The reasoning man who scorns the prejudices of simpletons necessarily becomes the enemy of simpletons; he must expect as much, and laugh at the inevitable.
— Marquis de Sade
During the Age of Reason (beginning around 1700 and running through to the early 19th century), a new form of punishment was found for individuals whom society found less than desirable. This punishment was simple: TO EJECT FROM SOCIETY ANYONE WHO DID NOT FOLLOW THE BOURGEOIS ORDER. And where were they ejected to? Since there were no more leper colonies, or lazar houses, society had to find a new residence for them, if residence such a place can be called. Thus was born the House of Confinement, a quasi-jail/institution. Such houses were scattered across all of Europe, but particularly found in Germany, France, and England. These houses were set up as a "reasonable, intelligent society's" place for hiding away those who were "unreasonable."
One of the most famous such houses was Charenton in France, made famous most of all by their most notorious inhabitant, the Marquis de Sade. At Charenton, he was placed in a cell and treated as though he were a raging lunatic. But the reality was that Sade was simply a man quite ahead of his time in his honesty and in his realistic (albeit sometimes pornographic) writings about human behavior. The truth was, however, that Sade was merely a creative person who wanted the freedom to produce his art.
What do you think? Was he insane? Were any of the people placed in these houses of confinement truly mad, and if so, how did those in power justify not helping them except by punishing and using them for their own amusement?
There are many who argue that the whole notion of madness is a figment of society's imagination, that those deemed "mad" are simply those who don't toe the proverbial line. There are many, Michel Foucault among them, who point out that what is considered mad at one time shifts and changes depending on the prevailing power group of the day.
 |
| Charenton Asylum--Former Residence of the Marquis de Sade |
The reasoning man who scorns the prejudices of simpletons necessarily becomes the enemy of simpletons; he must expect as much, and laugh at the inevitable.
— Marquis de Sade
My manner of thinking, so you say, cannot be approved. Do you suppose I care? A poor fool indeed is he who adopts a manner of thinking for others!
— Marquis de Sade
— Marquis de Sade
During the Age of Reason (beginning around 1700 and running through to the early 19th century), a new form of punishment was found for individuals whom society found less than desirable. This punishment was simple: TO EJECT FROM SOCIETY ANYONE WHO DID NOT FOLLOW THE BOURGEOIS ORDER. And where were they ejected to? Since there were no more leper colonies, or lazar houses, society had to find a new residence for them, if residence such a place can be called. Thus was born the House of Confinement, a quasi-jail/institution. Such houses were scattered across all of Europe, but particularly found in Germany, France, and England. These houses were set up as a "reasonable, intelligent society's" place for hiding away those who were "unreasonable."
As it turns out, houses of confinement contained all manner of people, from simple beggars to epileptics to unwed mothers and of course the entirely insane. No distinctions were made among the inhabitants. At the time, "patients" would have been the wrong word for them because they were neither treated for their woes nor cured of them. They were merely being closed off from the rest of society. Most of the time, it was the unfortunate soul's family or neighbors who wanted them put away. And with minimal difficulty, they were put away in droves.
One of the most famous such houses was Charenton in France, made famous most of all by their most notorious inhabitant, the Marquis de Sade. At Charenton, he was placed in a cell and treated as though he were a raging lunatic. But the reality was that Sade was simply a man quite ahead of his time in his honesty and in his realistic (albeit sometimes pornographic) writings about human behavior. The truth was, however, that Sade was merely a creative person who wanted the freedom to produce his art.
For his troubles, he was placed in an asylum where he eventually died. Along the way, the only entertainment or hope he found was in writing and in helping write and direct plays which the inhabitants performed and the house of confinement profited from when shown to the general public for a fee.
What do you think? Was he insane? Were any of the people placed in these houses of confinement truly mad, and if so, how did those in power justify not helping them except by punishing and using them for their own amusement?
There are many who argue that the whole notion of madness is a figment of society's imagination, that those deemed "mad" are simply those who don't toe the proverbial line. There are many, Michel Foucault among them, who point out that what is considered mad at one time shifts and changes depending on the prevailing power group of the day.
There well may be those who are mad, who aren't fit for civilization, but aside from the individuals who are criminal in their actions--i.e. murderers, psychopaths, sociopaths and rapists among them--I can't really say with great certainty how one goes about defining insanity.
To be candid, I don't think the psychiatric community and the DSM are able to do it successfully either. Why must we label people anyway? Personally, I think it's crazier to spend one's life trying to collect and then eject people whom one doesn't agree with than it is to write dirty books. After all, Sade's work stands as a hallmark of literature from that period. And it still sells A LOT. So, how mad could he be?
No comments:
Post a Comment