Shadows of Insanity A review of Charlotte Perkins Gillman's 'The Yellow Wall-Paper

In Charlotte Perkins Gilman's short story The Yellow Wall-paper one sees a first hand battle with nervous anxiety, depression, and a woman's fight for sanity as she adheres to ill advice from her doctor who is also her husband. The story examines a lady, possibly Gilman herself, imprisoned in drab surroundings, no intellectual stimulation outside of short, belittling talks with her husband, and patronizing guidance from her husband and doctor. One may assume that a …

…knowledge of why these conditions occur and less knowledge of proper treatment. Extensive research on mental disorders such as depression and nervous anxiety have yielded few results. Modern medicine such as Prozac and Zoloft provide patients with temporary relief to calm this plague of the mind. In the past there were no pharmaceuticals to assist a person in their battle of the brain and mental disorders were left untreated, or in many women's cases disregarded.