Background The story “The Yellow Wallpaper” was written in 1892, the story is set during a time of great social change, when women’s rights and mental health were beginning to gain attention. The story follows a woman who is suffering from postpartum depression and is prescribed bed rest as a form of treatment by her own husband. As the story progresses, her mental health excessively deteriorates, and she descends into a state of a type psychosis, And her husband completely brushes it off. One of the main themes of “The Yellow Wallpaper” is the oppressive environment which women faced during this time, and the effects this had on their mental health. The story begings with the main character, her mental health gets worse throughout the story as she is isolated and forbidden to express her feelings or engage in creative pursuits. In the story the husband kept away the women from leaving the house in other words society. This is a direct result of the oppressive environment she is subjected to, as her husband refuses to acknowledge her feelings and insists that she remains isolated in her bedroom by her husband but can be portrayed as society. The protagonist’s mental health is represented in the yellow wallpaper itself, which she becomes obsessed with and believes is trapping an imprisoned woman. This serves as a metaphor for her own mental health, and her attempt to break free from her oppressive environment. …show more content…
This is indicative of the gender roles which were enforced on women during this time, and the expectation that they remain passive and dependent on their husbands. The protagonist is constantly reminded of her gender roles throughout the story, as she is denied the freedom to pursue her own interests and is instead expected to conform to her husband’s