Mental Health In 19th Century America

Mental Health In The 18th/19th Century America

As a young woman who is still experimenting with adulthood myself, having to read about the oppression and subordination of females in the 19th century can become very depressive and heartbreaking. It often goes unnoticed that social neglect leads to mental illnesses and includes more than loneliness and depressive behavior but it rather voids the individual from the identity and the aspiration that they have for themselves and that they are passionate about. The Yellow Wallpaper is a short story published in 1982 that addresses the marital, mental and social struggles that its narrator is facing. Jane, the narrator, is a newly wed young lady who just gave birth to her
Jane sees herself as an avid writer and is prohibited to enjoy her passion as an author. The weight of knowing that she cannot perform the one thing that her heart desires creates a feeling of suffocation and imprisonment in her. Not only is she prohibited from writing but she is also denied any physical activity or movement that she wishes to perform taking away all forms of freedom. John is Jane’s husband who is also a physician and from the narrator’s tone (Jane) their marriage does not seem to be one that is full of excitement and happiness. He has asked for his sister and housekeepers to keep a close eye on Jane to make sure that she does not tire herself nor write. He explains to his wife that all he wants is for her to get better and that these ‘boundaries’ are in her best interest when in reality they are far more harmful than any already manifested mental disease that she has. When women are deprived to perform they lose their touch with reality; John only views his wife as a means to reproduction and pleasure but no more than that. He has her imprisoned in what is thought to be a luxuriously beautiful house but to her is just a miserable prison
As if I couldn 't see through him!” was Jane’s internal response and perspective on John after he asked her if she had slept well. This behavior does not surprise a health professional as myself, however it does portray a lot of concrete evidence towards the ignorance that society had in how to deal with patients that just needed some mental support. John’s questions were birthed out of mere routine and basic conversation skills not taking into consideration the depth in which his wife analyzed and interpreted all that he said though an unhealthy and unstable