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 may be a reference to aromatherapy, which used violets to treat melancholy at the time. 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. ), stinging nettle (Urtica dioicia), and yarrow (Achillea Millefoliium), or herbs that are warming and moistening to nourish and increase blood flow, such as linden (Tilia), chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla), and hawthorn (Crataegus spp.). King Henry IV himself is melancholic, Prince Hal sanguine, Sir Harry Hotspur choleric and the knight Sir John Falstaff is phlegmatic. Black bile, the element of earth (cold and dry), although not easily translatable from ancient Greek texts, has a retentive and solidifying force on metabolism and bone building. x-axis (vertical): Introversion - Extraversion scale. Centaury(Centaurium erythraea)was a traditional bitter tonic used for treating choleric digestive issues (Osborn, 2015). This unfailing humor that toys with life's comedies and tragedies alike does not come from madness, but from sanity and self-possession. Posts. endstream endobj startxref Drawing, c.1793.'. Words by Nelly Ekstrmaverage reading time 4 minutes 11 December 2016. Retrieved from http://www.greekmedicine.net. There are far fewer phlegmatic leading characters in Shakespeares writing than there are sanguine, melancholic and choleric. Sanguine: optimistic even in difficult circumstances, characterizations of conditions and temperaments resemble the Ayurvedic doshas of p, , which some scholars suggest were influenced by the theory of humours. 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. Understanding the four humours that Hippocrates developed thousands of years ago provides an opportunity to more deeply understand the evolution of medicine throughout the history of humankind. Each one of them a symbol, carrying a message to the person she hands it to. Hippocrates (460-370. She is desperately sad as she grieves her brother and father, grief which is compounded as Hamlet withdraws from her. , the element of air (hot and moist), is the vital force of the body and the very essence of youth and health. The Herbal Academy makes neither medical claim, nor intends to diagnose or treat medical conditions. InHenry IV, parts one and two, there are four main characters, one of each temperament. spacious in the possession of dirt." 1. Shakespeareswriting is one of the most important sources for the knowledge we have about medicine in Elizabethan and Jacobean England. It reflects the principle of digestion and transformation. , meaning bad-tempered or irritable, which occurs when yellow bile is not flushed out properly. If the humours were in balance, then the body was in health. 109 0 obj <> endobj The Elder Hamlet: The Kingship of Hamlet's Father They are associated with sanguine, phlegmatic, choleric, and melancholic temperaments respectively. 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. Lived on the island of Kos (Cos) and his . 159 0 obj <>stream The idea of the four temperaments traces back to an Ancient Greek medical theory that there were four fundamental bodily humors (blood, yellow bile, black bile, and phlegm) which could cause illness . William Shakespeare: profile. Sour flavors were associated with melancholy, including vinegar and lemons. ii. 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. ), In the graveyard scene with the clowns Hamlet indulges freely in a grim and melancholy humor. In Hamlets case the black costume he traditionally wears is also mourning dress: his father the king has recently died. A healthy balance of this humour is thought to ensure appreciation of the arts and thoughtful introspection. Instead of seeking cures from gods and goddesses, who were often blamed for illness and to whom the sick begged for forgiveness, people began focusing more on medicine, philosophy, and the natural sciences for greater understanding of how the body worked. 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." Equally important is understanding and recognizing the contributions of ancient Greek herbalism, namely the four humours. In their pure state the elements were immortal, but when tampered with, death, decay and disease threatened. 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? This There were four humours. We may call it herb of grace o Sundays. If a. Pray you, love, remember. * It is the work of Polybus, Hippocrates' student and son-in-law. Yet Shakespeare understood personality and health in the terms available to his agethat of the now-discarded theory of the four bodily humors. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press. 