The Changing Attitude towards Mental Illness in Literature from the Victorian Period until Today

Abstract

In my thesis I observe how the attitude of society has changed from the Victorian period until today towards those who live with some kind of mental illness, especially with depression. I examine the changes and the general tendencies of different ages through the analysis of three works of literature: Charlotte Perkins Gilman's "The Yellow Wallpaper," Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar, and Ned Vizzini's It's Kind of a Funny Story.