The Mask of Sanity

The Mask of Sanity: The Mental Disorders of Poets For more than 200 years, clinicians have recognized the existence of individuals who did not fit the established categories of mental disturbances by failing to show remorse or an understanding of the severity of their conditions (Cleckley, 1982). For the next two centuries, researchers would subsequently refine this nomenclature by including various types of antisocial and criminal behaviors that were characteristic of mentally disturbed individuals

suffering from a chronic mental condition with abnormal or violent social behavior. This author has chosen to use the criteria provided by Dr. Hervey M. Cleckley, an American psychiatrist and pioneer in the field of psychopathy. His book, The Mask of Sanity published in 1941, details his research into the realm of psychopathy, his assertion that psychopaths are capable of providing a charming and benevolent face to the world while hiding a mental disorder, and the criteria by which he (Hervey) determines

innocent flower, / But [are] the serpent under’t.” (Shakespeare) Hamlet exemplifies Shakespeare’s most notable alternate character personality. In Hamlet by William Shakespeare, Hamlet dons the mask of madness to manipulate others, specifically Polonius, Claudius, and Ophelia. Firstly, Hamlet dons the mask of madness to manipulate Polonius. Though the characters see Hamlet as mad, he is actually very sane throughout the play. When Polonius asks Hamlet what he is reading, Hamlet’s responding of

“We Wear the Mask”, Paul Laurence Dunbar directs his readers more towards the African American community during the period of slavery and even in his own lifetime. He goes as far as talking about the trials and tribulations the people of color had undergone, but he made sure to share to his readers in this poem; the way Blacks had kept their sanity and composure through the time wear discrimination, prejudice, and inequality was at its peak, which was to wear the “mask”. “We wear the mask that grins

meaning to Blanche and when she finally forgets it, it signifies that she has lost her mind. If Blanche had hid behind the lantern for the rest of her life would she still have lost her sanity? Was her mask of youthfulness the difference between turbulence and order? The tragedy for Blanche was not putting the mask on, but taking it off. Willy, the main character of The Death of a Salesman hides from the changing world just like Blanche. Willy tries to get a job close to home, but when he doesn’t

Here, he is referring to his being able to make his friends wear masks for him. With their masks, he can see them for who they are, although he wears a mask as well, his manipulative nature is shines through his mask to reveal his sanity. The characters shifting who they are is demonstrated in this scene because everyone acts as someone they are not, or can do something that they can’t, such as the

Masks      A mask is a covering worn on the face or something that disguises or conceals oneself. All the characters in Shakespeare's Hamlet hide behind masks to cover up who they really are, which contridictes a main idea, expressed by the fool, Old Polonius, "To thine ownself be true" (Polonius - 1.3.84). All the characters share strengths and triumphs, flaws and downfalls. Instead of revealing their vulnerabilities, each of them wears a mask that conceals who

So when I was in grade 5, I had this group of friends that I secretly did not like, or care that much about because they would constantly talk about things that I wasn’t interested in, and I felt so left out. They would force me to get into their interests and I of course really wanted to fit in, so I decided to fake it that I loved the things that they liked. I connect my experience to the tension between Macbeth and Banquo. Banquo is suspicious of Macbeth which is causing a lot of stress to Macbeth

mind and psyche to create a mask that resembles ideas expressed throughout this novel. The main idea that stood out to me while making this mask was Golding’s concept of human nature. Throughout Lord of the Flies, the reader is shown that when the boys first crashed on the inhabited island, they are civilized and want to be ordered. However, as the novel progresses, the reader grasps the idea that without any order, the boys stray further and further away from sanity and closer to reaching insanity

Hamlet’s façade of madness enables his cunning use of words and acting skills that led to the revealing of Claudius’s guilt. But when the opportunity arises to exact his revenge, Hamlet’s mask of madness is off and his true-self hesitates to finish what he desired. Shakespeare’s use of antithesis, the change from verse to prose, dramatic irony, and sudden contrasting tone changes highlight Hamlet’s inner conflict of being real or mad, inhibiting his ability to commit to either revenge or to his