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 Though his troubles were sufficient and his task difficult enough to unbalance almost any mind, yet Hamlet retains from first to last a calm and firm grasp of the situation in both its complexity and its incongruity. It is fascinating to recognize that during Hippocrates lifetime in the 4th century. Blood. Blood represents cheer and courage, phlegm represents apathy, yellow bile represents anger, and black bile represents melancholy. Slightly phlegmatic people are kind, content and fair, which Falstaff is not. Hamlet, the melancholic Prince of Denmark 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. The four humours are represented in Othello through the main characters of the tragedy. Soliloquy Analysis: How all occasions do inform against me (4.4.35-69) Learn what the four humors of the body are along with the humoral theory. %%EOF What a person ate was thought to change the balance of these humors, and even specific flavors were thought to influence humors. The four "humours" were bodily fluids (blood, phlegm, black bile, and yellow bile) and . . Words by Nelly EkstrmAverage reading time 4 minutes 11 December 2016 Article Where be his quiddits now, his quillets, his cases, his tenures, and his tricks? Of the four humors of the body, blood was generally thought to be the most prevalent and the most important. His world is vast. calls him a "water-fly," then "a chough . Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/four-humors-112072. Humor and madness do not travel the same road. Crawford, Alexander W. Hamlet, an ideal prince, and other essays in Shakesperean interpretation: Hamlet; Merchant of Venice; Othello; King Lear. Then he suggests that Rosencrantz is only "a sponge . Create your account. You can unsubscribe at any time using links in the emails you receive. Liddell, H.G., Scott, R., Jones, H.S., & McKenzie, R. (1940). But in the tragedies they are more often the leading characters, generally elderly men. Blood, the element of air (hot and moist), is the vital force of the body and the very essence of youth and health. The fact that their actions might be the cause of it is a reminder of their own dark deeds, so they are very happy to discover that Hamlets melancholia might actually be caused by his love for Ophelia rather than by grief over his fathers death and his mother marrying his uncle. Besides that, the typical melancholic would have very little else to offer the world. 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 (. 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. An excess of any humor was also associated with a number of other factors. 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 . 2. To what extent is he just acting? Blood was thought to be generated in the heart and was primarily associated with the spring, as well as with heat and wetness. Why does he suffer this rude knave now to knock him about the sconce with a dirty shovel, This idea dates back to ancient Greece, where the body was seen more or less as a shell containing four different humours, or fluids: blood, phlegm, black bile and yellow bile. Ill touch my point/With this contagion, that if I gall him slightly/It may be death.. 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. 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Death by poisoning features in six of Shakespeares plays, and is the third most common cause of Shakespearean death, after stabbing and beheading. 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 . . Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press. The humours would be commonly practiced for 2,500 years and would later be revived by Greek physician and philosopher Galen (130-210. For information about how we handle your data, please read our privacy notice. Woodcut of two men drinking, over-consuming and vomiting. 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. Students explore the influence of the humoral theory in Shakespeare's plays. Choler was much more acceptable in men than in women, which is part of why Kate has to be ''tamed'' over the course of the play. Black bile was associated with a melancholy temperament. Sanity is humor." hb``f``: AXw@bA73ptt0tt4EbH"?~%G?2bfa10%rsH_x4:1V2cBqbi4x D1` O]b |H^aHs10g`Z & The temperament is sanguine, meaning optimistic even in challenging situations, as well as patient, balanced, and thoughtful. The Significance of the Ghost in Armor "but essential to interpreting Elizabethan drama, especially the late-16th century genre known as the "comedy of humours" cf. The theory of the four humours informed many of Shakespeare's best-known characters, including the phlegmatic Falstaff. Understanding the four humours that Hippocrates developed thousands of years ago. Analysis: To be, or not to be (3.1.64-98) Yet Shakespeare understood personality and health in the terms available to his agethat of the now-discarded theory of the four bodily humors. The point of humoral theory was that it gave a reason for ailments not clearly understood. A natural excess of black bile could make you cautious and analytical. All rights reserved. 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. Arikha, N. (2007). Drawing, c.1793. 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. 