Medizinhist J. 2002;37(1):5-19.

[Images of epilepsy in Shakespeare].

[Article in German]

Source

Universität Trier FB2/Anglistik D-54286 Trier.

Abstract

Epilepsy and the "falling sickness" are mentioned three times in Shakespeare, in Julius Caesar, I.ii, Othello, IV.i., and figuratively in King Lear, II.ii. The present article surveys these passages in the context of modern research findings, literary as well as medico-historical. It adds further material from Renaissance texts and concludes that epilepsy is an omnibus term for a variety of symptoms and pathological conditions, and that Shakespeare's idea of epilepsy is closer to popular stereotypes than has hitherto been assumed.

PMID:: 12365348; [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Publication Types, MeSH Terms, Personal Name as Subject

Publication Types

MeSH Terms

Personal Name as Subject

Shakespeare W

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources

ProQuest Information and Learning

Medical

Epilepsy - MedlinePlus Health Information

Supplemental Content

Save items

Related citations in PubMed

A note on a phrase in Shakespeare's play King Lear: 'a plague upon your epileptic visage'. [Seizure. 1998]
A note on a phrase in Shakespeare's play King Lear: 'a plague upon your epileptic visage'.
Betts T, Betts H. Seizure. 1998 Oct; 7(5):407-9.
Shakespeare on maladies and medicine men. [Ceylon Med J. 2002]
Shakespeare on maladies and medicine men.
Ranawaka UK. Ceylon Med J. 2002 Dec; 47(4):126-7.
'The falling sickness' in literature. [South Med J. 2000]
'The falling sickness' in literature.
Jones JM. South Med J. 2000 Dec; 93(12):1169-72.
Review Parapraxes in the plays of William Shakespeare. [Psychoanal Study Child. 2000]
Review Parapraxes in the plays of William Shakespeare.
Mahon E. Psychoanal Study Child. 2000; 55:335-70.
Review Did all those famous people really have epilepsy? [Epilepsy Behav. 2005]
Review Did all those famous people really have epilepsy?
Hughes JR. Epilepsy Behav. 2005 Mar; 6(2):115-39.

See reviews... See all...

Recent activity

Clear Turn Off Turn On

[Images of epilepsy in Shakespeare].
[Images of epilepsy in Shakespeare].
Medizinhist J. 2002 ;37(1):5-19.

PubMed
Does Homo neanderthalensis play a role in modern human ancestry? The mandibular ...
Does Homo neanderthalensis play a role in modern human ancestry? The mandibular evidence.
Am J Phys Anthropol. 2002 Nov ;119(3):199-204.

PubMed
Combined TRAIL and Bax gene therapy prolonged survival in mice with ovarian canc...
Combined TRAIL and Bax gene therapy prolonged survival in mice with ovarian cancer xenograft.
Gene Ther. 2002 Oct ;9(20):1379-86.

PubMed
An open-label trial of divalproex in children and adolescents with bipolar disor...
An open-label trial of divalproex in children and adolescents with bipolar disorder.
J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2002 Oct ;41(10):1224-30.

PubMed
Immunity-related genes and gene families in Anopheles gambiae.
Immunity-related genes and gene families in Anopheles gambiae.
Science. 2002 Oct 4 ;298(5591):159-65.

PubMed

Your browsing activity is empty.

Activity recording is turned off.

Turn recording back on

PubMed

Result Filters

Display Settings:

Send to: