This explains the Hippocratic . Article Shakespeare's cholerics were the real drama queens In Shakespeare's times, people's personalities were categorised by four . 0 Severe melancholia, what today would probably be called clinical depression, is also the most frequently mentioned mental illness in Elizabethan literature. One of the things that Petruchio does in order to make his new wife less angry is to deprive her of food, which was in line with the acceptable treatment for choleric temperaments at the time. It referred to the four fluids thought to be present in the human body: blood, yellow bile, black bile, and phlegm. Badger, 1916. A healthy balance of this humour is thought to ensure appreciation of the arts and thoughtful introspection. Passions and tempers: A history of the humours. The theory of the four humors underpinned European medicine and thinking on the innerworkings of the body until at least the 1700s. It was the dominant medical theory of the Medieval period. 1. Jack Falstaff is fat, lazy, cowardly, dishonest and sentimental, but the audience loved him despite all his faults. Medical practitioners in Shakespeare's England generally accepted the ancient belief that four body fluids called humors (British spelling: humours) governed the emotional and physical health of a person. Ideally, the balance of humors that people needed for ideal health, the theory suggested, reduced by three quarters for each humor. It was classified among other types of mental illness of its time, like mania, phrenitis, frenzy, lunacy and demoniacal possession. Its a choice that has to be made in every production of it: how mad is he really? Quotations from Hamlet (with commentary) Hamlet is arguably the most famous literary melancholic, demonstrating an excess of black bile - one of the four humours thought to govern bodies in Shakespeare's time. Heat stimulated action, cold depressed it. Hamlet's Antic Disposition: Is Hamlet's Madness Real? Enrolling in a course lets you earn progress by passing quizzes and exams. The temperament is sanguine, meaning optimistic even in challenging situations, as well as patient, balanced, and thoughtful. Lived on the island of Kos (Cos) and his . The temperament is phlegmatic which is generally slow, sleepy, and unemotional, although when in balance, it ensures a sense of serenity and good judgment. I knew him, Horatio; a fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy." They correspond to real substances produced within the body; but the properties ascribed to them by ancient physicians, and the functions they were said to perform in human health starting with the idea that the stuff in your veins was a mixture of all four were largely speculative. Research the structure and function of thehuman body through our anatomy archive, Immerse yourself in the medieval past and explore what we have in common with the Middle Ages, Architecture affects our health in profound ways. . The Herbal Academy makes neither medical claim, nor intends to diagnose or treat medical conditions. This is the humour of regeneration and is supported by herbs that are either cooling and drying to help regulate blood, such as agrimony (, ), or herbs that are warming and moistening to nourish and increase blood flow, such as linden (. From Aristotle to Hippocrates to Theophrastus to Dioscorides, there are many well-preserved texts by ancient Greek doctors, philosophers, and botanists that continue to support our understanding of the human body and the natural world. It was founded on the idea that human temperaments were determined by four fluids in the body - black bile (melancholy), blood (sanguis), yellow bile (choler) and phlegm. , meaning optimistic even in challenging situations, as well as patient, balanced, and thoughtful. Shakespeare Online. It was supposedly produced in the brain and was associated with the fall. ), In the graveyard scene with the clowns Hamlet indulges freely in a grim and melancholy humor. It is fascinating to recognize that during Hippocrates lifetime in the 4th century BCE, a major cultural shift was taking place in ancient Greece. An error occurred trying to load this video. Mary McMahon. Share Cite. Hippocrates: Volume IV (W.H.S. A later Greek physician, Galen, suggested that the humors could predict moods and temperaments. Oxford, England: Clarendon Press. endstream endobj startxref Boston R.G. The Four Humors: from Hippocrates to Shakespeare is a 5-8 grade class resource that uses primary and secondary sources for students to learn about Hippocrates, Galen, and the medical theory of the four humorsbodily fluids, whose balance was thought to determine one's physical and mental dispositions. Richard II is another tragedy with a melancholic leading character and earth is mentioned in it 24 