The Yellow Wallpaper And Mrs. Dalloway - 1220 Words

In Mrs. Dalloway, Septimus, a supporting character struggles with a mental illness that is most likely Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Similarly, in The Yellow Wallpaper, the narrator also struggles with a mental illness which could be related to postpartum depression. Charlotte Perkins Gilman, author of The Yellow Wallpaper struggled with depression and Virginia Woolf, author of Mrs. Dalloway, suffered childhood trauma and was bipolar (McMan). Both story’s views on mental illness are most likely heavily influenced by each author’s personal experience with mental illness. The Yellow Wallpaper and Mrs. Dalloway both reflect society’s negative view toward mental illness during the late 19th and early 20th century as both stories have themes of scarring symptoms, unreliable doctors, shameful therapy and feelings of isolation. Society’s View Mrs. Dalloway is set in 1923, a time where mental illness was extremely looked down upon and seen as a sign of weakness—much more so than today. In Mrs. Dalloway, Virginia Woolf chose to write Septimus into the story and have him struggle with mental illness. Sadly, Septimus reaches a point where he would rather choose â€Å"death of the body instead of death of the soul† and he commits suicide by jumping out of a window (SparkNotes Editors). Many who read Virgina Woolf’s writing know that she herself struggled with depression and also showed signs of bipolar disorder which was often integrated in her writing. (ONU). Unfortunately, Woolf’sShow MoreRelatedThe Yellow Wallpaper By Charlotte Perkins Gilman1704 Words   |  7 PagesEscaping The Yellow Wallpaper Charlotte Perkins Gilman (1860-1935) whom is most acclaimed for her short story The Yellow Wallpaper (1891) was a women’s author that was relatively revolutionary. Gilman makes an appalling picture of captivity and confinement in the short story, outlining a semi-personal photo of a young lady experiencing the rest cure treatment by her spouse, whom in addition to being her husband was also her therapist. Gilman misused the rest cure in The Yellow Wallpaper to alarm other