The narrator’s condition and John’s intention to cure her destroy their marriage. John treats his wife, not as a lover. She is an accessory to him. John’s attitude, actions, and words offend the woman, and she feels belittled.
Detailed answer:
The romantic relationships between Jane and John change throughout the story. John, the sincere caretaker, turns into a jail warden. At first, the narrator views John as a perfect husband. She appreciates all his efforts. Jane thinks he “is very careful and loving, and hardly lets me stir without special direction.” She remarks that “he takes all care from me, and so I feel basely ungrateful not to value it more.”
It becomes apparent that the doctor overcontrols and manipulates his “patient.” John’s intentions are supposed to be beneficial for his wife. Still, the narrator disagrees with the prescribed diagnosis and treatment. John believes that his wife needs the rest cure and excludes all the work and social contacts. That turns into an ordeal for Jane and worsens her condition.
The husband dominates the woman. He forbids Jane to do any activity, including writing, which relieved her mental illness. The “physician of high standing” is skeptical about this mental disorder. In addition, John ignores the narrator’s needs as whims. He treats Jane as a child and devalues her opinion. It worsens her condition and affects the relationships between the spouses. Thus, there is no understanding, carefulness, or harmony between the characters.
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