A particular theme found in all the following short stories revolves around mental illness. Mental illness was an ample and improperly managed disease that was notorious in the late 19th century. In The Yellow Wallpaper, Gilman illustrated the short story in such a way that it replicated the 19th century psychologically. Depicting the narrator as an enclosed married female who was restrained to do as she pleased. In the 19th century the male figure was the absolute dominant person in the relationship. Since this was the typical standards for society the wife was to obey her beloved. John (the narrator’s husband) always addressed his wife as a child: “he took me in his arms and called me a blessed little goose” (Gilman 49). A lot is said within this one line to begin with, John in this scene may seem to be a bit romantic as he picks her up, however as his list of actions continue that begins to change as he pampers his wife calling her petty names. This demonstrates the role of dominance in the relationship that was considered normal to society at this time period. John continues with the pet names as he said called her “little girl” (Gilman 53). By him saying this to her it deteriorates her rights of being the adult his wife is and shows her that she cannot have the equal level of rights and respect he has. That being said, the dialog between the married couple builds a wall causing a lack of communication. The action of this miscommunication leaves a harsh impact on the wife as she has no way to open up her thoughts and causes her to become mentally ill, unable to express her true thoughts as their locked in a chamber. In the Story of an Hour, Mrs. Millard also goes through a hardship in her marriage with her husband similar to John’s wife. This story was also written in the same 19th century where Mrs. Millard’s husband played the dominant role in their relationship causing her to be exhausted. In the late 19th century, women were placed in the societal status of being inferior to their spouse as they should depend on their husband to be the man of the house and the main source of income. In the 19th century, women were to maintain the house, do chores and cook for her husband. With Mrs. Millard she suffered “heart trouble” which added to stress and agony that her marriage placed on her …show more content…
This is ironic because during the 19th century that was where most women resided. Referring back to “The Yellow Wallpaper”, the setting differs slightly because the protagonist is in a temporary house where she is enclosed in a room with yellow wall paper. In the house it holds all the emotions of the females as they are isolated. In the yellow wallpaper, the narrator is annoyed with the wallpaper: “I should hate it myself” (Gilman 48). Yet what choice did she have, her husband said she had to stay there to feel “better”. Along the room she stayed in were “barred windows” which further stress the fact that she was being restricted (Gilman 49). In “The Story of an Hour” the setting limits to an hour of which the story was told. As for “A Rose for Emily”, the story is told through a flashback of Emily’s father’s death to when she was a