Schizophrenia In Gilmore's A Noble Insanity

Modern society has a vastly different understanding of schizophrenia than the people of the Elizabethan era. Throughout the seventeenth century, civilization had minimal knowledge of mental health. As a result, all diagnosis’s, therapies and treatments developed during that period are considered pre-scientific to modern psychology. Consequently, humanity's lack of comprehension of people who suffered from schizophrenia were accused of witchcraft and in effect tortured or murdered. In A Noble Insanity, Peckham explains the indicted “…were indeed sufferers of a variety of mental disorders, including senile dementia, compulsive anxiety, depression, and schizophrenia” (Peckham, 32). Throughout this era, the popular conception was that individuals

After numerous decades of research and studies, the medical community has a broader and more in-depth understanding of the psychology behind this complex illness resulting in thousands of lives being saved. Researchers have been able to identify the behaviors and triggers associated with schizophrenia, providing accurate diagnosis’ and treatments of the individual. Nancy C. Andreasen summarizes that schizophrenia “…is characterized by symptoms that reflect multiple mental processes: hallucination or abnormality in perception; delusion, or abnormality in inferential thinking; disorganized speech, or abnormalities in language; absence of normal behaviors, or disorganized behavior” (Andreasen, 107). This discovery allows physicians to fully understand what the ill are experiencing and giving them the ability treat the sick. In contrast to the Middle Age modern society is more educated on the subject of

Nancy Andreasen an American neuroscientist examines the reasons why people suffer from schizophrenia and concluded “…schizophrenia is produced by the influence of multiple factors that lead to the final pathway in the brain” (Andresen, 133). Ophelia’s transformation from an obedient girl to a senile woman is a result of the following three factors. The constant exploitation by her fathers commands results in the deterioration of her mental state of mind. His manipulation is evident as he forbids her from communicating and have a relationship with Hamlet, “…Have you so slander any moment leisure, / As to give words or talk with the Lord Hamlet./ Look to ’t, I charge you…” (I.III.140-143) Ophelia’s madness is a result of her desperation for freedom as her father constraints her from liberation. Another factor is the constant psychological abusive behaviour by Hamlet towards Ophelia. An example of Hamlet’s mistreatment occurred when he insulted her by stating she is a hoar and telling her to, “…Get thee to a nunnery…"(Act 3 scene 1).Ophelia’s victimization represents the patriarchal oppression she experiences which causes her to lose her mind as Hamlets comments are, “…words like daggers …” (Shakespeare).to her mental state. Lastly, the final instance which significantly impacts her mental well-being is the sudden death of her beloved father. After his