What societal issue is satirized in "The Yellow Wallpaper"?

"The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman serves as a poignant critique of the treatment of mental health, particularly in relation to women's health during the late 19th century. The story follows a woman who is prescribed a “rest cure” by her physician husband, which restricts her from engaging in any creative or stimulating activity. This reflects the broader societal attitude towards women’s mental health at the time, often dismissed or misunderstood.

Through the protagonist’s descent into madness, the narrative illustrates the damaging effects of enforced passivity and the lack of agency afforded to women. The wallpaper itself becomes a symbol of her oppression, as she projects her own struggles onto its patterns. By the end, her desperate attempts to break free from both the wallpaper and her domestic confines serve as a powerful metaphor for the need for more compassionate and nuanced understanding of mental health issues, particularly for women, who were often marginalized.

This critique aligns closely with the historical and cultural context in which Gilman wrote, making the focus on mental health treatment not just relevant but essential to the work's meaning. The other options, while they might touch upon important themes, do not encapsulate the central issue that the story addresses.