The same eminent critic asserts that, "If the quality of humor is important in comedy, it is, I venture to say, yet more important, in tragedy, whether it be in the tragedy of life or in the tragedy of the theatre." The phlegmatic and sanguine temperaments have a lot in common. I feel like its a lifeline. Severe melancholia, what today would probably be called clinical depression, is also the most frequently mentioned mental illness in Elizabethan literature. is caustic and satirical. The theory of the four humours was central to the teachings of Aristotle, Hippocrates and Galen. Each humor was associated with one of four qualities of matter: yellow bile with heat, blood with dryness, phlegm with moisture, and black bile with cold. Vomiting was also thought to help purge phlegm to restore balance to patients. Death by poisoning features in six of Shakespeares plays, and is the third most common cause of Shakespearean death, after stabbing and beheading. . (Original work published 165-175 CE), Gill, N.S. His world is vast. Poor Hamlet, too much humor had'st thou for this harsh world!" I would give you some violets, But they withered all when my father died.. The humours would be commonly practiced for 2,500 years and would later be revived by Greek physician and philosopher Galen (130-210. Shakespeare incorporated humoral theory into his work because it was a prevailing medical theory at the time. IT . , the element of air (hot and moist), is the vital force of the body and the very essence of youth and health. 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. Retrieved from. In early accounts of human physiology, a person's physical and mental disposition was thought to be governed by a combination of fluids, or humours, within the body.Four humours were recognized: blood, phlegm, choler (also called yellow bile), and melancholy (also called black bile or black choler).The notion transferred readily into a range of senses to do with temperament, mood, inclination . . Of Yorick's skull he says with pathetic and tragic humor: "Alas, poor Yorick! The choice of words also brings us into this realm of melancholia where Hamlet lives: a world of earth, death, decay and graves. William Shakespeare: profile. Treatments for humoral imbalances were often unpleasant or dangerous, including bloodletting, vomiting, starvation, and purging. Falstaffs phlegmatic temperament makes him gorge on sack (wine) and capons (castrated cockerel, fattened for eating) all night and sleep all day, which builds up more and more phlegm and makes him even more thick and self-indulgent. She is desperately sad as she grieves her brother and father, grief which is compounded as Hamlet withdraws from her. No wonder Polonius does not know what to make of him and calls him mad, though recognizing the possibility that there may be some "method in't. The Death of Polonius and its Impact on Hamlet's Character These humors represented different aspects of a human, connected to the four elements (wind, air, earth and fire) and the four seasons (spring, summer, fall and winter). Hippocrates (460-370. He became so popular that Shakespeare later wrote him his own play,The Merry Wives of Windsor. Not one now, to Boston R.G. moment again that "it is very sultry and hot." (2019). Now of historic interest, the Four Humours may be evoked or listed as part of a non-mainstream therapeutic philosophy or system . His clothing is grey and black, and very drab, while Rosalind and Celia are in contrasting bright colors and textures. hb``f``: AXw@bA73ptt0tt4EbH"?~%G?2bfa10%rsH_x4:1V2cBqbi4x D1` O]b |H^aHs10g`Z & They were relied upon to determine if one of the three current standard practices for balancing the body induce vomiting, diarrhea, or bloodletting was appropriate for an individual, using herbs as the foundation for supporting the body. They should then have a quarter as much yellow bile as phlegm, and a quarter as much black bile as yellow bile. Nervine, carminative, and antispasmodic herbs, including lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), and lavender(Lavandula officinalis) balance these conditions. Another strong example of the use of humoral theory in Shakespeare's work is in Henry IV parts one and two. The people of Shakespeare's time did not think about physical or mental health the way modern doctors and scientists do. In our role as herbalists to support the body using natures gifts, may we remember the wisdom given to us by our ancestral teachers. Elizabethans believed that the balance of the four humors would keep them healthy. and will not tell him of his action of battery?" The Herbal Academy makes neither medical claim, nor intends to diagnose or treat medical conditions. - Definition & Examples, Public Broadcast Service (PBS): Definition, Origin & Funding, Satellite Television: Definition & History, Microcasting: Definition, Example & Impact, Communications Act of 1934: Purpose & Impact, Working Scholars Bringing Tuition-Free College to the Community. An excess of any humor was also associated with a number of other factors. These 'humours' were thought to be created in the liver and transported through the body through the blood stream. It can be expressed as the dried blood found in stool, very dark urine, serious fevers caused by malaria, or, more abstractly, as constipation, bloating, and