November the Eleventh Post

Representation of Madness: How Did Sex Affect Diagnosis?

"The illness of 'the Spleen', characterized by moodiness, irritability, depression and nightmares, was prevalent, even fashionable, at the beginning of the century, and Anne Finch was a notable sufferer. Its alternative name, 'the Vapours', linked it to the melancholy humour whose mists the organ of the spleen was meant to dispel. In the grip of 'the Spleen' imagination tended to function in neurotic, unstable and self-deceiving ways, and Finch's lively diagnosis exploits these possibilities." -- Anne Finch, page 22

"The nature of his mental problems cannot be diagnosed with certainty, but there may have been violent mood swings ('For I have a greater compass both of mirth and melancholy than another', he says in Jubilate Agno, I32); one unstable element was a religious fervour that caused him to pray loudly in public places whenever the need took him." -- Christopher Smart, page 426

I find it extremely interesting that the descriptions of these instabilities differ depending on which sex they're referring to. It seems like Smart's illness is seen as more plausible or credible, while Finch's is referred to in the context of being "fashionable." It reminded me of the origin of "hysteria" ( side note: what if my paper was on the nature//history of hysteria? That could incorporate my feminist literary theory class as well, aka I have a little more background//I've been primed to note instances of inequality. At the very least, would it be implausible to treat that as my presentation topic Thursday? ), especially with how it was typically seen as a women's disease. Silly uterus, making women crazy! Also, the reference to the four humors was intriguing. Finding out when that myth was dispelled would be a compelling subject, as well.