Rest Cure
English Comp
19 April 2013
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Charlotte Perkins Gilman (b. 3 July 1860) was the ultimate role model for generations of feminists because of all of her amazing accomplishments. In the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, Gilman was the dominant women American sociologist, novelist, and poet. Her most famous piece, “The Yellow Wallpaper,” was published in 1892. In this work, Gilman describes the struggles women had to deal with because of the roles that men had given to them. The story is about a woman suffering from mental illness whom is kept in a closeted room by her husband because of her health. The protagonist must listen to her husband whom is also the doctor even though his treatment is contrasting to what she truly needs. The treatment is called “Rest Cure” and the main point of it is to isolate the women with complete rest and forced feeding. Gilman believed that “Rest Cure” was truly ineffective, and the protagonist actually just needed mental stimulation and the freedom to not be confined to this small room. Dr. Silas Weir Mitchell, the doctor that recommended the “Rest Cure” in the story, actually had a real life connection to Gilman. After Gilman gave birth to her first child she went through very serious post-partum depression. During these times, women were looked at as being mentally unstable, so when they encountered struggles after giving birth, doctors would just look at them as just being crazy. During her depression she met with Weir Mitchell, and this is where he recommended “Rest Cure” to her. “The Yellow Wallpaper” was a response to Mitchell’s recommendation, and she even sent him a copy of the story. Gilman and Mitchell had a real life connection, which she was able to accurately depict through her story. Rest Cure was developed in the late 1800’s by American neurologist Silas Weir Mitchell. It was created to help in the treatment of hysteria, neurasthenia, and other nervous illnesses. Most popular in the United
19 April 2013
slkjflskjf
Charlotte Perkins Gilman (b. 3 July 1860) was the ultimate role model for generations of feminists because of all of her amazing accomplishments. In the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, Gilman was the dominant women American sociologist, novelist, and poet. Her most famous piece, “The Yellow Wallpaper,” was published in 1892. In this work, Gilman describes the struggles women had to deal with because of the roles that men had given to them. The story is about a woman suffering from mental illness whom is kept in a closeted room by her husband because of her health. The protagonist must listen to her husband whom is also the doctor even though his treatment is contrasting to what she truly needs. The treatment is called “Rest Cure” and the main point of it is to isolate the women with complete rest and forced feeding. Gilman believed that “Rest Cure” was truly ineffective, and the protagonist actually just needed mental stimulation and the freedom to not be confined to this small room. Dr. Silas Weir Mitchell, the doctor that recommended the “Rest Cure” in the story, actually had a real life connection to Gilman. After Gilman gave birth to her first child she went through very serious post-partum depression. During these times, women were looked at as being mentally unstable, so when they encountered struggles after giving birth, doctors would just look at them as just being crazy. During her depression she met with Weir Mitchell, and this is where he recommended “Rest Cure” to her. “The Yellow Wallpaper” was a response to Mitchell’s recommendation, and she even sent him a copy of the story. Gilman and Mitchell had a real life connection, which she was able to accurately depict through her story. Rest Cure was developed in the late 1800’s by American neurologist Silas Weir Mitchell. It was created to help in the treatment of hysteria, neurasthenia, and other nervous illnesses. Most popular in the United