Mass Hysteria in Literature & Literary Theory

Mass Hysteria: Etymology, Meanings and Concept

Etymology

The term “mass hysteria” has its roots in ancient Greek, combining “massēs,” meaning “crowd,” and “hystera,” signifying “uterus.” Originally linked to the belief that certain psychological disturbances primarily affected women and were related to disturbances of the uterus, the term evolved over time to describe a collective phenomenon where a group experiences uncontrolled and irrational behavior.

Meanings and Concept:

• Collective Psychogenic Illness:
  • Refers to the widespread occurrence of physical or psychological symptoms within a group, often lacking a clear medical explanation and attributed to psychological factors.
• Social Contagion:
  • Describes the rapid spread of symptoms or behaviors within a community, fueled by social interaction and suggestibility rather than by any underlying physical cause.
• Shared Delusions:
  • Involves the adoption of false beliefs or perceptions by a group, leading to a shared distorted reality that can manifest in various forms, from mass psychosomatic symptoms to unfounded fears.
• Sociocultural Amplification:
  • Illustrates how societal and cultural factors contribute to the intensity and prevalence of mass hysteria, emphasizing the role of media, community dynamics, and cultural beliefs in shaping collective behavior.
• Historical Instances:
  • Examines notable historical occurrences of mass hysteria, such as the Salem witch trials or the dancing plague of 1518, shedding light on the diverse ways in which this phenomenon has manifested across different times and cultures.

Mass Hysteria: Definition of a Theoretical Term

Mass hysteria refers to a phenomenon where a group of people collectively experiences intense emotional distress or physical symptoms, often without a discernible organic cause. This psychological condition is characterized by the rapid and widespread dissemination of symptoms within a community, fueled by social contagion and shared psychological processes. Mass hysteria underscores the influence of group dynamics, social factors, and suggestibility in shaping the manifestation and amplification of symptoms within a population.

Mass Hysteria: Theorists, Works and Argument

Theorist	Notable Works	Key Argument
Sigmund Freud	The Psychopathology of Everyday Life	Argues that it can be understood through psychoanalytic principles, emphasizing the role of the unconscious mind and repressed emotions in collective behavior.
Gustave Le Bon	The Crowd: A Study of the Popular Mind	Proposes that crowds, including those experiencing it, exhibit a collective mind characterized by impulsivity and suggestibility, shaped by a shared emotional contagion.
Wilhelm Reich	The Mass Psychology of Fascism	Explores the relationship between authoritarianism and mass psychology, suggesting that hysteria can be a response to societal repression and political dynamics.
Robert Bartholomew	Outbreak! The Encyclopedia of Extraordinary Social Behavior	Focuses on sociocultural factors and historical instances of hysteria, arguing that social and cultural contexts play a significant role in shaping collective behavior.

These theorists have contributed diverse perspectives to the understanding of hysteria, delving into psychoanalytic, sociological, and cultural dimensions to explain the phenomenon’s occurrence and dynamics.

Mass Hysteria: Major Characteristics

• Collective Delusion:
  • Example from Literature: Arthur Miller’s play The Crucible portrays a hysteria in the Salem witch trials, where a community adopts false beliefs and accuses innocent individuals of witchcraft.
• Contagious Symptoms:
  • Example from Literature: In Edgar Allan Poe’s short story “The Fall of the House of Usher,” characters experience shared anxiety and terror, exhibiting contagious psychological symptoms due to the eerie atmosphere.
• Societal Amplification:
  • Example from Literature: In Gabriel García Márquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude, the town of Macondo experiences hysteria as it grapples with the arrival of mysterious and fantastical events, with societal factors intensifying the collective response.
• Psychosomatic Manifestations:
  • Example from Literature: In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, the protagonist, Hester Prynne, faces societal condemnation and guilt, contributing to psychosomatic symptoms and a sense of collective hysteria within the Puritan community.
• Historical Parallels:
  • Example from Literature: Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar portrays a crowd’s shift from adoration to hysteria, reflecting historical instances of public sentiment turning rapidly and collectively against a perceived threat.

