The realist period is located during the Civil War and Reconstruction, from 1855 to 1914. Realism escapes the romantic period; there is no specific way to interpret a story. Instead, readers are given creative responsibility and given the opportunity to construct an ending from the information given to them. Opposing romantic elements, realism describes reality in a direct and objective manner. He strives to depict everyday characters to attract readers with their ability to see themselves through the text. At the time of 1892, the realistic period lasted approximately thirty-seven years. It was at this time that “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkin Gilman was written. The story seems to distort the realistic portrayal of everyday characters by allowing readers to connect with the mental instability of the narrator. Gilman's "Yellow Wallpaper" depicts the oppression faced by 19th-century women through the expression of psychiatric depression resulting from the protagonist's social, physical, and mental entrapment. In the 19th century, those who suffered from depression, anxiety, excitability, and/or unexplainable somatic complaints were diagnosed with hysteria. Hysteria occurred when there was a medical problem without a physical cause. Because hysteria occurred primarily in women, it was thought to be seen as a women's problem. In previous centuries, the uterus was believed to be the cause of a woman's mental or emotional stress. The word hysteria derives from the Greek word hysteron which means uterus. When a woman suffered from hysteria, it was due to her "wandering uterus." For the patient to be rehabilitated, she must be treated sympathetically in a restful and hygienic environment...... middle of paper ......nt of the patriarchal society. Women are confined to predisposed roles that they are expected to respect. Such expectations can lead to depression or anxiety when they are not met. This then increases the number of female patients within a psychiatric establishment. Gilman's book "The Yellow Wall" reveals that it is not women who are at fault. Instead, it’s false labels, patriarchy, and confinement that cause women to lose their minds. Works Cited Abrams, MH A Glossary of Literary Terms. NY: Harcourt Brace, 1999. Print. Barlow, David H. and VM Durand. "Chapter 1: Abnormal behavior in historical context." Abnormal psychology: an integrative approach. 7th ed. Np: np, nd N. pag. Print.Gilman, Charlotte P. “The Yellow Wallpaper.” The Norton Anthology of American Literature. 7th ed. New York: WW Norton, 2008. 1682-695. Print.