
Throughout history many literary pieces have been created; however, literature constantly evolves based on the time period. Not only does history shape particular texts but cultural contexts do as well. The time period and culture does not only affect the style and manner of the writing, but also what the writing is about. Most literature is a reflection of certain historical events or periods that give the author’s story credibility and further his or her argument. For example, “The Yellow Wallpaper” is a piece of literature revolving around women’s mental health in the nineteenth century. Without knowledge of the time period’s medical circumstances, the story may not be understood properly, and the reader may lose sight of the author’s overall message.

In the journal, “Lunacy in the 19th Century: Women’s Admission to Asylums in United States of America,” authors Katherine Pouba and Ashley Tianen discuss women’s rights regarding their own mental health. Their findings were disheartening to say the least. The article focuses on the admission to asylums and how women didn't officially get a choice in how their lives were handled. They state, “Between the years of 1850-1900, women were placed in mental institutions for behaving in ways that male society did not agree with. Women during this time period had minimal rights, even concerning their own mental health” (Pouba and Tianen 95). Women were even considered to be insane because of their menstrual cycles. Men had complete say on whether or their wives needed to be admitted to an asylum. Furthermore, Pouba and Tianen write,

“Examples are the status of women concerning their roles in marriage and employment. Women’s roles in these areas were minimal and concrete, leading to a second-rate position in society compared to men… Important life decisions including admittance to an asylum were decided by a husband, brother, or male friend. Occasionally, men’s societal expectations of how women should act did not coincide with how some women acted” (Pouba and Tianen 95).  

According to these women and numerous other sources, the overall choice for a women was non-existent during this time period. 

Women were subjected to unfair treatment regarding their rights, and it drove them even crazier. Men were in complete control. Charlotte Perkins Gilman wrote “The Yellow Wallpaper” about a woman who was sick and experiencing anxiety and depression. The entire story is the morose time period in the woman’s life where she is subjected to judgment by the men in her life. The woman is placed in a room in a peaceful home in hopes of healing. However the room she is placed in has an eerie yellow wallpaper. At first, she hates it but as she begins to study the paper more closely she see’s much more than just the yellow pattern. Throughout her days at the house she just stares at the “repellent, almost revolting wallpaper” (Gilman 301). The man she is with in the story practically forces her to stay in the room which again shows how women were not able to make their own choices. Women in the nineteenth century were expected to work below men and do all of the so called “dirty work”. They were needed to cook, clean, and stay home most of the day. Throughout this time period people who were considered to be going against the grain or going against what society saw as normal or traditional were patronized. Therefore, anyone, especially women, who acted a little differently were immediately criticized and chastised. For example, in “The Yellow Wallpaper” the woman was stuck in a room for weeks with nothing but a pen and some paper to write her feelings. She was shut out from the rest of society, even further. Her husband in the story failed to realize that her solitude was what drove her mad in the first place. 

 Not only the knowledge of women’s rights shape the text but so does the study of depression.Wichita State University came out with a study on women with depression and postpartum depression. The journal, “Screening for Depression among Pregnant and Postpartum Women” was written by Mosack and Shore in 2006. This study was one of the first testing postpartum depression on women. Many different women were tested during this study process. 

“The mothers were screened for depressive symptoms while pregnant, after childbirth, and when their children had reached 8 to 9 years old. They found that depressive symptoms among the mothers represented a long-term risk for the child’s health and general adjustment” (Mosack and Shore 38).

Unlike Pouba and Tianen’s article, this one doesn't focus on women in the nineteenth century; however, it reveals the first time women’s mental health was really studied and tested. Women felt incredible social pressures during the nineteenth century which could not only affect their health but also cause more health problems. The most important section of Mosack and Shores article is the postpartum depression screening. Although the woman in “The Yellow Wallpaper” did not just have a child, this article correlates because it explains how depression affects women’s over all health. The importance of knowing and understanding historical context comes into play greatly when reading “The Yellow Wallpaper”.

“The study goes deep into specific problems women have endured throughout their time. In “The Yellow Wallpaper” the main female character is almost scrutinized for her depression, because no one really understands what is going on in her head. She is placed in a room in and is advised not to write because it isn't “good” for her. However she of all people, knows how to handle the issue at hand. Postpartum depression is extremely common among women in not only past time but today as well. This article studies women’s mental health relating to pre-childbirth and post-childbirth, something the majority of women go through” (Mogul SWA#3). 

Depression can be endured by any kind of person in any place or time, and it is crucial to understand the disease and its effects in order to understand “The Yellow Wallpaper”. 

These specific articles shape the reading and understanding of “The Yellow Wallpaper”. Without the knowledge that these articles provide, a reader deprives themselves of understanding the true deep-rooted struggles of women during this time period. Historical context matters because without the truth of science regarding women’s mental health and women’s rights during the nineteenth century the story would have no credibility, and the example of the women going insane may have really seemed like a mystery. Authors like Mosack and Shore who convey how important the studies of women’s health really shed a light along with many other researcher’s on the extreme situations in women’s health. Similarly, authors Pouba and Tienan demonstrate how imperative it is to understand women’s rights when reading  historical literature. In every story, there is an audience and an author. If the audience fails to understand the background of where the author is writing from and why, then they truly gain no understanding from the story. When reading literature from different time periods it is crucial to read into the historical context and culture, in order to gain a better understanding so that one may better the world today. 