A Sorrowful Woman, written by Gail Godwin, is a story about a woman who suffers from chronic depression. It becomes evident that the main character, who is nameless, is extremely ill with the condition. As the story progresses, the main character becomes increasingly reclusive. The main character displays numerous symptoms of chronic depression throughout the story including insomnia, getting angry over minor issues, and loss of interest in normal activities. According to the Mayo Clinic, a common symptom of chronic depression is “sleep disturbances, including insomnia” (“Depression”). During the story, the main character is not able to fall asleep. She remarks to her husband, “If only there were instant sleep” (Godwin 40). Every night before the depressed woman can fall asleep, her husband makes her a drink called drought. The drought acts as a sleeping aid for the woman. With this information, it is evident to the reader that the woman has severe insomnia. …show more content…
According to the Mayo Clinic, another symptom of chronic depression includes “angry outbursts, irritability or frustration, even over small matters” (“Depression”). During the story, the main character was walking around her house. Her son was following close behind acting like a tiger. The boy accidentally scratches his mom, which causes her to bleed. The main character is furious and locks herself in her room. She calls her husband and states; “I’ve locked myself away from him. I’m afraid.” (Godwin 40). The woman locked herself away from her own child due to a minor
The narrator is forbidden from work and confined to rest and leisure in the text because she is supposedly stricken with, "…temporary nervous depression - a slight hysterical tendency," that is diagnosed by both her husband and her brother, who is also a doctor (1).
Louise, the unfortunate spouse of Brently Mallard dies of a supposed “heart disease.” Upon the doctor’s diagnosis, it is the death of a “joy that kills.” This is a paradox of happiness resulting into a dreadful ending. Nevertheless, in reality it is actually the other way around. Of which, is the irony of Louise dying due to her suffering from a massive amount of depression knowing her husband is not dead, but alive. This is the prime example to show how women are unfairly treated. If it is logical enough for a wife to be this jovial about her husband’s mournful state of life then she must be in a marriage of never-ending nightmares. This shows how terribly the wife is being exploited due her gender in the relationship. As a result of a female being treated or perceived in such a manner, she will often times lose herself like the “girl
The main character in the story is the narrator. She is not given a name to call her by, but it is suggested that her name is Jane by many readers of the story. She just had a child and is going through a medically referred situation called postpartum depression. Postpartum depression is a hindering medical condition that sends new mothers into depressive states which affect their ability to care for themselves and for a baby. During the late 1800s, when this story was written, postpartum depression was referred to as “temporary nervous depression” and had isolating treatments such as the one being administered to the narrator by her husband, the physician.... ...
A smile has the incredible ability to hide anything. “The funny thing is, nobody ever really knows how much anybody else is hurting. We could be standing next to somebody who is completely broken and we wouldn’t even know it” (Anonymous). Many people in our world internally suffer. Some may say that “[t]he hardest years in life are those between ten and seventy” (Anonymous). During these years of life, people face an uncountable number of struggles and are exposed the true disfigurement of the world. When people undergo extreme or stressful situations that they cannot possibly handle and face the grief-stricken tragedies of the world, such as death, they normally fall into a dark hole called depression. Depression resides everywhere and it has existed for centuries. Throughout the years, however, it has progressively gotten worse. During the 1970s, depression constituted a less severe issue than it does in today’s society. In the 1970s, depression started to gain more attention as such an extensive problem, and began affecting humanity at a more youthful age as the years continued. The number of people suffering from depression today has nearly doubled since the 1970s. However, depression presents just as much of a concern today as it has in the past. In The Optimist's Daughter, Eudora Welty portrays depression through the juxtaposition of characters, her use of symbolism, and verbal irony portrayed throughout the novel.
Gail Godwin's short story "A Sorrowful Woman" revolves around a wife and mother who becomes overwhelmed with her husband and child and withdraws from them, gradually shutting them completely out of her life. Unsatisfied with her role as dutiful mother and wife, she tries on other roles, but finds that none of them satisfy her either. She is accustomed to a specific role, and has a difficult time coping when a more extensive array of choices is presented to her. This is made clear in this section of the story.
Most symptoms that come with postpartum depression can be seen in the narrator throughout this story.
