Madness and battle-fury in Greek and old Germanic mythology and literature

Abstract

Since the dawn of mankind madness and battle-fury have been part of human culture. These timeless and cross-cultural phenomena have always been of interest to men: their common association with aggression and violence, grief and misery, and the supernatural render them central to the most memorable scenes in early myth and heroic tales. But not only striking symptoms such as wild disturbances of thought and conduct render madness and battle-fury worthy of examination, but they are also a valuable repository of the ideals of past cultures in that they act as the mouthpiece of a society and its values. Whereas today's understanding of madness and battle-fury is held firmly in the hands of cultural and societal construct, psychoanalysis and medicine that have surpassed mythological conception, See Foucault the early accounts in Greek and Old Germanic literature sustain the mythical core within the framework of civilised culture. But the early accounts of madness and battle-fury differ due to the social, cultural and religious differences in ancient societies. Whereas Greek heroes are tormented and punished by the gods, exhibit hostility against their will and suffer terrible internal conflicts thereafter, Old Germanic warriors may be either punished or rewarded with battle-fury, may assume it either of their own volition or by supernatural compulsion, and arise from their frenzy either triumphant, exhausted, or destroyed. Thus, this study will explore the mythological and literary roots of frenzy and furnish an enlightening journey through the mystical realms of madness and battle-fury in ancient literature: it shall examine the cause, course, consequence, physical and mental symptoms, spiritual undercurrents, and imagery as well as the authors' conception, commentary and employment of madness and battle-fury in Greek and Old Germanic mythology and literature.