During the nineteenth century women had minimal power in society, for instance, working outside of the home, or having a say in the government. Though the minimalist power for women has been in mental health. Women were put into asylums mostly by men due to not behaving the way society wanted them to behave. Furthermore, in 1892, a short story published by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, called “The Yellow Wallpaper”, challenged the thought of how women should behave in society, from sexual freedom, to mental health. Gilman’s short story showcases a woman who is ill and has a male physician take care of her during the day. However, when the night hits she is drawn to a yellow wallpaper to that portrays shadows, patterns and a woman walking out of
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As for the nymphomania among women, men express an inferior mood if their wife or lover did this due to the slut-shaming culture that existed in the nineteenth century. Whereas, they practiced the angel in the house expression that they should only cater towards male desires not their own, be silent and look pretty. As an illustration in “The Yellow Wallpaper” the narrator mentions, “You see, he does not believe I am sick! And what can one do? If a physician of high standing, and one’s own husband , assures friends and relatives that there is nothing the matter with one but temporary nervous depression—a slight hysterical tendency—what is one to do (Gilman 1392)? Making connections to “The Yellow Wallpaper”, the narrator describes her illness as being invisible as well becoming misdiagnosed as having hysteria. This hysteria was thrown as a loose term like “insanity” to misdiagnose women who are actually dealing with a severe illness due to research. If the narrator were diagnosed in present day she most definitely would be diagnosed with having postpartum depression since she mentions that she is sad and nervous that she cannot hold her baby. Overall, the nineteenth century mental health system in America for women only focused on the physical, misdiagnosed them and allowed corruption of men forcing women into asylums or
As for the nymphomania among women, men express an inferior mood if their wife or lover did this due to the slut-shaming culture that existed in the nineteenth century. Whereas, they practiced the angel in the house expression that they should only cater towards male desires not their own, be silent and look pretty. As an illustration in “The Yellow Wallpaper” the narrator mentions, “You see, he does not believe I am sick! And what can one do? If a physician of high standing, and one’s own husband , assures friends and relatives that there is nothing the matter with one but temporary nervous depression—a slight hysterical tendency—what is one to do (Gilman 1392)? Making connections to “The Yellow Wallpaper”, the narrator describes her illness as being invisible as well becoming misdiagnosed as having hysteria. This hysteria was thrown as a loose term like “insanity” to misdiagnose women who are actually dealing with a severe illness due to research. If the narrator were diagnosed in present day she most definitely would be diagnosed with having postpartum depression since she mentions that she is sad and nervous that she cannot hold her baby. Overall, the nineteenth century mental health system in America for women only focused on the physical, misdiagnosed them and allowed corruption of men forcing women into asylums or