I never realized that many older works of literature was ever aware of what mental illnesses were (similar to how we see them today, at least), such as Poe’s “Fall of the House of Usher” and Perkins’ “The Yellow Wallpaper”. To be honest, I was under the impression that people back then saw it as a kind of ‘demonic possession’. Although that idea may have been true hundreds of years ago, it is interesting to note how the understanding and representation of mental illnesses changed over time. It is easier to see the change in the representation of mental illness over time when comparing “Usher” which was published in 1839 to “The Yellow wallpaper” which was published in 1892.

Although it seems strange comparing such different pieces of work, it is worth noting that Usher’s strange mental illness was accompanied by the uncanny atmosphere that made the entire situation almost otherworldly and frightening while the narrator’s mental decline in “The Yellow Wallpaper” was gradual and it was clear to see why she declined this way due to her treatment and by understanding the general attitude towards women during this time period. The outcome of “Usher” was a tragic one, where the narrator witnesses his friend and his twin sister die in front of him, while the ending of Perkins’ story can be viewed as either tragic or liberating. Personally, I enjoyed “The Yellow Wallpaper” the best.

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