times. The people of Shakespeare's time did not think about physical or mental health the way modern doctors and scientists do. The humours would be commonly practiced for 2,500 years and would later be revived by Greek physician and philosopher Galen (130-210. Learn what the four humors of the body are along with the humoral theory. the old fellow, making him say that "yonder cloud," first, is "like a camel," then, "like a weasel," and, finally, "like a whale." (Original work published 165-175 CE), Gill, N.S. Arikha, N. (2007). Soliloquy Analysis: Now might I do it pat (3.3.77-100) When these unconscionable spies come to him to inquire what he had done with the dead body of Polonius, he first answers: "Compounded it with dust, whereto 't is kin." The link between the three philosophies and the three higher faculties is nowhere more evident than in the reliance of the four humours of Galenic medicine on the four elements of Aristotelian physics. It was thought that these conditions were caused by an imbalance in the humours. In tragedies they may appear in short scenes of comic relief, like the porter inMacbethwho messes things up by being drunk on duty. On Phlegm, the element of water (cold and moist), includes all clear fluids of the body, such as mucus, plasma, and lymph. If you have just a little too much of any of the humours, the positive aspects will shape your temperament, but if you have far too much then the bad sides will take over. The theory of the four humours was central to the teachings of Aristotle, Hippocrates and Galen. Shakespeare was too good a judge of character and of human nature to mingle such humor with madness. In some of the most tragic moments of his career he has the sanity to play with his tormentors and with the sad conditions of his life. show credit information for image 'Astrological man, 1503', show credit information for image 'Woodcut of drinking and vomiting', show credit information for image 'Falstaff, Eduard von Grtzner, 1906', show credit information for image 'Image from Histoires Prodigieuses, by Pierre Boaistuau', Image from Histoires Prodigieuses, by Pierre Boaistuau, Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0), Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence. Sickness was no longer the result of a mortal transgression but was the result of imbalances in the body from a variety of factors, including diet, social class, environmental cleanliness, and the state of ones mental health. , meaning bad-tempered or irritable, which occurs when yellow bile is not flushed out properly. Unbeknownst to many, Hippocrates was also instrumental in developing the theory of the four humours: blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile. A contemporary of Socrates (470BC - 399BC), mentioned in the writings of Plato (428BC - 348BC) and Aristotle (384BC - 322BC). . Whether we have ancestors from ancient Greece, China, or India doesnt matter so much. or bodily fluid, helped ancient healers effectively explain disease and help those seeking medical treatment with appropriate recommendations, becoming a practice that would survive well into the Middle Ages (Galen, 165-175/2003). I would give you some violets, But they withered all when my father died.. Shakespeare belongs to you. Suitable for use with AQA GCSE History: Health and the People: c1000 to the Present DayThis video explores the importance of Galen's Theory of the Four Humo. Then to the skull he says: "Where be your gibes now? good a judge of character and of human nature to mingle such humor with madness. The original concept was based on the assumption that the world was composed of four primary elements (earth, air, fire and water), and that these elements were reflected in four basic fluids that flowed in various combinations in the human body; blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile. Loeb Classical Library. According to humoralism, four bodily fluidsblood, yellow bile, black bile, and phlegmdetermined a person's temperament and an imbalance led to certain sicknesses dependent upon which humors were in excess or deficit. People with too much phlegm were considered to be phlegmatic, a term dating back to Galen. Retrieved from, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Pantry Herbalism for Cold and Flu Support: Free eBook, Making Herbal Preparations 101 Mini Course, Emulsifiers and Preservatives in Botanical Skin Care Products, A cabinet of ancient medical curiosities: Strange tales and surprising facts from the healing arts, The greatest benefit to mankind: A medical history of humanity. Find out more in the Living with Buildings exhibition. The point of humoral theory was that it gave a reason for ailments not clearly understood. Because humoral theory was the prevailing medical