Mass hysteria in literature often serves as a metaphorical exploration of societal dynamics, emphasizing how collective emotions, fears, or beliefs can escalate, leading to shared delusions and psychosomatic responses within a community.

Mass Hysteria: Relevance in Literary Theories

Literary Theory	Relevance of Mass Hysteria
Psychoanalytic Criticism	Provides insight into collective behavior and shared delusions, exploring the impact of repressed emotions and the unconscious mind in the portrayal of mass hysteria in literature.
Feminist Criticism	Examines how gender roles and societal expectations contribute to mass hysteria narratives, highlighting the collective response to perceived threats or challenges to established norms.
Marxist Criticism	Analyzes mass hysteria as a reflection of societal tensions and power dynamics, exploring how the collective psyche responds to perceived threats to social order and stability.
Postcolonial Criticism	Explores narratives of mass hysteria within the context of colonial histories, investigating how cultural clashes and power imbalances contribute to collective responses and reactions.
Reader-Response Theory	Considers how readers engage with and interpret mass hysteria narratives, emphasizing the role of the audience in shaping and participating in the collective emotional experience portrayed in literature.
Postmodernism	Challenges traditional narratives of mass hysteria, encouraging an exploration of multiple perspectives, truths, and interpretations within a literary context.
Cultural Studies	Examines mass hysteria narratives as cultural phenomena, exploring how societal norms, values, and beliefs contribute to the portrayal and understanding of collective behavior in literature.

Mass hysteria in literature is a versatile theme that intersects with various literary theories, offering insights into cultural, psychological, and societal dimensions while inviting diverse interpretive approaches.

Mass Hysteria: Application in Critiques

Literary Work	Application of Mass Hysteria in Critiques
The Crucible by Arthur Miller	Miller critiques the Salem witch trials as a manifestation of hysteria, illustrating how fear, accusations, and societal pressure lead to collective delusion and unjust persecution.
One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez	García Márquez uses hysteria to depict the surreal and magical events in Macondo, exploring the societal consequences and amplification of collective responses to the extraordinary.
The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe	Poe explores psychological horror and hysteria within the confined setting of the Usher mansion, where characters experience contagious anxiety and madness.
The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne	Hawthorne critiques the Puritan society’s collective response to Hester Prynne’s adultery, depicting mass hysteria through psychosomatic manifestations and societal condemnation.

Mass Hysteria: Relevant Terms

1. Collective Unrest: Shared agitation or disturbance within a group.
2. Psychosocial Contagion: Rapid spread of emotional states or behaviors through social interaction.
3. Groupthink: Conformity within a group leading to irrational decision-making.
4. Mass Psychogenic Illness: Widespread occurrence of physical symptoms with no organic cause.
5. Societal Amplification: Intensification of collective emotions or reactions within a society.
6. Shared Delusion: Collective adoption of false beliefs or perceptions.
7. Suggestibility: Vulnerability to accepting and spreading ideas or behaviors within a group.
8. Herd Mentality: Tendency to conform and follow the actions of the majority.
9. Cultural Hysteresis: Delayed or persistent cultural response to stimuli, contributing to mass reactions.
10. Social Epidemic: Rapid and widespread occurrence of a behavior or phenomenon within a social group.

Mass Hysteria: Suggested Readings

1. Bartholomew, Robert. Outbreak! The Encyclopedia of Extraordinary Social Behavior. Anomalist Books, 2009.
2. Freud, Sigmund. The Psychopathology of Everyday Life. Macmillan, 1901.
3. García Márquez, Gabriel. One Hundred Years of Solitude. Harper & Row, 1970.
4. Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter. The Centenary Press, 1920.
5. Kafka, Franz. The Trial. Schocken Books, 1925.
6. Le Bon, Gustave. The Crowd: A Study of the Popular Mind. Dover Publications, 2002.
7. Miller, Arthur. The Crucible. Viking Press, 1953.
8. Ovid. Metamorphoses. Translated by David Raeburn, Penguin Classics, 2004.
9. Reich, Wilhelm. The Mass Psychology of Fascism. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1946.
10. Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Scholastic, 2003.