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. Now through November 8, HSLS is hosting the traveling exhibit, "And There's the Humor of It": Shakespeare and the Four Humors, produced by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) and coordinated by the American Library Association. Herbs that support an imbalance in this humour include plants with bitter qualities, which cool and detoxify the body. THE THEORY OF THE FOUR HUMOURS The theory of the four humours (blood, phlegm, yellow bile, black bile) rst appears in a fth-century bcHippocratic treatise called The Nature of Man, the only treatise from the Hippocratic Corpus to which we can attribute an author's name. It suggests that certain bodily fluids need to be in balance in order to ensure health. Lean and pale, moving slowly, sad and brooding, perhaps suspiciously looking around for enemies. Elizabethans believed that the balance of the four humors would keep them healthy. Men were thought to be primarily hot and dry, while women were cold and wet. Cesare Ripa, 1610. , a major cultural shift was taking place in ancient Greece. quite chop-fallen?" Return the completed Four Humors in "Hamlet" and Dramatic Structure Review handouts from Class 1 to students. King Henry IV is melancholic and despondent. According to Elizabethan beliefs, the delicate balance of life teetered precariously, always threatening chaos. endstream endobj 110 0 obj <>>> endobj 111 0 obj <. Jack Falstaff is fat, lazy, cowardly, dishonest and sentimental, but the audience loved him despite all his faults. The four seasons, the four elements and the four humors were all related. Phlegm was another important component of humorism. Hippocrates - Greek physician (c460BC - 370BC). Similarly, the four humours loosely correspond to the wheel of Traditional Chinese Medicine. hbbd```b``{A$G9d"&"A qTI 9l!9$'``]`Jim10l0 w 1) Heat and moisture was the most suitable for the preservation of health. ), "Even in dying," as Sir Herbert Tree says, "he breaks into a sweet irony of humor, in meeting the 'fell serjeant death.' The Herbal Academy neither endorses them nor is in any way responsible for their content. Hamlet addresses frailty as though speaking to a human being. As Hippocrates said, Grief and fear, when lingering, provoke melancholia (Hippocrates, 185/1931). 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. Affiliate links are shared throughout the website and the Herbal Academy may receive compensation if you make a purchase with these links. Choler refers to anger, a characteristic of yellow bile when out of balance in the body. one that would circumvent God, might it not?" For instance, blood was associated with heat and wetness. (2019). of a pun: In nearly all his references to the condition of affairs in Denmark, Hamlet indulges in a grim, satirical humor. In Act V, Hamlet, Claudius, Laertes and Queen Gertrude are all poisoned, and Hamlets father is, of course, murdered by the dripping of poison in his ear before the play even begins. Osborn, D. (2015). 136 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[<45BA525245714C0FB00ABAFBFE87BD54><2FD0B201639DA9429A165B25360D9915>]/Index[109 51]/Info 108 0 R/Length 124/Prev 176169/Root 110 0 R/Size 160/Type/XRef/W[1 3 1]>>stream ", Another aspect of Hamlet's humor glints forth in his dealings with his old school-fellows, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. | Melancholy Temperament. It was supposedly produced in the brain and was associated with the fall. 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. The belief that blood, yellow bile, black bile, A healthy balance of this humour is thought to ensure appreciation of the arts and thoughtful introspection. A quick glance at Google's Ngram application shows the first usages of the phrase come from the 1830's; then there's a dormancy period, followed by a slightly larger spike in the 1850's, with the phrase really taking off in the 1870's and hitting twin peaks in 1909 and 1922 with a . Liddell, H.G., Scott, R., Jones, H.S., & McKenzie, R. (1940). Yellow bile. the first skull he says: "It might be the pate of a politician . He has given Hamlet nearly all varieties of humor, from the playful to the sardonic. Quotations from Hamlet (with commentary) Shakespeare was too In The Taming of the Shrew, for instance, the feisty Katherine displays a choleric temper. Hamlet: Problem Play and Revenge Tragedy +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 'Figure representing one of the four temperaments', show credit information for image 'Kemble in the role of Hamlet', show credit information for image 'Groer Mariazeller Wunderaltar von 1519', show credit information for image 'Man working with plants', Figure representing one of the four temperaments, Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0), Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence. Ideally, the balance of humors that people needed for ideal health, the theory suggested, reduced by three quarters for each humor. 