Have you ever dealt with the overwhelming feeling of restrainment which lead to symptoms of depression, anxiety and and madness? “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman is an unusual story that takes us inside the innermost realms of the mind and emotions of a woman who is suffering a slow, mental breakdown caused by the unsuccessful attempts to restore her deteriorating mental health through a treatment called rest cure (paperstarter.1). Her predominant husband, John, confines her to a nursery in hopes that “perfect rest” will restore her poor health.The narrator’s constant isolation due to the rest cure from her community, combined with the lack of control in all aspects of her life, as well as the forced repression of her
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The rest cure was a treatment widely administered in the US and UK during the 19th century, to treat individuals who suffered from nervous breakdowns, anxiety, depression and a variety of other mental illnesses. The regimen was very rarely utilized to treat men, and was generally prescribed to women. During this time period women were viewed as second class citizens who were expected to bear children, fulfill their duties as wives, maintain the house, and obey whatever their husbands commanded them to do. Men on the other hand were were privileged enough to receive a proper education, hold high paying jobs, and make all the decisions in regard to their families. Furthermore, men often convinced or even forced their wives into being treated with the rest cure. The treatment imprisoned women for about six to eight weeks and involved complete isolation from friends and family. Patients were prohibited from engaging their minds or performing activities such as reading, sewing, writing and sometimes even talking.“Patients were force-fed if necessary - effectively reduced to the dependency of an infant. Nurses cleaned and fed them, and turned them over in bed”(theres.1). …show more content…
With door locked and the windows securely barred windows, she is confined to the room without any means of escape. The treatment that was once supposed to refresh and rejuvenate her mind, only serves to dulling it even further. Due to the fact that John is frequently away during the day working on cases as]the narrator becomes extremely lonely and longs for social interaction. She finds herself particularly fixated and drawn to the yellow wall paper that surrounds her bedroom. She describes it to be “revolting” with its with its scattered, formless, and eerie, patterning. She begins to believe that their is an imprisoned woman who is trapped behind the wallpaper and is trying to break free. “it is like a woman stooping down and creeping about behind that pattern. I don’t like it a bit. I wonder—I begin to think—I wish John would take me away from here"! (Gilman.11). Due to the lack of anyone to talk to or any stimulating activities to do,the narrator relies on her imagination to keep her occupied. She eventually becomes obsessed with the wallpaper which causes her to hallucinate and ultimately leaves her in an insane state of
The rest cure was a treatment widely administered in the US and UK during the 19th century, to treat individuals who suffered from nervous breakdowns, anxiety, depression and a variety of other mental illnesses. The regimen was very rarely utilized to treat men, and was generally prescribed to women. During this time period women were viewed as second class citizens who were expected to bear children, fulfill their duties as wives, maintain the house, and obey whatever their husbands commanded them to do. Men on the other hand were were privileged enough to receive a proper education, hold high paying jobs, and make all the decisions in regard to their families. Furthermore, men often convinced or even forced their wives into being treated with the rest cure. The treatment imprisoned women for about six to eight weeks and involved complete isolation from friends and family. Patients were prohibited from engaging their minds or performing activities such as reading, sewing, writing and sometimes even talking.“Patients were force-fed if necessary - effectively reduced to the dependency of an infant. Nurses cleaned and fed them, and turned them over in bed”(theres.1). …show more content…
With door locked and the windows securely barred windows, she is confined to the room without any means of escape. The treatment that was once supposed to refresh and rejuvenate her mind, only serves to dulling it even further. Due to the fact that John is frequently away during the day working on cases as]the narrator becomes extremely lonely and longs for social interaction. She finds herself particularly fixated and drawn to the yellow wall paper that surrounds her bedroom. She describes it to be “revolting” with its with its scattered, formless, and eerie, patterning. She begins to believe that their is an imprisoned woman who is trapped behind the wallpaper and is trying to break free. “it is like a woman stooping down and creeping about behind that pattern. I don’t like it a bit. I wonder—I begin to think—I wish John would take me away from here"! (Gilman.11). Due to the lack of anyone to talk to or any stimulating activities to do,the narrator relies on her imagination to keep her occupied. She eventually becomes obsessed with the wallpaper which causes her to hallucinate and ultimately leaves her in an insane state of