Treatment Of Mental Illness What Do Kate Chopin And...

Treatment of Mental Illness in the 1800’s What do Kate Chopin and Charlotte Perkins Gilman, two authors whose works we have read, have in common? Both female authors suffered from depression during the 1880’s, their experiences with depression are seen in their literary works. After reading about the rest cure in Gilman’s â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† and learning that Chopin used writing for solace it made me want to learn more about how people with mental illnesses were treated and their conditions in the actual institutions in the 1800’s as well as the leading figures of the asylum reform. For anyone who has watched the second season of American Horror Story, â€Å"Asylum†, they have probably questioned whether the inhumane treatment of the patients that occurred in the show actually happened. Although there is no proof for some of the events that occurred in the show, through research I learned that a journalist had actually disguised herse lf as a patient in order to learn about how they were being treated in the 1800’s. PBS, in their background of Around the World in 72 Days talks about the woman who inspired the film in their post â€Å"Nellie Bly†, explains that this journalist was actually Elizabeth Jane Cochran, whose pen name was Nellie Bly. She became a journalist after sending an angry reply to Erasmus Wilson’s column about how women belonged in the house and working women were â€Å"a monstrosity†. The newspaper was impressed with her writing and spirit and hiredShow MoreRelatedThe Yellow Wallpaper, By Harriet Beecher Stowe1603 Words   |  7 Pagesdomination through their literary work. The Yellow Wallpaper is a direct reflection of Charlotte Perkins Gilman and her political view on women’s health, both mental and physical. In order to have a better understanding of The Yellow Wallpaper, it is imperative to understand the life of Charlotte Perkins Gilman. In 1860, Gilman borned as Charlotte Anna Perkins in Hartford, Connecticut. Her father, Frederick Beecher Perkins abandoned the family when she was only an infant. She surrounded herself by influentialRead MoreAnalysis Of The Story Of An Hour And Charlotte Perkins Gilman s The Yellow Wallpaper908 Words   |  4 PagesKate Chopin’s â€Å"The Story of an Hour† and Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† are two short stories that share similar themes and ideas. The authors’ use of point of view, symbolism, and imagery are different but still convey the same basic idea. Both stories cover the theme of marriage and share the idea that marriage is oppressive. The stories focus on two wives desperate to break from the control of their husbands. In â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† the woman’s husband is a doctor thereforeRead MoreThe Story Of An Hour By Kate Chopin And The Yellow Wallpaper1395 Words   |  6 PagesThe Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin and The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman written in the 1890s both reflect gender roles of this time, specifically women’s roles. In these stories both of the women are oppressed by their marriages, and by the end of the stories both wish to be rid of their husbands. Also, in both of these stories these women experience mental illnesses, mainly depression. These illnesses were looked at as something minor during this time, was it because psychologistsRead More Essay on Appearance vs Reality in Yellow Wallpaper, Story of an Hour, and Lottery1166 Words   |  5 PagesThis paper discusses three short stories written to shock the reader, but each uses a different metho d to achieve its effect. While Kate Chopins The Story of an Hour uses a sudden shift in plot at the end of a short narrative, Shirley Jacksons The Lottery gives hints throughout the story preparing the reader for a shocking ending; in contrast, Charlotte Perkins Gilmans The Yellow Wallpaper shocks its readers through careful character development. The narrator of Gilmans 1892 short storyRead MoreFeminism : A Feminist Perspective1904 Words   |  8 PagesSince the 19th century to the present day, feminism has evolved over periods of time, shaped and molded our structure of society into what it is today. Feminism, the exploration and critique of male power that challenges traditional sex roles has always played a major role and been expressed in classic and modern literacy. From press articles, to film productions. From plays to books. Along with this, feminist literary and cultural theories were born from feminists who also challenge and analyzeRead MoreDesiree s Baby By Kate Chopin1770 Words   |  8 PagesBack in this era of time the most respectable job for a woman was to be a loving wife in her husband’s household. In the short story â€Å"Desiree’s Baby† written by Kate Chopin, we have this setting of this older woman named Madame Valmondà © is on her way to visit her adopted daughter Desiree who h as recently given birth to her son by her husband Armand Aubigny. Everything seems to be going well at the plantation due to master of the house being so thrilled about having his son being born. As time