




Mental illness is not a new problem that people of the world have been facing. It has plighted humans since the dawn of their existence. Even though it might seem like it is much more prevalent in current times, it is not. New technology and advances in psychology and psychiatry have allowed man to diagnose, and react to certain mental illnesses much better than the past. Doctors have developed several techniques and manufactured many drugs that help to treat the mentally ill in today’s society. Even a mere one hundred years ago, many of the advances that the world has now had not even been dreamt by doctors yet. Many people suffered, because doctors simply did not understand what was wrong with a person, or how to treat them. Another problem was the unfair treatment women received from doctors, and in life as a whole. Women were subjugated to their fathers or husbands and were never given a chance to voice their opinion, or express themselves freely. Many of them literally went mad because every single aspect of her life was spelled out for her, with consideration of her wishes. One women who wished to change this cultural practice was Charlotte Perkins Gilman. She wrote several books and short stories on the plight of women of her time, but one in particular grabbed people’s attention for it’s especially chilling nature. It was “The Yellow Wallpaper.” This work is an excellent thermometer of the times, truly shows the horrors that were instilled on many women in the time. It shows the ineffective nature of the “Rest Cure,” it is regarded as classic feminist literature after it’s rediscovery in the late twentieth century, and truly exemplifies the subordination of women throughout their lifetimes.

A major problem of the time was a lack of medical advancement, especially in the realm of psychology. Almost nothing was known about the brain, how it functioned, and how to treat it. Doctors merely guessed on treatments for illnesses in hopes that they would work. One method that became very popular in the early twentieth century was the “Rest Cure.” The rest cure was developed by a highly-esteemed neurologist from Philadelphia name S. Wier Mitchell. This “cure” was a very popular treatment for soldiers suffering from battle fatigue, what is currently known as PTSD. Even though it became popular that way, it use was seen primarily in the treatment of women who had “battle fatigue of the Homefront.” The treatment was described as rest, seclusion and excessive feeding. At the beginning of the treatment, the patient had to “relinquish control” to the doctor, and in order for the treatment to work properly, all of “their feelings, questions and concerns must be disregarded.” The rest aspect was taken very seriously. In some cases, patients were restricted to their beds for the first four to five weeks of treatment. During that time, a nurse would complete all of their daily tasks such as bathing, changing sheets, feeding, and sometimes entertainment. In an effort to keep the patient calm, information from family and friends was withheld or heavily censored. Mitchell believed that the primary cause for the mental illness was relationships with family and friends. Another aspect of the rest cure is the excessive feeding. The patient is put on a strict diet of milk. It was to be administered in four-ounce doses every two hours. The reasoning behind this practice was to have the patient gain weight. He thought that this would improve the quality of blood of his patients (249). He believed that a major problem that he saw across his patients is that they were all too thin. In the end, this treatment is the epitome of how poorly women were treated in these times. It can clearly be seen in every aspect of the treatment. The fact that even though it was initially thought up to treat those with battle fatigue, it found itself treating primarily women, who were not even soldiers should be a telling sign. Another terrifying part of the treatment is the disregard for the patient’s wishes. Once the treatment begins, there is no way out of it, because the doctor ignores everything you say. Gilman did an excellent job of truly exposing the horrors of the treatment in her short story. The way she shows the mind of the narrator descend into madness truly does the effect of this treatment justice. Gilman was actually able to instill change with this work. After reading this piece, Doctor Mitchell actually abandoned the rest cure, and it lost its prevalence in society.

Gilman also uses this story as a very telling tale of a woman’s place in society during the early twentieth century. She critiques marriage especially in this piece. Gilman believed that marriage in that time was very rigid and cookie cutter. The men went out and worked and had careers, while the women stayed home and took control of the domestic affairs. Gilman argues that this societal system relegates women to second class citizens and does not allow them to express themselves through their potential skills. This system gives the men a sense of superiority over women in every aspect. They believe that since they can go out into the world and see more, they have more wisdom or knowledge, which furthers the gap between men and women. It gives the men in the relationship a reason to be more controlling, because they can now rationalize that since they have more wisdom or knowledge, they are able to make better decisions than the women. In the “Yellow Wallpaper,” this sentiment can be seen in John’s treatment of the narrator. His assumed superior mental power leads him to totally control his wife. Even though he is trying to help her, he needs to consider his wife’s wishes. Gilman was an excellent writer, and uses her writing in order to improve the conditions of living for women.

Feminism and women’s rights became a major topic during the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. Even though she focuses main on the institution of marriage in “The Yellow Wallpaper,” she is very passionate on many different aspects of women’s rights. She argues that that the woman being the primary domestic caretaker, is not only a detriment to the woman and the family, but society as a whole. This is so because many women are suited with a great set of skills that will allow them to be productive members of society. She also argues that the family structure is also flawed, and that no member is truly happy with the role that they have (Thrailkill 244). These arguments are prevalent in her works in the early twentieth century. They include, Children, The Home, and Human Work. 

Feminism is a very important aspect of human life. It is important, because it prevents tyranny and oppression, and in the long history of the world, the power of man being imposed over women has been constant. Many pieces of literature have been produce in just the last century, but one of the most prevalent is Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper.” This is so because it talks about so many problems that women faced in society at that time. The main one being the problems women faced within marriage. Right are trampled upon many a time and Gilman brings those problems into the light. She also exposes a terrible practice in the “rest cure.” In the end, this feminist classic is a very important text because it acts as the social thermometer of problems in society in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century.