The husband and brother of the narrator are physicians, and neither believe that she is sick, they say “there is really nothing the matter with one but temporary nervous depression—a slight hysterical tendency.” (The Yellow Wallpaper, Charlotte Perkins Gilman) and so she is confined mentally, with what they tell her to do, although she thinks there are other things that would fare her better. As the story continues she begins to have more delusions and the wallpaper in her room begins to come alive. But the most alarming effects were the hallucinations.”
In the story, Windows by Bernice Morgan, the protagonist, Leah, is convinced that she is dying. As the story progresses, she experiences a full range of emotions and thoughts about everyone and everything in her life. Leah struggles with mental and physical illnesses. Her biggest problem is her depression. The theme of depression is explored through Leah’s relationship with other characters and her surroundings.
...manic depressive state which leads her to her suicide. She no longer has a will to repress any untold secrets from the past or perhaps the past. Since she has strayed far from her Christian beliefs, she has given in to the evil that has worked to overcome her. She believes she is finally achieving her freedom when she is only confining herself to one single choice, death. In taking her own life, she for the last time falls into an extremely low mood, disregards anyone but herself, and disobeys the church.
People at times get so caught up in life that they do not make time for the people or things that make them happy. Everyone should take time to realize what they mean to others and spend time with those people who are important to them. In “When the Day Comes” by Percival Everett, Gunther who is far down the road of depression, does not realize what is important in his life until he sees himself in Gilly White after Gilly has murdered his wife and son. Everette does this to convey the message that we should always make time for the people that make us happy before we lose them.
The theme of this story is feminism. Having gone through postpartum depression herself, Gilman?s story was strongly personal. During the time period that she wrote it, woman?s rights were limited. The character in this story felt she knew ways to recover herself from her depression, or ?baby blues?. Baby blues also known as postpartum depression is a form of severe depression after pregnancy delivery that requires treatment. Women may feel sadness, despair, anxiety, or irritability. The woman from the story wanted to get well and wanted to work. However, as a woman she was forbid by her husband to do this. Instead she was isolated from society, from being able to work, do the things she loved, or take care of her baby.
Throughout The Awakening, the reader follows Edna Pontellier as she becomes increasingly restless and discontented with her life. In Depression and Chopin’s The Awakening, Steven T. Ryan explains the parallels of Edna’s actions and inactions with depression. He writes:
Melinda Sordino was just a young teenage girl trying to have some fun. Now, she is loathed by afar for something nobody understands. During a summer party, Melinda drunkenly fumbled for the phone and dialed the cops. As she enters her freshman year of high school, her friends refuse to talk to her, and she escapes into the dark forests of her mind. “I am Outcast” (Anderson 4). But something about that party was not right. Something she tried not to relive but to forget. “I have worked so hard to forget every second of that stupid party, and here I am in the middle of a hostile crowd that hates me for what I had to do. I can’t tell them what really happened. I can’t even look at that part of myself” (Anderson 28). Depression is a serious mental disorder. The duration and symptoms vary from person to person, and some even have a genetic inclination to develop this illness (Bruce). Depression is not simply a chemical imbalance but a disease caused by several factors.
Depression is the most common mental health disorder; it affects over 17 million American adults each year. Depression is a mood disorder characterized by at least four symptoms such as changes in sleep, appetite, weight, and psychomotor activity; decreased energy, feelings of worthlessness or guilt; difficulty thinking, concentrating, or making decisions; or recurrent thoughts of death or suicidal ideation, thoughts or attempts. “Women are approximately two times more likely than men to suffer from major depression” (Research Agenda for Psychosocial and Behavioral Factors in Women’s Health, 1996) and it has been called the most significant mental health risk for women. Women are more likely to suffer from depression during marriage than if single, unlike men who are more likely to suffer depression when single than married, and increases with the number of children in the house (American Psychiatric Association, 1994, p.317). There are many contributing factors to depression in women including but not limited to: hormonal, genetic, infertility, menopause, family responsibilities, gender roles, sexual abuse, work related issues, and financial problems. (National Institute of Mental Health, June 1999). Depression in women is mentally and physically painful but has treatment options available.
The narrator, already suffering from a "nervous condition," is forced to stay in her bedroom for most of the story. Her husband does not let her do anything that may take the least bit of energy because she needs to concentrate her energy on getting well. Her mental condition quickly deteriorates from the original "nervous condition" to complete insanity due to this isolation. As the narrator begins to see figures behind the wallpaper, the reader realizes that the wallpaper is a manifestation of her condition.