Charlotte Perkins Gilman

Charlotte Perkins Gilman addresses many relationship issues that are still relevant to today. One of the first ideas is that of the subservient role of women in relationships. As much as Gilman and other women fought against this role, it certainly still occurs in modern-day relationships. Women are expected to defer to the wishes of the man. Another idea still relevant to today is inability of many to value the role of wife and/or stay at home moms. Still today, these roles are simply not valued enough. Another issue that retains its relevance is the nonchalant treatment of postpartum depression. In Gilman's time, this was not considered a real illness. While it is a real illness today, many see this as a depression that women should be able to control. Charlotte Perkins Gilman wrote this short story in order to "stop women from being driven crazy" by the contemporary treatment of postpartum depression. While she played a role in changing of roles for women, our contemporary society has a long way to go.

The first issue that Gilman brings up in "The Yellow Wallpaper" that still has relevance today is the idea that women should defer to the wishes of the man. The main character in the story has to follow her husband's wishes exactly or sneak around to break his rules. Open defiance or having her own opinion about her life is not an option. "The yellow wallpaper is symbolic of the Cult of True Womanhood, which binds women to the home and family. As in the case of Charlotte Gilman, women were constricted to the set parameters that men determined. Women are conditioned to accept these boundaries and remain in place, in the private sphere" (Thomas). While many would like to think this is not true today, it still is true for many women. How many women lie about going shopping or hide purchases from their husbands because they know they would meet disapproval?

There are certainly many women who do not work outside the home because their husbands don't want them to or who must still do all the housework because the husband doesn't believe that is his role. Men still want to be the master of their domains, just like John in "The Yellow Wallpaper." John rules his household in a very nice but patronizing way. There are many examples of this in the story such as, "John laughs at me, of course, but one expects that in marriage" (Gilman). He sees himself as the only one who knows anything so he must care for his wife like he would a child. Treating his wife like a child is completely normal, and women accepted it too. Unfortunately this is still all too true today. This first issue of male dominance brings us precisely to the second issue, which is the way that women's roles are undervalued.

The second issue that Gilman brings up in "The Yellow Wallpaper" is the way that women's' roles are undervalued. Now granted the narrator in the story is not a stay-at-home mom but only because she suffers from such severe postpartum depression that she cannot play this role. She would stay at home and cook and clean and take care of her child because that would be the only role open to her not because it fulfills her. There are really too separate issues here-one is that not all women are cut out to run households and care for children and two is that even if women do, their roles are looked down upon or undervalued. Society today still expects women to run the household and care for children. There are women today who chose to remain childless as Gilman might have given the option. These women are still regarded as "odd." There are women who choose to go back to work after bearing children, allowing their children to be raised by others. It is assumed that if money were not an issue, women would want to stay home and raise children.

Today, many women want to work, as Gilman wanted to work, and as the narrator of "The Yellow Wallpaper" wanted to work. Women are many times forced to make choices that harm their careers when it comes to childrearing. But women today, can't win because if they do choose to stay home and run their households and be content, they are often looked down upon. The narrator in the story is looked down upon because of her supposed illness. If she had been able to run her household and take care of her baby, all would have been well. Except that the narrator would not have been fulfilled. She was a woman who took great joy from her writing and wanted to work. Really, she can't win. Just as many women today cannot win either. And even if a woman chooses to work, the working world is still dominated by men. "According to Labor Department data, women earn about three-quarters of what men earn; that is up about 25% from a few decades ago, but it isn't sufficient, most women said (Hunt). So, women have made strides, but they still are nowhere close to equal.

The third issue of relavance today is the treatment of postpartum depression. In Gilman's time, the rest cure was used, which basically meant that women should do nothing that might tax their brains and they should live as domestically as possible. They should sleep a lot and perform their wifely duties of keeping house and caring for children, and they would eventually "snap out of it." This treatment is basically because this kind of depression was not recognized; it was not a real illness. As the narrator says in the story, "If a physician of high standing, and one's own husband, assures friends and relatives that there is really nothing the matter with one but temporary nervous depression-a slight hysterical tendency-what is one to do?" (Gilman). Men were in charge and women saw male doctors who did not understand nor want to acknowledge post-partum depression. Today, post-partum depression is recognized and the rest cure no longer applies. There are many more women doctors and male doctors who take the time to understand this illness. However, it is many times still seen as something a woman should be able to control. "Bad" moms suffer from this depression; "good" moms grin and bear it.

Charlotte Perkins Gilman was very advanced for her time in discussing the importance of women being able to make their own choices. The narrator in "The Yellow Wallpaper" was literally trapped by the wills and whims of her husband. He was a man and a doctor, and he was in charge. She was clearly discontent with her life but could do nothing about it. She did not have access to the equity or the choices that would make her life bearable. Today, women face these same issues. The inequities are less; but they still exist. As DeMaria says, "The acceptance of women's roles and choices, regardless of what those are, is important. The women's movement was meant to open new doors, not close old traditional ones that may still be extremely important in our society." (DeMaria).

Works Cited

DeMaria, Nancy, Motherhood, Carolina Review. Retrieved June 25, 2007, at http://www.unc.edu/cr/features/motherhood.html

Gilman, Charlotte Perkins. "Charlotte Perkins Gilman's "The Yellow Wallpaper" Retrieved June 25, 2007 at http://itech.fgcu.edu/faculty/wohlpart/alra/gilman.htm

Hunt, Albert R. Women See Progress but also Inequity. Career Journal. Retrieved June 25, 2007 at http://www.imdiversity.com/Villages/Careers/articles/careerjournal_women_progress_inequity.asp

Thomas, Deborah. "Charlotte Perkins Gilman's "The Yellow Wallpaper" Retrieved June 25, 2007 at http://itech.fgcu.edu/faculty/wohlpart/alra/gilman.htm