Margery Kempe and Mental Illness

In 1393, at the age of twenty, Margery married John, who was well-known for his talent in business. Becoming pregnant soon afterward, she began to have frightening encounters with Satan, whom she claims tortured her by making her feel guilt and extreme remorse for a sin

The 1950s was a very prevalent time in history; this was due it being seen as a time of recovery and rebuilding after World War II. However, the 1950s is also very heavily known for the surge of development within areas, such as science and mathematics or ‘STEM’, due to the Cold War. This surge did cause major discoveries to be made and advancements, such as the occurrence of the first rocket ship launch in 1950. However, with this surge an area that dearly suffered was the enforcement of medical sciences within schools due to the tracking programs. This has generally caused stigma within internal illnesses, especially mental illnesses, because of the lack of knowledge about the subject. Nevertheless, there have been multiple reasons why mental

“Postpartum psychosis is a severe psychotic syndrome that is estimated to occur after 1.1 to 4 of every 1000 deliveries. More than half of the affected women meet diagnostic criteria for major depression” (Weissman and Olfson 800). Postpartum depression is a further common mental illness than postpartum psychosis, however Margery Kempe displays serious symptoms. Several readers believe that Margery Kempe was a woman who devoted her life to God, however, after her first child was born Margery Kempe was recognizably sick due to the feelings that she should not live. In The Book of Margery Kempe, the first autobiography in the English Language, Margery Kempe displays the symptoms of hallucinations, crying episodes, and depression to show that she has postpartum psychosis.

In early American history, individuals with mental illnesses have been neglected and suffered inhuman treatments. Some were beaten, lobotomized, sterilized, restrained, in addition to other kinds of abuse. Mental illness was thought to be the cause of supernatural dreadful curse from the Gods or a demonic possession. Trepanning (the opening of the skull) is the earliest known treatment for individuals with mental illness. This practice was believed to release evil spirits (Kemp, 2007). Laws were passed giving power to take custody over the mentally ill including selling their possessions and properties and be imprisoned (Kofman, 2012). The first psychiatric hospital in the U.S. was the Pennsylvania Hospital where mentally ill patients were left in cold basements because they were considered not affected by cold or hot environments and restraint with iron shackles. They were put on display like zoo animals to the public for sell by the doctors (Kofmen, 2012). These individuals were punished and isolated and kept far out of the eyes of society, hidden as if they did not exist. They were either maintained by living with their families and considered a source of embarrassment or institutionalized

She gives her account to how the help of clergy, friends, and family. Seeking help from clergy members it helped her differentiate visions from hallucinations. In her words she describes hallucinations as lacking sense. Visions are a message from God. Friends play a crucial role in someone with mental illnesses, because they can observe the patients to see if any changes happen that are too swift or too angry or too violent. Also keep constant contact with the individual, the constant presence of someone either through email or phone call really helps. Family can also play the same role of a loving

In Godwin’s story “A Sorrowful Woman”, the mother has a series of very complex feelings and emotions. From the story, it can be inferred that this is a woman with a sudden onset of mental illness, a woman who has lost her identity and sense of belonging; and a woman who is consciously aware of all this, knowing she is a burden to her loved ones.

Starkey's "hysterical bobbysoxers" diagnosis has entered the popular canon and school textbooks, while Hansen's verdict of "hysterical in the scientific sense of that term” has been accepted as true by the majority of scholars, Demos, McMillen, and even Karlsen, who treat the cause of affliction as settled and go on to other projects. While I see the cause as not settled, I will look instead at the way the same descriptions of affect have produced such mutually exclusive interpretations -- fraud and illness -- and suggest why fraud went entirely out of fashion, after being accepted for over a century, while hysteria came into fashion oddly, only Upham allows a mixture of fraud and illness. I will suggest that these shifts in interpretation are not founded on any new knowledge or new theories of psychology, but grow out of changes in cultural and ideological attitudes, especially toward women, and that they are made possible by the ambiguities of historical documents, by inadequate analyses of the explanations that were available in 1692, and occasionally by poor reasoning on the part of the historians.

In the 1930’s, there was a dispute surrounding mental illness. People could go unheard and learn to live with it, but if they got diagnosed officially, they had a chance of society rejecting them. Mental illness became a stigma in the 1930s due to the fact that treatment was either a form of “torture” or there was limited resources and treatment to help those who suffered from a mental illness.

According to her own testimony, Margery Kempe's spirituality involved deeply passionate experiences of Christ and the Virgin Mary. Kempe had "the gift of tears" -- meaning that, for years, she was unable to attend mass without crying profusely, and, as often as not, sobbing loudly and theatrically. Her adventurous life included a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, where much weeping and wailing took place, and tanglings with several Bishops, including the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Through the course of time, mental illnesses have always been in existence due to varying factors and causes. However, as time has passed, the perceptions and available treatments for mental illnesses have also changed as new technology was developed. By looking at the treatments and perceptions of mental illnesses in the early 20th century, we can learn how to properly treat and diagnose not only mental disorders but also other conditions as well as show us the importance of review boards and controlled clinical trials.

The Narrator is convinced she is sick; however, her brother and husband do not believe her. She says, “You see, he does not believe I am sick…If a physician of high standing, and one’s own husband, assures friends and relatives that there is really nothing the matter with one but

The story begins with the woman explaining to us that her husband is physician and he is treating her. She partly blames her not improving state on him “perhaps that is one reason I do not get well faster. You see he does not believe I am sick!” (647) and she feels as though she cannot argue with him about her illness, “And what can one do? If a physician of high standing, and one’s own husband, assures friends and relatives that there is really nothing the matter with one-but temporary nervous depression-a slight hysterical tendency—what is one to do?”. (648) Even her own “brother is also a physician, and also of high standing, and he says the same thing.” (648) agrees she is fine.

From corruption in the clergy, to the beginning of the English and Protestant reformation, late medieval Christianity was the starting point of a lot of change in the European Christian church. Clergymen abused their power in the church with the use of sacraments and indulgences. Many influential mystic women began publishing their personal experiences to share with, and influence, other Christians. They represented the first feminine voices heard in medieval Europe. Margery Kempe is one of the very many influential mystics that lived during this time.

When reading Margery’s autobiography, one could question her motives, such as if it was her ego that inspired her to receive God’s approval and admiration, instead of her desire to replicate Jesus’ suffering. Before Margery’s first vision, one gets a sense of the pride she feels, she stated that “her whole desire was to be respected by people” and that she “always craved more and more.” And while these thoughts occurred prior to her commitment to God, they shed light on Margery’s personality and possibly her inner priorities. It cannot be denied that Margery appreciated and enjoyed positive enforcement and compliments from God. With all of the sacrifices she made for her faith, such as her family and her safety, she never seemed to be able

In chapter 1, Margery falls prey to postpartum depression after giving birth to one of her many children. During this psychotic episode, devils threaten her and compel her to renounce Christ, and she has lascivious affairs with strange men. As a result, Margery feels as though she is going to die and go to hell; culminating in Margery savagely biting her own hand to keep from killing herself (Kempe 6-7). It is reasonable to assume that the prospect of being a mother absolutely horrifies Margery; making her resent her role as wife and mother, and question her purpose for existing. Here, Margery Kempe is having an existential crisis―a point in time during which an individual questions if their life has meaning, purpose, or value―which produces