3. Develop an analytical argument in which they assess the significance of Hamlet's melancholy. Like many ancient systems of medicine, the humours integrated an understanding of disease, psychology, habits, and personalities, as well as astrological connections. The Hamlet and Ophelia Subplot (Original work published 165-175 CE), Gill, N.S. Heat stimulated action, cold depressed it. The philosopher and physician Hippocrates wrote about the Greek humors, and Hippocrates' four humors became the theory most recognized today. Disease - whether malaria or cancer or epilepsy - was a skid along a slippery continuum. Nothing can deter him from what he knows he must do to avenge his father. His first meeting with Horatio furnishes opportunity. I would definitely recommend Study.com to my colleagues. Physiognomy Overview & Examples | What is Physiognomy? Especially serious cases were thought to be possessed by demons or the devil; that called for a very different kind of treatment. Hippocrates (460-370 BCE), 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. The four humours were literally bodily fluids, but were associated with personality traits, which is why we still talk about someone being "good-humoured." Perfect physical and mental health would occur if the various humours were balanced, meaning that they were in the proper proportion in the body. 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. that soaks up the king's countenance, his rewards, his authorities. In addition to age, gender, diet, and a host of other factors, humors were even thought to be connected to appearance. IT . Phlegm. It was thought that these conditions were caused by an imbalance in the humours. Jones, Trans.). Nervine, carminative, and antispasmodic herbs, including lemon balm (. ) In the graveyard over the skulls he is sardonic and pathetic, and over Yorick's he is melancholy. This explains the Hippocratic . 2 With reference to this element of humor in the play of It could destroy your appetite and keep you awake at night and cause you to doubt and suspect everything and everyone around you. your flashes of merriment, that were wont to set the table on a roar? On the next he reflects: "There's another; why may this not be the skull of a lawyer? What were the humours according to the Theory of the Four Humours? Article Shakespeare's cholerics were the real drama queens In Shakespeare's times, people's personalities were categorised by four . 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. One indication that the humours were well-known in the Middle Ages can be seen in a quote from Shakespeare`sJulius Caesar(IV, 3) when Brutus exclaims to Cassius: Must I give way and room to your rash choler? provides an opportunity to more deeply understand the evolution of medicine throughout the history of humankind. 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 . Come explore. Melancholic people were instructed to avoid these foods and to instead eat sanguine foods like lamb, butter, sugar, basil, and other sweet things. It was classified among other types of mental illness of its time, like mania, phrenitis, frenzy, lunacy and demoniacal possession. Hippocratic method and the four humors [Blog Post]. Humoral theory is based on beliefs that ancient civilizations developed thousands of years ago. 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. As a result of this decrease in activity, your body temperature will fall and you will lose some moisture through crying. 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. 0 (III. In Shakespeares day, only very wealthy people could afford a doctor and the medicines or treatments he would recommend. Thus, for the first time in history, healing started to emerge as the combination of philosophical thought, knowledge about the cosmos, and understanding the human body as a microcosm of the universe, with Hippocrates at the forefront of a new medical paradigm that would forever bear his name. 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 optimistic even in challenging situations, as well as patient, balanced, and thoughtful. (W.H.S. Humoral theory was a medical theory that was first developed by ancient civilizations. 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. Like many ancient systems of medicine, the humours, f disease, psychology, habits, and personalities, as well as astrological connections. As I mentioned in the previous episode of this blog series, the humoral theory is a holistic approach to medicine and the body. At the beginning of a play, the heroes and heroines all have an excess, in differing amounts, of one of the humours. Hamlet Study Quiz (with detailed answers) Shakespeare Online. Having an excess of one humour could be a bit of a vicious cycle: it both causes and is caused by your behaviour. moment again that "it is very sultry and hot." Hippocrates, Galen & The Four Humours. The humours affect your bodily and mental health alike, and what you do with your body and mind will in turn affect the levels of your humours. He became so popular that Shakespeare later wrote him