Introduction
Charlotte Gilman Perkins published The Yellow Wallpaper for the first time in 1892 in the New England Magazine. The story she published was set in the Victorian Era and deals with the issues that women in that period encountered. That included a woman's limited social sphere as well as the way that women's illnesses were treated at this time. Gilman, as a victim of this mindset about women's mental health, tried to use her story as a way to bring light to this wrongful treatment.
Task
Today, you a Victorian woman that has been diagnosed as having "hysteria". You are going to use primary documents, newspaper articles, museum exhibits, and interviews to construct the historical background information you need to discover what your life is like and how you, and your illness, is treated in this time period. You will then read a bit about how one woman, Charlotte Gilman, responded to a similar scenario. We will use this information tommorow to fully understand the story The Yellow Wallpaper (which you will read for homework and we will discuss tomorrow). This will include researching the place of women in society, the Rest Cure, and Gilman's reasoning for writing and publishing this short story.
When you have finished looking through these resources and answering questions about them, you will use the information you have gained to write a paragraph discribing the following
A. What your life is like as a Victorian Woman with Hysteria. This includes your symptoms, your place in the social sphere, and A detailed look into the treatment that you are being given for your illness.
B. Your opinion of the way your illness is handled and your opinion of your diagnosis of "hysteria." Also, briefly explain your opinion on how Gilman handled her treatment and discribe how you would or would not have responded differently and why.
Process
First, visit this site and read about how Victorian women were percieved in this time. While reading, briefly answer the following questions: What were some adjectives that Victorian men might have used to discribe Victorian Women? What "sphere" were women expected to occupy and where they allowed out of that sphere? What was a woman's role in society?
http://www.fashion-era.com/a_womans_place.htm
Second, Visit the following website to learn about the illness of hysteria and it's symptoms. While reading answer the follwing questions briefly: What are the symptoms of hysteria? Who typically got it? Does this seem like a legitamate illness to you?
https://www.lib.uwo.ca/archives/virtualexhibits/londonasylum/hysteria.h…
Third, Visit these websites to learn how doctors, including the leading doctor in this field, Dr. S. Wier. Michell, treated the illness of hysteria. While reading briefly answer these questions: What was the name of the most common course of treatment for hysteria? What were the constraints placed on women to implement this cure?
http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/broughttolife/techniques/restcure.aspx
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/exhibition/literatureofprescription/b2Question.h…
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/exhibition/literatureofprescription/exhibitionAs…
(pg. 37 to middle of pg. 40)
Fourth, Please look at this image called "The Invalid" that was painted of a women with Hysteria by Lious Lang in 1870. While looking at this painting think about/answer the following questions. Why is the subject of the painting a woman? Does the woman seem like she is capable of obtaining knowledge? Why or why not? What adjectives would you use to discribe this women? Do these adjectives aline with how you beleive men percieved women at this time?
Finally, please look at this website that detail Gilman's resoning for writing what she wrote. While reading, please answer the questions: How did Gilman feel about the rest cure and why did she feel this way? Was Gilman validated in these feelings? Why oe Why not?
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/exhibition/literatureofprescription/exhibitionAs…
Conclusion
Now, use the information you gained to
write a paragraph discribing the following
A. What your life is like as a Victorian Woman with Hysteria. This includes your symptoms, your place in the social sphere, and A detailed look into the treatment that you are being given for your illness.
B. Your opinion of the way your illness is handled and your opinion of your diagnosis of "hysteria." Also, briefly explain your opinion on how Gilman handled her treatment and discribe how you would or would not have responded differently and why.
In writing The Yellow Wallpaper, Charlotte Gilman brought to light a common
problem that was occuring in her society. This story was a powerful piece of writing that actually made people change the way they treated this illness and eventually, this illness was disqualified as an illness at all. Not only is this story well written and a wonderful piece of literature, but it also made a lasting difference in the world, proving how powerful literature can be.