arthritis. Short-tempered, red-haired, thin, ambitious (compare Hotspur). Mary McMahon. Regarded by many as the father of Western (and some say Islamic) medicine. Choler was primarily associated with summer. For black bile was a medical concept, one of the four bodily humours or fluids that coursed through the organism and determined its constitution, and . Theres a daisy. Shall I be frighted when a madman stares? (Arikha, 2007). In our role as herbalists to support the body using natures gifts, may we remember the wisdom given to us by our ancestral teachers. Regardless of how different ancient civilizations developed their systems of medicine, it is both impressive and reassuring that many of these concepts overlapsignifying the universal truths of wellness and the use of herbs across both time and distance. mock your grinning? They enjoy women, wine, song, gambling and music together and play mischievous tricks. The humours affect your whole being, from your health and feelings to your looks and actions. Spices, herbs and flowers could also be used to make poisons rather than potions. the first skull he says: "It might be the pate of a politician . To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. of a pun: In nearly all his references to the condition of affairs in Denmark, Hamlet indulges in a grim, satirical humor. Information offered on Herbal Academy websites is for educational purposes only. Many plants also represented something beyond their practical application and were used as symbols. Thus, to be an effective herbalist meant understanding imbalances in the context of a persons individual experience in their natural setting. Hamlet's Relationship with the Ghost ), who greatly emphasized their validity in his extensive writings, thus establishing them as a dominant practice well into the Middle Ages (McKeown, 2017). The four humors are black bile, yellow bile, phlegm, and blood. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press. Black bile was connected to the element earth, and the word earth is mentioned a lot in Hamlet. 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. 2. . His works contains a lot of information on the contemporary medical practices of the time, but they also show the social history of medicine: how medicine formed a part of peoples lives and thoughts. When he needs what you have gleaned, it is but Biological and Medical History of Abnormality in Psychology, Introduction to Ben Jonson: Poems, Plays and Shakespeare, Singlehood & Cohabitation: Definition, Challenges & Advantages, OCD Symptoms, Causes, & Characteristics | Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Symptoms, Education and Competencies of a Professional Counselor, What is Melancholy? Prince Hamlet is probably the most famous melancholic in literature. Black bile was associated with a melancholy temperament. The philosopher and physician Hippocrates wrote about the Greek humors, and Hippocrates' four humors became the theory most recognized today. The four major fluids in the bodyyellow bile, phlegm, black bile and bloodwhich the Greeks believed corresponded to the four elementsfire, water, earth and airin the universe. Falstaffs temperament would have prevented him from following any of these recommendations. Sasha Blakeley has a Bachelor's in English Literature from McGill University and a TEFL certification. The theory remained popular in Europe for centuries and was not fully relinquished until the 1800s. 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. Not surprisingly, the four humours readily relate to qualities still understood by herbalists today: the four natural elements - air (blood), water (phlegm), fire (yellow bile), and earth (black bile) as well as the four energetics - hot, cold, dry, and moist. Hippocrates (1931). Understanding the concepts of each humour helped ancient herbalists categorize sickness and identify the proper herbs for the individual, much like we do today. Analysis: To be, or not to be (3.1.64-98), Soliloquy Analysis: Tis now the very witching time of night (3.2.380-91), Soliloquy Analysis: Now might I do it pat (3.3.77-100), Soliloquy Analysis: How all occasions do inform against me (4.4.35-69). 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. Often compared to sap in plants, blood is responsible for the foundation of life. 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Hippocratic method and the four humors [Blog Post]. Return the completed Four Humors in "Hamlet" and Dramatic Structure Review handouts from Class 1 to students. 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. 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. It is challenging to determine the origin of this theory, as the writings of most ancient civilizations have been lost to time. This schema provided an explanation of health with vast potential not previously available in ancient times. Enrolling in a course lets you earn progress by passing quizzes and exams. Nelly Ekstrm is a Visitor Experience Assistant, bringing the galleries and exhibitions to life. In the graveyard over the skulls he is sardonic and pathetic, and over Yorick's he is melancholy. (2.2.555-612) The theory of the four humors underpinned European medicine and thinking on the innerworkings of the body until at least the 1700s. . Choleric people were quick to anger and highly irritable. On Students explore the influence of the humoral theory in Shakespeare's plays. Hamlet: Q & A, The Elder Hamlet: The Kingship of Hamlet's Father, The Death of Polonius and its Impact on Hamlet's Character, Hamlet's Melancholy: The Transformation of the Prince. Choler refers to anger, a characteristic of yellow bile when out of balance in the body. The young warrior's choler gave him courage but phlegm produced cowards. Jones, Trans.). 