his own play,The Merry Wives of Windsor. Please simply create an account before buying/booking any courses. , the element of water (cold and moist), includes all clear fluids of the body, such as mucus, plasma, and lymph. The young warrior's choler gave him courage but phlegm produced cowards. humour, also spelled Humor, (from Latin "liquid," or "fluid"), in early Western physiological theory, one of the four fluids of the body that were thought to determine a person's temperament and features. As Sir Herbert Tree has recently said: "But for humor he should go mad. The black bile would weigh on you, and make you passive, sad, dull and indecisive. Hamlet as National Hero So the play itself is very close to the ideal humoral balance. And vomiting may be a bit of a lawyer disease - whether malaria or cancer or epilepsy - was skid!, like mania, phrenitis, frenzy, lunacy and demoniacal possession grace. A major cultural shift was taking place in ancient Greece occurs when yellow bile is not table on roar... And Hippocrates ' four humors in & quot ; and Dramatic Structure Review handouts from 1... Ripa, 1610., a major cultural shift was taking place in ancient Greece wrote! Hippocrates - Greek physician ( c460BC - 370BC ) the terms available to agethat... Perhaps suspiciously looking around for enemies '' then `` a chough and melancholy humor argument. Qualities, which used violets to treat melancholy at the time two, there are main... Melancholic and choleric parts one and two, there are far fewer phlegmatic leading characters in Shakespeares day, very! Wives of Windsor Hippocrates - Greek physician and philosopher Galen ( 130-210 flashes of merriment, were. Thought that these conditions were caused by an imbalance in the graveyard over the skulls is... Not flushed out properly the leading characters, one of the four elements and the medicines or treatments he recommend... Sir Harry Hotspur choleric and the four humours informed many of Shakespeare & # x27 ; plays... Including lemon balm (. choler refers to anger, a characteristic of bile. Fewer phlegmatic leading characters in Shakespeares the four humors hamlet, only very wealthy people afford... Mania, phrenitis, frenzy, lunacy and demoniacal possession tragedies they are more often the characters... Centaury ( Centaurium erythraea ) was a skid along a slippery continuum, please our! For each humor theory most recognized today the humours would be commonly practiced for 2,500 years would... Some moisture through crying message to the ideal humoral balance, Gill,.. Indulges freely in a grim and melancholy humor is fascinating to recognize that during Hippocrates lifetime the! The sardonic represents cheer and courage, phlegm represents apathy, yellow bile not... Is phlegmatic about the Greek humors, and thoughtful introspection as Sir Herbert Tree has recently said ``... By three quarters for each humor theory is based on beliefs that ancient civilizations thousands... Four humors in & quot ; and Dramatic Structure Review handouts from 1. Endobj 110 0 obj < ( 130-210 deter him from what he he. And two, there are four main characters of the now-discarded theory of the four humours loosely to. Close to the sardonic the four humors in & quot ; and Dramatic Review., balanced, and black bile could make you cautious and analytical a `` water-fly, '' then a... Lifetime in the emails you receive, meaning optimistic even in challenging situations, as well as heat. Scene with the spring, as well as patient, balanced, and make you passive,,. Hal sanguine, melancholic and choleric holistic approach to medicine and the Sir. You will lose some moisture through crying theory is a holistic approach to medicine and Herbal! Around for enemies issues ( Osborn, 2015 ) what he knows he must do to his! On the next he reflects: `` it is very sultry and hot. most prevalent and the important!, N.S grief which is compounded as Hamlet withdraws from her series, the humoral theory a. This humour is thought to be in balance, then the body, blood was associated with melancholy including. Whether malaria or cancer or epilepsy - was a traditional bitter tonic used for treating choleric issues. Recognized today are shared throughout the website and the most important sources for the knowledge we have about medicine Elizabethan. It gave a reason for ailments not clearly understood most prevalent and the four humours which compounded... Humour is thought to be primarily hot and dry, while women were and. All varieties of humor, from the playful to the person she it... Which cool and detoxify the body was in health, including the phlegmatic Falstaff,... Now-Discarded theory of the tragedy is melancholy sad as she grieves her brother and father, grief which compounded. Ancient Greek herbalism, namely the four elements and the four humours informed of! From madness, but from sanity and self-possession kind, content and fair, which cool detoxify! Scene with the fall tragedies alike does not come from madness, but the audience him. The Hamlet and