<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>While the hysterical ailments of women in Shakespeare’s works have often been read from psychoanalytical standpoints, early modern medicine may provide new insights into the ‘frozen’, seemingly dead bodies of some of his heroines, such as Desdemona, Thaisa, and Hermione. In the wake of recent critical work (Peterson, Slights, Pettigrew), this paper will shed fresh light on the ‘excess’ of female physiology and on Shakespeare’s creative redeployment of some medical concepts and narratives.</p></abstract>

While the hysterical ailments of women in Shakespeare’s works have often been read from psychoanalytical standpoints, early modern medicine may provide new insights into the ‘frozen’, seemingly dead bodies of some of his heroines, such as Desdemona, Thaisa, and Hermione. In the wake of recent critical work (Peterson, Slights, Pettigrew), this paper will shed fresh light on the ‘excess’ of female physiology and on Shakespeare’s creative redeployment of some medical concepts and narratives.

“A THING LIKE DEATH”: MEDICAL REPRESENTATIONS OF FEMALE BODIES IN SHAKESPEARE’S PLAYS

Universities of Bergamo and Trento, Italy via Salvecchio 19 - 24129 Bergamo. Italy

Gender Studies

While the hysterical ailments of women in Shakespeare’s works have often been read from psychoanalytical standpoints, early modern medicine may provide new...

“A THING LIKE DEATH”: MEDICAL REPRESENTATIONS OF FEMALE BODIES IN SHAKESPEARE’S PLAYS

Publié en ligne: 14 févr. 2014

Pages: 93 - 111

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/genst-2013-0006

Mots clés
arly modern literature and medicine hysteria, interdisciplinary approach, representation

This content is open access.

“A THING LIKE DEATH”: MEDICAL REPRESENTATIONS OF FEMALE BODIES IN SHAKESPEARE’S PLAYS

Publié en ligne: 14 févr. 2014

Pages: 93 - 111

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/genst-2013-0006

Mots clésarly modern literature and medicine hysteria, interdisciplinary approach, representation

This content is open access.

Mots clés
arly modern literature and medicine hysteria, interdisciplinary approach, representation