treatment for a number of conditions throughout Europe for centuries, it is no surprise that humors made their way into the literature and entertainment of the day. Yellow bile, supposedly produced in the liver, was also called ''choler.'' Similarly, Ophelia in Hamlet displays a melancholic temperament. The four elements, which constituted the fundamental building blocks of the 'macrocosm' or 'greater world' of the sublunar sphere, corresponded closely to the four humours of the 'microcosm' or 'lesser world' of the human body.. Each of the humours originated in a different bodily organ.The harmonious balance of these four humours produced health in the body: illness resulted when this balance . Madness does not lie this way. InHenry IV, parts one and two, there are four main characters, one of each temperament. Hippocrates, Galen & The Four Humours. To modern fans the references and symbolism are almost like code, but for Shakespeares audience peaseblossom would mean the same and be as easy to understand as Viagra is to us. Humorism, the humoral theory, or humoralism, was a system of medicine detailing a supposed makeup and workings of the human body, adopted by Ancient Greek and Roman physicians and philosophers . A specific humoral imbalance would, supposedly, lead to predictable results in the patient. In our role as herbalists to support the body using natures gifts, may we remember the wisdom given to us by our ancestral teachers. Besides Falstaff, who has the largest number of lines inHenry IV, they usually function in the subplot of the comedies, like the duos Sir Andrew Aguecheek and Sir Toby Belch inTwelfth Nightor Stephano and Trinculo inThe Tempest. The exhibit uses materials from the historical collections of NLM to explore the prevailing belief of the . In Shakespeares time, the understanding of medicine and the human body was based on the theory of the four bodily humours. Although the ancient Greeks are not commonly known today for their contributions to herbalism as compared to the ancient herbalists of India or China, they were greatly instrumental in establishing the practice of modern medicine. Good health and good disposition of character or personality were believed to be a matter . Love might have the same effect: passion heats the body and causes the moisture inside to vaporise and all this hot, moist air escapes your body through lovesick sighs. Carried by the bloodstream, the four humors bred the core passions of anger, grief, hope, and fearthe emotions conveyed so powerfully in Shakespeare's comedies and tragedies. This will turn your body cold and dry and, of course, build up your levels of black bile. It is this exuberant humor that reveals beyond doubt Hamlet's fundamental sanity. Blood should be primary, and people should have around a quarter as much phlegm as they had blood. . The four main characters of the two plays each represent one of the four temperaments. Choler refers to anger, a characteristic of yellow bile when out of balance in the body. For information about how we handle your data, please read our privacy notice. Humor and madness do not travel the same road. Links to external sites are for informational purposes only. The Four Humours are Blood, Black Bile, Yellow Bile, and Phlegm. The four humors are blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile. . Revenge in Hamlet Herbs that support an imbalance in this humour include plants with bitter qualities, which cool and detoxify the body. Articulate and analyze the dramatic plot structure of Shakespeare's works. Hamlet addresses frailty as though speaking to a human being. If Hamlet does not really go mad under his unparalleled griefs and burdens it is because under all circumstances his grim and tragic humor holds evenly the balance of his mind. (Original work published 165-175 CE), Gill, N.S. In comedies, the characters learn from the ordeals they are put through, subsequently develop and are then more or less in humoral balance at the happy ending of the play. ", Another aspect of Hamlet's humor glints forth in his dealings with his old school-fellows, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Black bile. Then he suggests that Rosencrantz is only "a sponge . As Hippocrates said, Grief and fear, when lingering, provoke melancholia (Hippocrates, 185/1931). If a. Blood represents cheer and courage, phlegm represents apathy, yellow bile represents anger, and black bile represents melancholy. What a devil hast thou to do with the time of the day? As Hippocrates said, Grief and fear, when lingering, provoke melancholia (Hippocrates, 185/1931). 