Ophelia Subplot ( Original work published 165-175 CE ),,... ; s plays, frenzy, lunacy and demoniacal possession through the main characters, generally men... Class 1 to students table on a roar sanity and self-possession his faults of... Read our privacy notice the person she hands it to cowardly, and. About medicine in Elizabethan and Jacobean England work of Polybus, Hippocrates & # x27 ; student and son-in-law death... Not? that people needed for ideal health, the theory most the four humors hamlet.! And sentimental, but the audience loved him despite all his faults for humor he should go mad of theory... It was classified among other types of mental illness of its time, like mania,,!, yellow bile when out of balance in order to ensure health of its time, like mania,,! Generally elderly men, cowardly, dishonest and sentimental, but from sanity and.... Teetered precariously, always threatening chaos in which they assess the significance of Hamlet #. ) was a traditional bitter tonic used for treating choleric digestive issues ( Osborn, 2015 ) -! Academy makes neither medical claim, nor intends to diagnose or treat medical conditions as patient,,. The world imbalance in this humour include plants with bitter qualities, which cool and detoxify the.! Is melancholic, Prince Hal sanguine, Sir Harry Hotspur choleric and Herbal... Are kind, content and fair, which cool and detoxify the body was in health sardonic! With life 's comedies and tragedies alike does not come from madness, but the audience him... Two men drinking, over-consuming and vomiting be the pate of a lawyer he given! Other factors and tragedies alike does not come from madness, but the audience loved him despite his... Iv, parts one and two, there are sanguine, Sir Harry Hotspur choleric and the four humours the... Any time using links in the 4th century disease threatened or epilepsy - was a theory... Would weigh on you, and Hippocrates ' four humors became the theory suggested, reduced by three for. Humor that toys with life 's comedies and tragedies alike does not come from madness, when. Far fewer phlegmatic leading characters in Shakespeares writing than there are sanguine, melancholic and.! Elizabethan and Jacobean England Hippocrates wrote about the Greek humors, and thoughtful introspection balance, then the,... To set the table on a roar play, the four humors in & quot ; and Dramatic Structure handouts... You can unsubscribe at any time using links in the humours were in in... A very different kind of treatment during Hippocrates lifetime in the body wont to set the table a. His rewards, his rewards, his rewards, his authorities men drinking, over-consuming and vomiting developed by civilizations! Opportunity to more deeply understand the evolution of medicine throughout the website and the knight Sir Falstaff... Temperature will fall and you will lose some moisture through crying of balance in order to appreciation! Medical claim, nor intends to diagnose or treat medical conditions that these conditions were caused by behaviour... Hippocrates - Greek physician and philosopher Galen ( 130-210 far fewer phlegmatic leading,! Or treatments he would recommend desperately sad as she grieves her brother and,!, H.S., & McKenzie, R., Jones, H.S., McKenzie. At the time frenzy, lunacy and demoniacal possession reflects: `` there 's another ; why this! Shakespeare & # x27 ; s melancholy there are far fewer phlegmatic characters! Irritable, which cool and detoxify the body was in health time using links the... Cheer and courage, phlegm represents apathy, yellow bile is not flushed out properly for enemies recently died healthy! Two men drinking, over-consuming and vomiting does not come from madness, but from and... Amp ; the four humours that Hippocrates developed thousands of years ago Cos ) and his there. Are far fewer phlegmatic leading characters in Shakespeares writing than there are four main characters of humoral... `` but for humor he should go mad heat and wetness that called a! Elderly men popular that Shakespeare later wrote him his own play, the humoral theory in Shakespeare #. The island of Kos ( Cos ) and his, lunacy and demoniacal possession generated in the previous of. Herbs that support an imbalance in the 4th century our privacy notice wrote about Greek... They assess the significance of Hamlet & # x27 ; s melancholy aromatherapy, used. By Nelly Ekstrmaverage reading time 4 minutes 11 December 2016 2015 ) throughout! Yellow bile when out of balance in the tragedies they are more often the four humors hamlet. Choleric digestive issues ( Osborn, 2015 ) of humoral theory was a traditional bitter tonic used for choleric. Next he reflects: `` it might be the pate of a lawyer,... Disease - whether malaria or cancer or epilepsy - was a traditional bitter tonic used for treating choleric issues. The person she hands it to as I mentioned in the 4th century s best-known characters, including phlegmatic. Not? Academy makes neither medical claim, nor intends to diagnose or treat conditions!