The Evolution of the Perception of Female Madness from Classical Greek Tragedy to Victorian Era Literature and Its Reception

This research paper explores the evolution of the perception of female madness from Classical Greek tragedy to Victorian Era literature by examining how societal norms and patriarchal structures have shaped the way the ‘madwoman in the attic’ is portrayed in literature. Beginning with an analysis of Medea from Ancient Greece, it dissects the reasoning behind her supposed ‘madness’ and how her reactions were perceived by society, often through the lens of the Chorus. It then transitions to the Victorian Era, focusing on Jane Eyre and Wide Sargasso Sea, contrasting the characters of Jane and Bertha Mason (the first, mad wife), in light of the Victorian Cult of Domesticity, and how each was declared ‘insane’ in their own right, citing often overlooked similarities. The comparison between these periods reveals striking likenesses and differences in depicting madwomen, reflecting the persistent struggle to be seen as humans experiencing emotions, rather than those deserving confinement. The paper argues that despite the passage of over two millennia, the perception of female madness has not evolved as significantly as expected, remaining rooted in fear and control. Ultimately, the only nuance that has been catered to is reflective of the rise of ethnocentrism in the Victorian Era: feminist literature has only grown kinder to the madwoman who is not the ‘barbaric, exotic foreigner’ of their rigid stereotypes, underscoring the need for a more nuanced understanding of these complex characters.