Charlotte Perkins Gilman Influences

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Charlotte Perkins Gilman is an extremely influential figure in United States history. Charlotte Perkins Gilman was many things, including an author, feminist, and lecturer for social reform. She lived from 1860-1935. During her lifetime, her forward thinking ideas (which were illustrated in both her fictional and nonfiction text) drew great attention to her. Notable works of hers include the novella The Yellow Wallpaper, the sociological work Women and Economics, and her newspaper, The Forerunner. All of her work is still studied today and has greatly contributed to modern sociology. One of her more famous quotes is: “The first duty of a human being is to assume the right functional relationship to society - more briefly, to find your real …show more content…
As a child, Charlotte was raised alongside her older brother Thomas, who was her sole sibling due to her mother’s medical condition. Later in her life, Charlotte wrote about her mother, describing her as emotionless and difficult. When Charlotte was 9 years old, her parents divorced, leaving her single mother to care for the two children. The small family moved around Rhode Island frequently, which greatly affected Charlotte’s education. From 1878-1883, Charlotte enrolled in the Rhode Island School of Design. To support her educations he took odd jobs, such as tutoring and selling art supplies. Charlotte married aspiring artist Charles Walter Stetson in 1884. Soon after, they had a daughter together, whose name was Katherine Stetson. Their marriage was brief and unhappy. In the time span of their marriage, Charlotte (like many other women during that time) was diagnosed with hysteria and assigned to rest therapy.
Rest therapy was a form of treatment for “hysteria.” Hysteria was a condition seen to be characterized by anxiety, nervousness, and depression. Female patients were confined to their bedchamber and isolated for long periods of time. Interestingly, when men were diagnosed with hysteria, they were encouraged to work outside and be active. Teddy Roosevelt was a prime example of this. His doctor suggested that he live on the plains and hunt as a cure for his illness. By contrast, women diagnosed with the same illness were allowed little or no mental stimulation and grew even
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