Hippocrates, and later Galen, hypothesized that a person’s character was influenced by a combination of four humors that governed the body: black bile, phlegm, yellow bile, and blood. Centuries later, the Elizabethans adopted these ideologies to their medical practices, and associated each humor with one of four temperaments: melancholy, phlegmatic, choleric, and sanguine. References to the four temperaments may be found embedded in a number of William Shakespeare’s texts, most notably Hamlet, Henry IV, Part 1, Macbeth, and Twelfth Night.
While many figures in Shakespeare embody many humoral traits, allowing for character development throughout the play, several characters possess a superfluity of one particular humor. As these characters motivate the action of each respective play, the play provides textual evidence that identifies the traits associated with each temperament. hffffffffffHamlet exemplifies the melancholy temperament, Sir John Falstaff the phlegmatic temperament, Lady Macbeth the choleric temperament, and Viola the sanguine temperament.
The respective personalities of these characters are revealed not only by their actions in the plays but by numerous textual allusions to each humor. In examining these four characters, the reader may become familiar with the humor that each character represents, and, in turn, possess a greater knowledge of the driving forces behind many of iii Shakespeare’s heroes, heroines, villains, and clowns. Moreover, these examinations may also shed light on the beliefs of early modern England and the beginning of character study and development.
Greek scientists Hippocrates and Galen hypothesized that a person’s character was influenced by a combination of four liquids, or “humors,” that governed the body. An abundance of black bile, phlegm, yellow bile, or blood had an authoritative affect on one’s personality. Centuries later, the Elizabethans adopted these ideologies to their medical practices and associated each humor with one of four temperaments: melancholy, phlegmatic, choleric, and sanguine.
Although Galen maintained that all individuals possessed all four humors, he also held that the humors often became unbalanced, which produced distinctive personality types. Thus, a person with a predominance of the humor black bile would fall into a state of melancholy; a person with a surplus of phlegm would grow slothful and phlegmatic; a person with an excess of yellow bile would exhibit a choleric temperament; and a person with a plethora of blood would seem well-tempered and sanguine.
As this was the accepted ideology in early modern England, William Shakespeare frequently referenced the four temperaments and the four humors. While many figures in the Shakespearean canon display a variety of humoral traits that allow for character development throughout the plays, several characters possess a superfluity of one particular humor that associates them with a particular personality type. As these characters motivate the action of each respective play, the play frequently provides textual evidence that identifies each of them with one particular temp.