge of relevant historical context elements and the supplemental background information learned through research, the story would lose much of its impact and would not shed its light on these sensitive historical topics.  

It is proposed that "The Yellow Wallpaper", was written in response to the way women were treated in the time period. The author received treatment for her own depression in the form of the infamous resting cure which was later considered bad medicine and disused. The resting cure was a popular treatment requiring inactivity during the late eighteen hundreds and was used to treat nervous disorders. Women were not given proper respect or credibility for their symptoms, and as a result many women grew depressed because of it. This contributed to "The Yellow Wallpaper" being the most famous of all Charlotte Perkins Gilman's works, it was even a bestseller in The Feminist Press. Since its original printing in the late eighteen hundreds, "The Yellow Wallpaper" has been included in various collections of both women and American literature (Dock 4). Many people do not understand typical marital relationships and gender roles associated with this time period, but "The Yellow Wallpaper" opens the door to a different way of life.

The late eighteen hundreds and early nineteen hundreds were not an easy or especially kind time for women. Largely under the control of the men in their lives, women had to seek permission to do the simplest of things such as spend money and be away from the home. A clean home, an admirable appearance and nature were to be expected of wives at all times in and away from their homes. In the early nineteenth century, women were still denied equal education as males, if given the opportunity to learn at all. This lack of schooling prevented them in many cases from engaging in work outside the home, more firmly trapping them under patriarchal influence. The theory of the domestic sphere was still largely upheld during this time, meaning the woman was expected to remain in the domestic or private sphere of the home while the husband went into the public sphere. A good wife was expected to not interact in the public sphere and she had to make the domestic sphere a sanctuary of sorts for the husband to come home to (Hill par. 11). This constant and blatant sexual inequality is the reasoning for the narrator's manifestation of Hysteria. The narrator's situation within patriarchy means that the men around her will only do as they believe to be best and not necessarily what is actually in her best interest because they cannot understand. This information identified the short story as a symbol of discourse and helps the reader understand that she is kept isolated from the world, not fulfilling her desire to express herself freely. This was psychologically damaging to young women and stunted their ability to lead a fulfilling life in the future. The subject of the social treatment of women in this seemingly backward period is further discussed with the secondary online source outlining ideas recorded by Thos E. Hill.

Background and context of the author's abnormal psychology and the relationship she has with her husband was illuminated in the section "The Wife's Duty", of the book Hill's Manual of Social and Business Forms: A Guide to Correct Writing by Thos. E. Hill. The excerpt provided a disturbing look into the expected duties of a wife in the early nineteenth century. The way married women were expected to behave as summarized in this modernized excerpt allows the reader to better understand the relationship between the narrator and her husband in Gilman's "The Yellow Wallpaper". Women were looked down upon as mentally fragile and delicate. "Hill's Manual of Social and Business Forms: A Guide to Correct Writing" made it obvious as to why the narrator's husband acts so ignorantly; speaking condescendingly to his wife and actively working to make her dependent on him in the short story. Her husband practiced spousal abuse, belittling her and responding patronizingly due to the influence of the period. It is clear that John's wife is almost afraid of her husband, causing resulting in her adoption passive behavior in regards to what he commands of her. The husband, John, believes that he is superior to the story's narrator, misjudging his wife's symptoms and leading him to his choice of forced treatment for her. In the primary source, the chosen treatment is explained. 

In the nineteenth century women were often diagnosed with Hysteria. Dr. Silas Weir Mitchell developed the widely popular "rest cure" as a way to treat women who suffered from anxiety and depression related to hysteria. In the time period women were encouraged to have large families and command grand households (Fortin par. 18). With the creation of many children, came the increased instance of birthing difficulties such as postpartum depression.  Postpartum depression following the birth of a child was a common issue plaguing the females of this time. It is thought that "The Yellow Wallpaper" is semi-autobiographical due to the fact that author Charlotte Perkins Gilman was prescribed the resting cure to treat a bout of severe postpartum psychosis. In "Rest in the Treatment of Nervous Disease" by S. Weir Mitchell, his famous resting cure is described. The proposed treatment plan to cure Hysteria was psychologically harsh and damaging. Participants were forced into extremely isolated environments for a lengthy period of time and not allowed to engage their minds. In addition to the forced idleness, the patient is encouraged to eat well, exercise, and remain completely passive (Mitchell 116). This article made it easier to comprehend what was actually being imposed on the narrator by providing the desired effect and steps of the treatment through an illustration of the treatment plan and the desired outcome. In this reformatted original work, it was made clear that many doctors considered the idea that a healthy woman is one that is subordinate to male influence. With the additional knowledge and insight gained from this unsettling source it is easy to see how the narrator of "The Yellow Wallpaper" could descend into the depths of insanity after subjection to the treatment. This treatment was ultimately a way of forcing women to conform to social roles and thus, empowering the patriarchy. The source "Rest in the Treatment of Nervous Disease" by S. Weir Mitchell,   provided insight that enabled the reader to identify with the narrator and see how this type of treatment could lead to a certain level or insanity.

"The Yellow Wallpaper" is a Victorian story with a timeless meaning displaying prominently the sexism and negative social stigma of mental illness of polite society. Due to the length of time separating today and the years of the late eighteen hundreds that "The Yellow Wallpaper" was written it can be difficult to fully understand the story without learned historical context. "Hill's Manual of Social and Business Forms: A Guide to Correct Writing" by Thos. E. Hill and "Rest in the Treatment of Nervous Disease" by S. Weir Mitchell lent a new in-depth interpretation of Gilman's, "The Yellow Wallpaper". While a majority of societies today have come a long way since Charlotte Perkins Gilman's day, many still have so far to come. This story, while short, shows the long and morbid historical suppression of the female in society and the grotesque and superficial quality of psychiatric treatment; this questions the expectations of women and their roles as members of society. 

