Women's Experiences: A Yellow Wallpaper and A Sister to Scheherezade

Thesis Statement:

The prevalence of gender differences and sex-role stereotyping in a male dominated society are the cause of many problems for women, mainly depression and other mental illnesses.

Introduction

Women in the past have been put through the various restrictions in a male dominated societies. Their lives have been controlled and led by men, and their opinion is not regarded. The women in The Yellow Wallpaper and A Sister to Scheherezade face such restrictions in their lives that lead them to depression and/or other mental illnesses. The women's experiences lead them to the desire to break through the rules and earn their freedom. In order to earn their freedom, the women have to take drastic measures. One of the measures includes finding another wife for their husband, as is the case for Isma in A Sister to Scheherezade. Another woman is finding her individual freedom and then helping another woman to do the same. The women have to strategically gain their freedom without being harmed in the process, like storytelling. Women in our society are faced with similar experiences. Some are able to strategically overcome the rules of society and earn their freedom. However, some are not strong enough to get out of the prisons made by the males in their lives.

Discussion

The theme that lies in The Yellow Wallpaper is that of women's oppression. The rights of women are oppressed in the story. The woman in this story undergoes depression after the birth of her baby. This is mainly due to the restrictions that are put on the woman and treatment by men. The woman feels that she has fulfilled her role as a wife and a mother; therefore, sees that life has nothing else to offer now. She goes into depression at the outlook of her life. The woman sees no hopes for a better future with some freedom and rights of her own. Such restrictions are targeted toward women, and the society imposes its rules and attitudes on them. The women are undergoing self denial and have an oppressive behavior due to the gender roles and stereotypes that are dominant in the society. Men see the women as having the mere role of an obedient wife. The dutiful wives, like the women in the stories, must comply with the thoughts and ideas of their husbands. That is their capacity, and they must abide by the rules set out for them. The women, who tend to have a differing view or who want to come out of the prison, are seen as mentally ill by the society.

Furthermore, there is a theory by Laingian that talks of anti-psychiatry. In theory, it is stated that there is a relationship between madness and femininity. There are ways to measure this relationship and factors that cause madness. Women are faced with such experiences that they do into depression or become mad. There is also a theory of labeling in which there is a relation to female ...