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. The four seasons spring, summer, autumn and winter paralleled the four humors blood/sanguine, yellow bile/choleric, phlegm/phlegmatic and black bile/melancholic, which in turn paralleled the four elements air, fire, water and earth. Yellow bile. Devin has taught psychology and has a master's degree in clinical forensic psychology. On the next he reflects: "There's another; why may this not be the skull of a lawyer? Whether we have ancestors from ancient Greece, China, or India doesnt matter so much. The roots of humorism go back to Empedocles (c.495-435 BCE), a Greek philosopher who suggested that different qualities of the four basic elementsearth (cold If the humours were in balance, then the body was in health. Analysis: To be, or not to be (3.1.64-98) Last Modified Date: February 20, 2023. His first meeting with Horatio furnishes opportunity. Then to the skull he says: "Where be your gibes now? From Hamlet, an ideal prince, and other essays in Shakesperean interpretation: Hamlet; Merchant of Venice; Othello; King Lear by Alexander W. Crawford. The way doctors would rid you of your excess humours would probably not be recommended today though: enemas, vomiting and especially bloodletting were common treatments for a wide range of conditions. 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. He changes his character by changing his way of life and transforms into a worthy successor. Similarly, the four humours loosely correspond to the wheel of Traditional Chinese Medicine. It reflects the principle of digestion and transformation. It can be expressed as the dried blood found in stool, very dark urine, serious fevers caused by malaria, or, more abstractly, as constipation, bloating, and arthritis. These humours were thought to be connected to different organs inside the body; to the four elements of earth, water, fire and air; and even to the movements of the stars in the sky. Phlegm was another important component of humorism. Hippocrates' temperamental approach draws striking similarities to the Kiersey temperaments, Jungian types, DISC, as well as Socionics. There are far fewer phlegmatic leading characters in Shakespeares writing than there are sanguine, melancholic and choleric. Although these concepts are no longer mainstream theories, they continue to provide an underlying foundation to modern medical and herbal practices. It suggests that certain bodily fluids need to be in balance in order to ensure health. | Definition & Equipment, Hans Jurgen Eysenck: Personality Theory & Overview, Charisma in Leadership | Charismatic Examples & Theory. 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. . The four humors. The elements were also represented in the human body, being known as the four humours - choler, blood, phlegm and melancholy. The four humours are represented in Othello through the main characters of the tragedy. Here is the humor of tragedy with a vengeance. your flashes of merriment, that were wont to set the table on a roar? Articulate and analyze the dramatic plot structure of Shakespeare's works. So the play itself is very close to the ideal humoral balance. Theres rosemary, thats for remembrance. Ideally, the balance of humors that people needed for ideal health, the theory suggested, reduced by three quarters for each humor. This explains the Hippocratic . Choleric. Affiliate links are shared throughout the website and the Herbal Academy may receive compensation if you make a purchase with these links. 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. The four humors were blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile. One of the flowers that Ophelia talks about in her final speech is violets, which she says withered after her father's death. These four humours, from the Greek word chymos 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). 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That Shakespeare later wrote him his own play, the balance of the that! This harsh world! and very drab, while Rosalind and Celia are in contrasting bright colors textures! Example of the four humors became the theory most recognized today their practical application and were used symbols. A Study.com Member are in contrasting bright colors and textures work is in Henry IV parts one and.! To students prevailing medical theory at the time evoked or listed as part of politician. A course lets you earn progress by passing quizzes and exams that needed... To your looks and actions again that `` it might be the skull he says: `` there another... Suggested, reduced by three quarters for each humor, 2023 earth is mentioned lot. Was also thought to help purge phlegm to restore balance to patients the Greek humors, and over Yorick he. In order to ensure health connected to the teachings of Aristotle, Hippocrates Galen... 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