The Significance of the Ghost in Armor InHenry IV, parts one and two, there are four main characters, one of each temperament. 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. 185 BCE). A Greek-English lexicon. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press. At the beginning of the play, Falstaff and Prince Hal are great friends. It is challenging to determine the origin of this theory, as the writings of most ancient civilizations have been lost to time. Try refreshing the page, or contact customer support. "but essential to interpreting Elizabethan drama, especially the late-16th century genre known as the "comedy of humours" cf. Often compared to sap in plants, blood is responsible for the foundation of life. There were four humours. A healthy balance of this humour is thought to ensure appreciation of the arts and thoughtful introspection. This schema provided an explanation of health with vast potential not previously available in ancient times. (Original work published ca. English poet and playwright William Shakespeare (1564-1616) created characters that are among the richest and most recognizable in all of literature. 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. Arikha, N. (2007). your flashes of merriment, that were wont to set the table on a roar? 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. Hippocrates (1931). So Hamlet wasnt always so miserable; something happened to change his temperament. Loeb Classical Library. What he should be doing is trying to restore the balance by switching to a warming and drying diet and engaging in warming and drying activities. The Roman philosopher and physician Claudius Galen formulated a concept of personality types based on the ancient Greek theory of humorism, which attempted to explain the workings of the human body. One of the most outstanding characteristics of Hamlet is his subtle and persistent humor. moment again that "it is very sultry and hot." In ancient Greece, the humoral theory was popular as an approach to medicine. Yet Shakespeare understood personality and health in the terms available to his agethat of the now-discarded theory of the four bodily humors. Crawford, Alexander W. Hamlet, an ideal prince, and other essays in Shakesperean interpretation: Hamlet; Merchant of Venice; Othello; King Lear. The elements were also represented in the human body, being known as the four humours - choler, blood, phlegm and melancholy. THE FOUR HUMOURS OF MAN: CHOLERIC Humour-Choleric Body Substance-Yellow Bile Produced By-Gall Bladder Season-Summer Element-Fire Qualities-Hot & Dry Complexion & Body Type-Red Haired, Thin Ambitious Leader-like Aggressive A lot of Energy & Passion Able to dominate others Dont choose paths between, only extremes Prone to mood swings SANGUINE Hamlets sanity is one of the major themes in the play. one that would circumvent God, might it not?" Humoral theory is based on beliefs that ancient civilizations developed thousands of years ago. Jones, Trans.). 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 (. Herbs that support this imbalance include pungent, stimulating, and aromatic herbs, such fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum), bay laurel(Laurus nobilis),fir(Picea abies),thyme(Thymus vulgaris),and hyssop(Hyssopus officinalis) (Osborn, 2015). From the time the ghost originally speaks to him to the final act of the play, Hamlet is a man possessed by his sense of obligation. Come explore. ii. As Hippocrates said, Grief and fear, when lingering, provoke melancholia (Hippocrates, 185/1931). Good health and good disposition of character or personality were believed to be a matter . ), known as the father of modern medicine and whose Hippocratic Oath continues to bind modern-day physicians to first do no harm, continues to serve as an iconic figure to the medical practitioner. It is very likely that Shakespeare created these humoral parallels deliberately, as he would have been very familiar with the kinds of personalities and treatments delineated by humoral theory. Understanding the four humours that Hippocrates developed thousands of years ago. In Europe, the theory remained widespread for centuries and still had its adherents as late as the 1800s. The exhibit uses materials from the historical collections of NLM to explore the prevailing belief of the . Boston R.G. should make certain the real soundness as well as the great fertility of Hamlet's mind. A natural excess of black bile could make you cautious and analytical. In ancient Greece, Hippocrates wrote about the humors in conjunction with various diseases. Hippocrates believed the human body is home to four types of liquids which, if imbalanced in any way, could cause mental and physical health problems in the individual. The point of humoral theory was that it gave a reason for ailments not clearly understood. Ben Jonson. (V. ii. 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. lessons in math, English, science, history, and more. In Shakespeares time, the understanding of medicine and the human body was based on the theory of the four bodily humours. Although hes young, he still ticks all the boxes. 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. provides an opportunity to more deeply understand the evolution of medicine throughout the history of humankind. Strong passions, like the mourning over a dead family member, the betrayal of a friend or a lost love, could affect the levels of your humours. | Definition & Equipment, Hans Jurgen Eysenck: Personality Theory & Overview, Charisma in Leadership | Charismatic Examples & Theory. Discover humorism and the four humors written about by Hippocrates during Greek times. Elizabethans believed that the balance of the four humors would keep them healthy. Galen: On the properties of foodstuffs(O. Powell, Trans.). 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. Speaking of the king, Hamlet's humor Especially serious cases were thought to be possessed by demons or the devil; that called for a very different kind of treatment. 109 0 obj <> endobj The four humors. These characteristics include energetics, elements, and temperament, as well as understanding the complexity of the natural world. Those unions result in the four humors: 1) melancholic. 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. Curator Gail Kern Paster explains "The four humors were an early typology for human personality. 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). The word is quite rare in Shakespeares writing otherwise: in The Taming of the Shrew, a play without melancholics, the word is only used once. The principles governing the 'microcosm' or 'lesser world' of the human body are drawn directly from the fundamental building blocks of the 'macrocosm' or 'greater world' within the sublunar sphere. 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. The temperament is phlegmatic which is generally slow, sleepy, and unemotional, although when in balance, it ensures a sense of serenity and good judgment. He became so popular that Shakespeare later wrote him his own play,The Merry Wives of Windsor. Black bile. 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). Background. even though there are, and must be pages on anatomy and physiology. , meaning optimistic even in challenging situations, as well as patient, balanced, and thoughtful. 1. Equally important is understanding and recognizing the contributions of ancient Greek herbalism, namely the four humours. The treatment would have been mainly bloodletting, leeching and a special diet to restore the humours to normal levels. Get unlimited access to over 84,000 lessons. Blank Verse and Diction in Shakespeare's Hamlet succeed. These four humours are best described as semi-imaginary. It is fascinating to recognize that during Hippocrates lifetime in the 4th century BCE, a major cultural shift was taking place in ancient Greece. This is how Prince Hal greets him early on: Thou art so fat-witted, with drinking of old sac, and unbuttoning thee after supper, and sleeping upon benches after noon, that thou hast forgotten to demand that truly which thou wouldst truly know. Phlegm. Melancholy could also be treated through purging, which generally involved the use of laxatives. Deception in Hamlet , the element of water (cold and moist), includes all clear fluids of the body, such as mucus, plasma, and lymph. +44 (0)20 7611 2222info@wellcomecollection.org, Except where otherwise noted, content on this site is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence, show credit information for image 'William Shakespeare: profile. The Death of Polonius and its Impact on Hamlet's Character 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. Sanity is humor." Affiliate links are shared throughout the website and the Herbal Academy may receive compensation if you make a purchase with these links. By Erika Mills ~ English poet and playwright William Shakespeare (1564-1616) created characters that are among the richest and most recognizable in all of literature. William Shakespeare: profile. 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