The theory of humours originated
in the ancient world. The great 2nd century A.D. Roman physician
Galen established a system that combined elements of anatomy, psychology,
astrology, pharmacology, and just about every other area of knowledge
to which the ancients had access. Little about the system had changed
by Shakespeare’s time almost fifteen centuries later. The most
famous treatment of the theory of humours in English was Robert Burton’s
The Anatomy of Melancholy, and while this book did not appear
until 1621 — five years after Shakespeare’s death —
in truth it merely summarized material that was available in other
sources, albeit in a more entertaining and comprehensive form than
it had appeared before.
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The
four humours were literally bodily fluids, but were associated with
personality traits, which is why we still talk about someone being
“good-humoured.” Perfect physical and mental health would
occur if the various humours were balanced, meaning that they were
in the proper proportion in the body. However, no one was ever
thought to be perfectly balanced. Minor imbalances were associated
with personality traits, whereas severe imbalances led to bodily illnesses
and personality disorders. An excess of a humour could be treated
by decreasing the amount of that humour in the system, for example
by bleeding, diuretics, laxatives, or enemas.
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This
table shows some of the associations given to the humours
Humour |
Blood |
Phlegm
or Pituita |
Yellow
Bile |
Black
Bile |
Character
Type |
Sanguine |
Phlegmatic |
Choleric |
Melancholic |
Element |
Air |
Water |
Fire |
Earth |
| Planet
(or luminary) |
Jupiter |
Moon |
Mars |
Saturn |
Astrological
Signs |
Gemini,
Libra, Aquarius |
Cancer,
Scorpio, Pisces |
Aries,
Leo, Sagittarius |
Taurus,
Virgo, Capricorn |
Wind/Direction |
South |
East |
West |
North |
Temperature/Moisture |
Hot
and Moist |
Cold
and Moist |
Hot
and Dry |
Cold
and Dry |
Season |
Spring |
Winter |
Summer |
Autumn |
Phase
of Life |
Adolescence |
Childhood
(also senility) |
Adulthood |
Old
Age |
Appearance |
Large-framed,
with a pink or red complexion |
Fleshy
and fair |
Slim,
wiry, red-haired |
Slim,
fair, not muscular |
Appearance
if out of balance |
Fat,
with a florid complexion |
Fat
and pale |
Thin,
color rises when angry |
Thin,
pale |
Character
Traits |
Optimistic,
cheerful, fun-loving, generous, amorous |
Emotional,
mild, passive, sensitive, intuitive |
Ambitious,
energetic, direct |
Thoughtful,
introspective, reflective |
Character
Traits if out of balance |
Irresponsible,
gluttonous, inebriate, lusty |
Lazy,
vulnerable, cowardly, excessively emotional |
Violent,
hot-tempered, unscrupulous, vengeful |
Depressive,
narcissistic, self-loathing |
Yellow bile includes gall
and urine; think of how we associate an easily annoyed or angered
character as being “pissed-off”
or “pissy.” Black
bile includes feces, but also clotted blood.
Note that combination characters also exist. For example, someone
can be choleric-melancholic, or sanguine-choleric, and so on. In each
case, that person would combine the qualities of both humours.
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Many
of Shakespeare’s characters recognizably represent a specific
humour. Falstaff is the most famous sanguine character in literature.
Hamlet, of course, is the melancholy Dane. Laertes is obviously choleric,
while he associates his sister Ophelia with “too much of water”
— suggesting she is phlegmatic. Shakespeare also uses the references
to humours for comedic effect. For example, after the play within
the play, Guildenstern tells Hamlet that the King “Is in his
retirement marvelous distempered.” Hamlet asks, “With
drink?” (clearly playing dumb in order to make a pointed insult
about Claudius, whom he considers a drunk), and Guildenstern replies,
“No, my lord, with choler.” Hamlet then suggests Guildenstern
should be giving this information to the king’s doctor, “for
for me to put him to his purgation would no doubt plunge him into
more choler” (III.ii.327-34). The phrase “put
him to his purgation” would, in this case, refer to catheterizing
him (in Elizabethan times, this would involve inserting a thin metal
rod up the urethra in order to relieve pressure in the bladder) which
Hamlet says would certainly make him angrier. No doubt!
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