109 0 obj <> endobj 159 0 obj <>stream Retrieved from https://www.passionsandtempers.com, Galen (2003). Humoral theory was popular for a long time, but what are the four humors? The Herbal Academy supports trusted organizations with the use of affiliate links. No character in all Shakespeare is more evenly balanced, and no mind more capable of seeing things in all their bearings. He changes his character by changing his way of life and transforms into a worthy successor. This repetition of earth constantly reminds us of the underlying theme of the play. Sanguinity was associated with cheerfulness, ruddiness, courage, and amorousness. As he describes it himself: I have of late but wherefore I know not lost all my mirth, forgone all custom of exercises, and indeed it goes so heavily with my disposition that this goodly frame, the earth, seems to me a sterile promontory; this most excellent canopy, the air look you, this brave oerhanging firmament, this majestical roof fretted with golden fire why, it appears no other thing to me than a foul and pestilent congregation of vapours.. The temperament is choleric, meaning bad-tempered or irritable, which occurs when yellow bile is not flushed out properly. . They were the centerpiece of a medical theory called humorism, proposed by Hippocrates in the fourth century BCE. For instance, blood was associated with heat and wetness. Shakespeare and the four humours Blood, phlegm, black bile and yellow bile: the body's four humours were believed to control your personality in Shakespeare's day and influenced the way the Bard created some of his most famous characters. Our rich archives on mental health and psychiatry have lots to tell us today, How architecture and poetry helped LionHeart manage anxiety and depression, Architecture impacts our health in many ways, as you will discover in Living with Buildings. To what extent is he just acting? So the play itself is very close to the ideal humoral balance. This may be a reference to aromatherapy, which used violets to treat melancholy at the time. The belief that blood, yellow bile, black bile, Specifically, the Four Humors were: black bile, while was associated with the Melancholic person; yellow bile, which was associated with the Choleric person; blood, which was associated with the Sanguine person; and phlegm, which was associated with the phlegmatic person. Osborn, D. (2015). The four humours were: phlegm blood yellow bile black bile If the humours stayed in balance then a person remained healthy, but if there was too much of one humour then illness occurred. It is this exuberant humor that reveals beyond doubt Hamlet's fundamental sanity. Nelly Ekstrm is a Visitor Experience Assistant, bringing the galleries and exhibitions to life. People who had too much blood, proportionally speaking, were said to have a sanguine temperament. Hamlet's Relationship with the Ghost 83-99. Spices, herbs and flowers could also be used to make poisons rather than potions. Find out whats on, read our latest stories and get involved. William Shakespeare: profile. 'The rest is silence.' Essentially, it posited that certain bodily fluids must remain in balance within an individual, and that an imbalance of these fluids could cause illness or other problems. Similarly, the four humours loosely correspond to the wheel of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Like today, life in Shakespeares time was an intricate system where everything was interconnected, albeit in a different way: the positions of the planets, the colour of your socks, what you ate. What a person ate was thought to change the balance of these humors, and even specific flavors were thought to influence humors. When it comes down to it, it is up to the actor or director's choice about his sanity and is therefore something that may change from production to production. If the humours were in balance, then the body was in health. y-axis (horizontal): Thinking - Feeling scale. What matters is that we understand history as the foundation of our modern practices and find the inspiration we need to understand the complexities of health. Shakespeare incorporated humoral theory into his work because it was a prevailing medical theory at the time. The Significance of the Ghost in Armor Hippocratic method and the four humors [Blog Post]. Understanding the concepts of each humour helped ancient herbalists categorize sickness and identify the proper herbs for the individual, much like we do today. 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It: how mad is he really suggested that the humors could predict moods and temperaments the clowns Hamlet freely... Doubt Hamlet 's madness Real blood should be primary, and temperament as. My father died.. Shakespeare belongs to you privacy notice evenly balanced, and people have! Irritable, which occurs when yellow bile, yellow bile is not flushed out properly yellow bile, and..

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