Eccentric Artists and Mad Scientists Essay

He differentiates between madness as a clinical condition and a mystical madness. He further supports his argument with Elie Wiesel distinctions of the two. Clinical madman isolates himself from the world while mystical madman brings the Messiah in him (112). Patterson further discusses the notion of madness before the creation of human and

Example: “A writhing horror twisted itself across his features, like a snake gliding swiftly over them, and making one little pause, with its wreathed intervolutions in open sight” (Hawthorne 14).

It is my intention with this quote to show the crucial relationship between madness and the evolution of higher thought. I argue very plainly for this correlation linking the “truly wise” and madness because it demonstrates Socrates attempt to “dangle” an idea in front of Phaedrus, who after Socrates 1st speech was expecting a philosophical, structured way of defining the soul and now left to wonder what madness has to do with anything. The quote defends the claim that madness is an essential part of Socrates attempt to persuade Phaedus (the reader) that madness is not something bad; the way Lysias outlined it in his speech, but an obligatory element in developing a passion for something.

However, obviously, his comments could be questionable. He states Madmen know nothing, but he’s stating that he knows something. He begins to boast by stating “But you should have seen me. You should have seen how wisely I proceeded – with what caution – with what foresight – with what dissimulation I went to work”.

While outwardly it appeared that he was unconscious, inwardly the furiousness of his awareness, perception, and determination were accelerating at breakneck speed. It was during this time that the Sublime became the reality of the innermost visions of the man, and that the concepts so eloquently stated through [Innovisions] was truly fulfilled (Dragonwagon, 64).

In “Much Madness is the divinest Sense,” Dickinson emphatically establishes a theme of madness within the context of the poem. This poem is rather difficult to read and not feel that it is inspirited by Dickinson’s own life of reclusion, which many have presented as a symptom of her insanity. “Much Madness is the divinest Sense” discombobulates the notion of what’s crazy and what’s not, it’s a piece for every person who has ever pondered “Am I insane…or is the world completely mad?” Dickinson poignantly reveals how what is accepted

“There are days when I feel I have been able to grasp all there is to know in one single gaze, as if invisible branches suddenly spring out of nowhere, weaving together all the disparate strands of my reading-and then suddenly the meaning escapes, the essence evaporates, and no matter how often I reread the same lines, they seem to flee ever further with each subsequent reading, and I see myself as

"To make a contented slave it is necessary to make a thoughtless one. It is necessary to darken the moral and mental vision and, as far as possible, to annihilate the power of reason.”

“He wondered, as he had many times wondered before, whether he himself was a lunatic. Perhaps a lunatic was simply a minority of one. But the thought of being a lunatic did not greatly trouble him: the horror was that he might also be wrong” (1984, ch 7).

The speaker of the text thinks of himself as a sane and smart individual. “How, then, am I mad? Hearken! and observe how healthily -how calmly I can tell you the whole story” (Poe 1).

In "Much Madness is Divinest Sense" by Emily Dickson, she states: " To a discerning Eye" and "Much Sense-the starkest Madness". You could be considered mad, but according to someone else they could view you as sane. But, if you're not apart of the majority that view you as being mad, then you become an outcast of sorts. As in the poem "Crazy Courage", Michael B, had the courage to stand in front of his peers as an individual with an expression to be shared with others. Alma Luz Villanueva stated "was his perfect dignity, the offering of his living, red rose to the perceptive, to the blind, to the amused, to the impressed, to those who would kill him, and to those who would love him".

Men have called me mad, but the question is not yet settled, whether madness is or is not the loftiest intelligence--whether much that is glorious--whether all that is profound--does not spring from disease of thought--from moods of mind exalted at the expense of the general intellect. Those who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night - Edgar Allen Poe

The first step in studying creativity is to define what it is. One of the first issues that must be addressed is the relationship between creativity and high intelligence. Since the same word, genius, is often used to refer to people who are highly creative and also to people who are highly intelligent, a common assumption is that creativity and high intelligence are the same thing. This, however, is a misconception.

Creativity and creative process figure prominently in the theories of both Freud and Jung. Freud considers the source and motivation for creativity while Jung focuses on creative process. According to Freud, creativity is rooted in conflicts. The creative process is a response to the need to resolve conflicts. Freud includes daydreams and fantasies in the realm of creative works. They are inner desires, frustrations, or discontent transformed into art, literature, or music. Jung also believes human consciousness provides the content for art, literature and music. He identifies two types of creative processes: psychological and visionary. The psychological mode originates out of the collective unconscious and archetypes. Visionary creative processes are transcendental and universal in both meaning and response. This visionary mode is limited to the gifted few being capable of its expression (Malchiodi, 2007).

The history of art dates back to ancient times. Artwork can be, and was, found around the world. What makes art interesting is that it can be created in any way, shape or form with any materials. It seems that the artwork can also tell us a lot about the artist. Art seems to be simply, a direct, visual reflection of the artist’s life. Therefore, one can assume that an artist’s life experiences and beliefs directly influence their art. If we look at examples from different periods of art we will be able to see the connection between the artist and the art.