Madness Allusions, Definition, Citation, Reference, Information - Allusion to Madness

  1. Alcithoe driven mad by Dionysus. [Gk. Myth.: Kravitz, 16]
  2. Alcmeon driven mad by the Furies. [Gk. Myth.: Kravitz, 16]
  3. Ashton, Lucy goes mad upon marriage; stabs husband. [Br. Lit.: Bride of Lammermoor]
  4. Bedlam (Hospital of St. Mary of Bethlehem) first asylum for the insane in England; noted for brutal treatment of its patients. [Br. Hist.: EB, I: 924]
  5. Belvidera goes mad when husband dies. [Br. Lit.: Venice Preserved, Benét, 1052]
  6. Bess o’ Bedlam inmate of London’s lunatic asylum; female counterpart of Tom o’ Bedlam. [Br. Folklore: Walsh, Modern, 55]
  7. Broteas angered Artemis; she drove him mad. [Gk. Myth.: Kravitz, 47]
  8. Butes Dionysus drove him mad. [Gk. Myth.: Kravitz, 48]
  9. Cleese, John performs a manic comic character with persecution complex. [Br. TV: “Monty Python’s Flying Circus” in Terrace, II, 108]
  10. Clementina, Lady mentally unbalanced; vacillates between love and religion. [Br. Lit.: Sir Charles Grandison, Walsh Modern, 99]
  11. Dervish (Darwesh) member of ascetic order; frenzied, whirling dancer. [Muslim Rel.: Parrinder, 75; Jobes, 433]
  12. Dympna, St. curing of madness attributed to her intercession. [Christian Hagiog.: Attwater, 107]
  13. Elvira great mad scene caused by betrayal of Arthur. [Ital. Opera: Bellini, Puritani, Westerman, 133–135]
  14. Erinyes (Furies) three sisters who tormented those guilty of blood crimes, driving them mad. [Gk. Myth.: Benét, 320]
  15. Furioso, Bombastes goes mad upon loss of betrothed. [Br. Opera: Rhodes, Bombastes Furioso, Walsh, Modern, 64–65]
  16. Gunn, Ben half-demented castaway. [Br. Lit.: Treasure Island]
  17. Hieronimo Spanish general goes mad on seeing the body of his murdered son. [Br. Drama: The Spanish Tragedy in Magill II, 990]
  18. King Lear goes mad as all desert him. [Brit. Lit.: Shakespeare King Lear]
  19. Leverkühn, Adrian brilliant musician attains pinnacle; rapidly deteriorates mentally. [Ger. Lit.: Doctor Faustus]
  20. Lucia frustration causes her to murder husband. [Ital. Opera: Donizetti, Lucia di Lammermoor, Westerman, 126–127]
  21. Mad Hatter crazy gentleman who co-hosts mad tea party. [Br. Lit.: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland]
  22. Madwoman of Chaillot, The four eccentric women foil capitalistic exploiters. [Fr. Lit.: Benét, 618]
  23. Mahony, Dr. Richard tries in vain to stay the insanity that eventually overwhelms him. [Australian Lit.: The Fortunes of Richard Mahony in Magill II, 341]
  24. March Hare crazy rabbit who co-hosts mad tea party. [Br. Lit.: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland]
  25. McMurphy, Randall Patrick brash Irishman, lobotomized in asylum after causing numerous scandals. [Am. Lit.: One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest]
  26. Myshkin, Prince four years in sanitarium; thought mad, treated for epilepsy. [Russ. Lit.: The Idiot]
  27. Ophelia goes mad after father’s death. [Br. Lit.: Hamlet]
  28. Orlando driven insane by lover’s betrayal. [Ital. Lit.: Orlando Furioso]
  29. Rochester, Bertha insane wife of Edward Rochester. [Br. Lit.: Jane Eyre]
  30. Tom o’ Bedlam an inmate of London’s lunatic asylum. Cf. Bess o’ Bedlam. [Br. Folklore: Benét, 3]
  31. Very, Jones “monomaniac” or “profoundly sane” ? [Am. Hist.: Hart, 883]
  32. Wozzeck thought of blood drives him to murder and suicide. [Aust. Opera: Berg, Wozzeck, Westerman, 480–481]