Halle Library will be hosting an event called “And There’s the Humor of It.” This event is inspired by information from the National Library of Medicine that looks at the influence the medicine in Shakespeare’s time had on his plays.
“It’s quite interesting to think about how people in the past thought about stuff,” said sophomore Paul Pousset, a history major. “They were operating on the best of what they had and they adapted to what they knew worked.”
The four humors -- blood, black bile, yellow bile and phlegm -- were once believed to dictate a person’s physical and mental health. Each of the four humors corresponds with an element: blood with air, phlegm with water, yellow bile with fire and black bile with earth.
As changeable as a person’s mood, the four humors explained someone’s age, gender, emotions and disposition changed with the seasons, the time of day and the human life span.
Shakespeare is best known for comedic and tragic playwriting which are often exulted as high literature but not quite understood. There is an underlying humor in Shakespearean writing that often goes unnoticed.
The bloodstream was believed to carry the four humors and in turn help develop the emotions. A healthy person was balanced in their humors.
To learn more about Shakespeare and his writing style visit Halle Library. The exhibition has started and will be on display until Feb. 27.
