A History of Madness
In preparation for your study of Cosi (a play set in a mental institution) you are to complete some research into the history of ‘madness’. What does it mean to be called ‘mad’? Has our understanding of ‘madness’ changed over the last 2000 years? Is it ever really possible to be called ‘sane’? Is it possible that the world is one big asylum populated by mad people?
TASK 1
In the play Cosi Nowra represents both male and female characters suffering from mental illness.
The following activity will help you to answer the question: Is madness gender-defined?
Your answers to the following questions need to by typed and ‘turned-in’ via edmodo in response to the TASK ONE assignment.
Mental Illness During the Victorian Era
Visit the website: Mental Illness During the Victorian Era
a. What were mental asylums like before the 1850s? How did they treat patients? Why?
b. What were mental asylums like after the 1850s? How did they treat patients? Why?
c. What was the cure for Hysteria in women according to early ‘doctors’?
d. What is nymphomania? What is your reaction to this diagnosis in women and the reason for women being labelled ‘nymphomaniacs’?
Mental Illness During the Twenty-first Century
Visit the website: Depression in women
a. How many women suffer from depression according to this article? Why do you think there are so many more than men? What does the article suggest is the reason for this? Do you agree? Why or why not?
Task 2
The methods used to treat ‘madness’ have changed drastically over the last 1000 years.
a. Do some research into the types of treatment mental patients have received between 1000 and 2010.
Here are some websites that may be handy:
Asylums and Care for the Insane
A Brief History or Mental Illness
b. Create a time-line of the methods for treatment of the ‘insane’. The time-line is to be presented on a glogster poster – www.glogster.com (you will need to register and log-in) and post it to our class group on edmodo.
Due: Friday, Week 1
Task 3
2. Use the internet to find a definition of the following:
* bedlam
* asylum
* lunatic
* madness
* insane
* psychosis
* bi-polar
* lobotomy
* electro-convulsive shock treatment
These definitions should be typed into a Word Doc and saved as ‘Madness_Definition_(yourname)’. This is to be sent to be ‘turned-in’ via edmodo. The Assignment is called ‘Task 3’.
Task 4
Choose three of the words above and include them in a 100 word micro-story exploring the concept ‘madness’. Be creative – try to engage your reader’s senses: sight, smell, touch, taste, hearing. Focus on using strong verbs and shorter sentences.
This is to be posted to our class edmodo group. Due: Wednesday, Week 2.
Language Matters 