“The Yellow Wallpaper,” written by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, narrates the deterioration into insanity of a woman due to postpartum psychosis. Postpartum psychosis is a rare disorder that impacts approximately one to two out of every thousand births. Typically, this condition emerges within two weeks of childbirth, and in some instances, it can even develop within just a few days (“Depression”, 2009).
The text describes the symptoms of postpartum psychosis as “delusions or strange beliefs, hallucinations, feeling very irritated, decreased need or inability to sleep, paranoia, rapid mood swings and difficulty communicating at times” (source: “Postpartum Psychosis”, 2009). It also mentions that Charlotte Gilman, the protagonist in “The Yellow Wallpaper,” suffered from postpartum depression after giving birth to her daughter and was treated by the renowned physician Silas Weir Mitchell.
During the early 1800s, “nervousness” or mental illness was treated with the “rest cure”, as depression was not officially recognized as an illness at that time (Oppenheim, 1991). The rest cure involved isolating the patient from society for weeks or months, enforcing bed rest, and prohibiting activities such as talking, reading, writing, and sewing.
After seeking assistance for her personal struggles with depression, Gilman authored “The Yellow Wallpaper” as a piece of fiction that reflected her own experiences in numerous aspects. Another aspect that unfolds in “The Yellow Wallpaper” is the sensation of entrapment felt by the narrator due to societal constraints and her husband’s patriarchal beliefs. Although Gilman employs her work “The Yellow Wallpaper” to convey her discontent with the treatment she endured for depression, she pushes the standpoint of the narrator further into madness than she herself experienced.
The narrator begins the story by mentioning that she and her husband are living in a rented country home for three months. She explains that the house is beyond their usual affordability but does not provide any details regarding its appearance. Initially, she feels that the house might be haunted, but John dismisses her concerns with a laugh. The actual condition of the house is uncertain, but the narrator speculates that it may be in disrepair due to being repossessed by the bank from a financially struggling family.
John, the narrator’s husband, is described as a “physician of high standing” by Gilman. Interestingly, he repeatedly tells people that the narrator is only suffering from “a slight hysterical tendency”. John’s treatment plan for his wife involves isolating her in the countryside away from loved ones to ensure she gets ample rest and relaxation. This treatment plan mirrors that of Dr. Weir, as depicted by Gilman, during the same time period. Additionally, like Gilman, the narrator is also a writer.
The narrator describes the need for secrecy in her writing, as her husband and sister-in-law disapprove of it. They have discovered her writing before and have consistently insisted that rest and sleep are the only ways she could improve. However, she disagrees with their methods of treatment but feels compelled to comply. She believes her husband is overly lenient towards her illness and is further influenced by her sister-in-law Jenny, who takes care of her.
The narrator observes the beautiful gardens and rooms in the bottom of the house. She desires to live in a room with rose-lined windows, but her husband insists they stay in the upper room. He believes he won’t be able to take good care of her if they are in separate rooms, which seems strange since he is often away fulfilling his duties as a physician.
Throughout the text, the narrator continues to express disapproval towards John’s opinions. Although she acknowledges her husband’s caring behavior towards her, she constantly feels as though she is being unappreciative. In her journal, she even criticizes herself for being a “comparative burden” (Gilman). Moreover, the room where the narrator stays has a bed firmly attached to the floor. Additionally, there are bars on the windows and rings attached to the wall. Mistakenly, she assumes that this room had previously been used as a nursery or gymnasium by the previous owners.
As the reader, we can infer that this room was specifically designed for individuals with mental disorders. This raises the question of the true purpose of the house, to isolate such individuals from society. Since their arrival at the summer home, the narrator has been fixated on the wallpaper in her room. She describes it as the most terrible paper she has ever seen, with a dull appearance and an irregular pattern. The color is described as “almost revolting; a faded, unclean yellow that is oddly diminished by the gradual movements of sunlight” (Gilman).
In “The Yellow Wallpaper,” the narrator’s preoccupation and continual surveillance of the wallpaper indicates postpartum psychosis. It is important to note that she has a baby boy, who is attended to by a nanny or wet nurse named “Mary.” The narrator appreciates this arrangement as her son causes her anxiety. She also acknowledges that if she had to care for him, he would be in the nursery with the unsettling wallpaper.
The narrator in the story becomes fixated on unraveling the significance of the pattern featured on the paper. At first, she avoids being in the room due to its psychological impact. She urges her husband John to replace the paper, but he declines, thinking that she is improving and it is unnecessary to redecorate since their stay is brief. The narrator disagrees with her spouse’s method of treating her.
Desiring to enjoy the sunshine and reside in the beautiful rooms downstairs, she is instead confined to the unattractive upstairs room. Writing serves as a therapeutic activity as there is very limited social interaction between the narrator and members of society. Her journal becomes her only companion she can communicate with. Unfortunately, her writing is disapproved of as it is perceived as a diversion from her path to recovery. References Depression During and After Pregnancy. U. S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Retrieved from http://www.womenshealth.ov/publications/our-publications/fact-sheet/depression-pregnancy.cfm#f Gilman, Charlotte Perkins. (1892) The Yellow Wallpaper. New England Magazine J. Oppenheim, ‘Shattered Nerves’: Doctors, Patients, and Depression in Victorian England (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991) Retrieved from http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/broughttolife/techniques/restcure.aspx Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders (2012). Massachusetts General Hospital. Retrieved from http://www.womensmentalhealth.org/specialty-clinics/postpartum-psychiatric-disorders/
