The History of Madness and Mental Illness in the Middle Ages: Directions and Questions

Abstract

This article explores the extent of recent publications on the history of madness and mental illness in the Middle Ages. It also argues that as this work continues, the categorical groupings of “madness” and “mental illness” deserve our close scrutiny. An exploration of both medieval and present-day categorical assumptions reveals the ways in which they shape our reading of medieval texts, of historical causation, and of social agency.