As time has progressed, the meaning and essence of love has gone through eras of time where its depiction had various representations. The ‘ideals’ of love and its societal expectations had different standards within each time period. In 19th century Russia, the idea of love was so dwelled upon in all its glory that it consequently became the misfortune of several people. Love- sickness had become so tangible that it even caused unexplained illnesses. These illnesses usually fall upon those who are naïve and impressionable to the concept of love. The psychological profile of a person prone to succumbing to lovesickness is usually one who is oblivious to the idea of love rather than one who is, in a way, experienced in the anomalies of adoration and endearment. The medical conception and notion of love as an illness has widely contributed to the identification of such a sentiment as dangerously detrimental and life-threatening to one who is diagnosed with it.
One can decipher lovesickness from irregular abnormalities stemming from one’s actions and physique. For instance, lovesickness is caused by the imbalance of “the nature of the body-soul interaction” and is characterized by “a bodily response to an emotional distress” (Sobol 12). Symptoms of lovesickness can include irregular pulse, fever, insomnia, lack of appetite, insanity or delirium and melancholy (Shmidt). These are the symptoms that were diagnosed throughout medical and literary history that seem to be leaning towards physical and mental disorders. It was also a common tendency that those who were diagnosed with such an ailment were those that were insensible to love and its unpredictable ways. These illnesses and disorders are due to the effect that the mental and emotional state of a being has on the body and its daily functions. Losing sleep and becoming less hungry are attributable to the consequences of the absence of a loved one and how much that affects one’s health considering their connection between one another.
The types of people who are usually susceptible to the development of lovesickness are more easily identified as ‘new-comers’ to the idea of love. As portrayed in the short story White Nights, the young girl’s, Nastenka, first introduction to love was towards a young lodger. This was attributable to the fact that she could barely ever leave her home, therefore, her liking towards this young boy was, in a sense, understandable. As Nastenka stated in White Nights, “… he sent us some more books. And in the end, I didn’t know what to do if I had no book to read, and I gave up dreaming of marrying a prince of royal blood” (Dostoevsky 33). This portrays Nastenka’s easily swayed mind in terms of love and her preference of such love. Her inexperience and naïve-like manner towards love allows her to be more susceptible to the outcomes of it being unconsummated or unreturned. Consequently, Nastenka reports on such an ailment by stating “I couldn’t sit still for a minute, I couldn’t read anything, I couldn’t work. Sometimes I’d burst out laughing and do something just to annoy Granny, and sometimes I’d just burst into tears. In the end I got terribly thin and was nearly ill” (Dostoevsky 35). This occurrence clearly depicts the outcomes of lovesickness and its effects on one’s health and mental state. Nastenka portrayed serious symptoms such as being in a state of melancholy, having a lack of appetite and nearly had been afflicted with a fever. This evidence substantiates the commonality of lovesickness to those impressionable to the concept of love; even through the absence of a loved one.
During the 19th century, the curiosity may have occurred to one that being ill due to unconsummated love is quite absurd, however, “the view of lovesickness is an exclusive ‘malady of the soul’ that denies either a medicalized or ‘naively’ literal interpretation” (Sobol 12). According to this statement, the effects that being lovesick has on a person is a torment that is beyond our diction. In simpler terms, lovesickness starts within one’s soul and portrays itself, with due time, on the exterior of one’s physique. Failed love, or sometimes, even the absence of a loved one could cause such an affliction to those who are usually new to the concept of love. The absence of a loved one affects the lovers’ way of thought and inhibits them from thinking clearly without having a slight remembrance of their beloved throughout their day. Therefore, becoming lovesick due to unconsummated love was quite common; especially to those who were eager to the idea of love rather than love itself.
An additional example of those prone to succumbing to lovesickness through literary works is from the short story The Blizzard. The main character, Marya Gavrilovna, was oblivious to the concept of love. The only thing keeping her intact with the idea of love was novels that she had grew up reading. As stated in the short story, “Marya Gavrilovna was brought up on French novels and consequently was in love. Her chosen one was a poor ensign…” (Pushkin 20). As a result, her view of love was less realistic and was leaning more towards the aspiration for having a bond similar to that of the novels she had been reading. After being denied of having her parents blessing towards her beloved, “…Masha was taken ill. They sent to town for a doctor. He arrived towards evening and found the sick girl delirious. A severe fever developed, and for two weeks the poor girl lay at death’s door” (Pushkin 26). Not only has Marya become a victim to lovesickness, but she had also shown serious symptoms of the ailment such as a state of delirium and a severe fever. This portrays the susceptibility of lovesickness to those new and impressionable towards love.
The concept of healthy love comes into play when thinking about love sickness. Can lovesickness also stem from a relationship containing healthy love? This question can be answered just by the shear definition of what lovesickness is. However, it is better explained with the expression that “lovesickness was not so much about love as about what we would call fixation. Its victims would find themselves unable to rid themselves of obsessive thoughts about some unattainable object. Sleep and appetite would depart, and an accumulation of peccant humours would render the body economy seriously diseased” (Bynum 1). For instance, healthy love, back in the 19th century, would be depicted as ‘courtly love’ which was the idea of love as a spiritual ideal (Shmidt). It was emphasized by nobility and the idea of chivalry that required both of the lovers to be absolutely obedient towards one another with unwavering loyalty. Another ideal view of love could be easily described in Greek terminology as Eros. It is a breed of love that is both physical and emotional. It is a romantic love that fulfills both the psychological and physiological needs of a relationship. On the other hand, lovesickness is the product of unreturned love, which is quite the opposite of healthy love and ideal love.
As seen in both literary texts, White Nights and The Blizzard, lovesickness is used almost as a sign to the person inflicted by it that they should take heed of their situation and look for love elsewhere. The person prone to succumbing to lovesickness is portrayed similarly in both these texts as well. Each short story utilizes the use of reading novels to have something to do with one who is susceptible to such an ailment. Each character has read books on love that consequently encouraged them to find a love similar to that of the love in the novels they read.
Back in 19th century Russia the medical conceptions of love had a large impact on the idea of lovesickness. Disappointing and unhappy love are two very capable means of presenting such a physiological and psychological difference to one’s state of health. At times, having such a strong admiration towards another could lead to a manifestation known as ‘object overestimation’. Object overestimation is basically the act of over exaggerating the quality or value of another entity or, in this case, another human being (Schmidt). For example, in the story “Nevsky Prospect”, the main character ,Piskarev, finds out that the woman he is pursuing is actually living in what he describes as a “depravity” (Gogol 257) or otherwise a poor-looking, worn-down home. After seeing her in such a state, Piskarev couldn’t bear the thought that this woman, who he pictured to be perfect in every aspect, was in fact not what he had expected her to be. Piskarev portrays his hostility towards the occurrence by stating, “…it was impossible to think that depravity had stretched out its terrible claws over her” (Gogol 257). His failed desire to possess such a beauty that did not fit his expectations had drove him mad to the point where it caused him to take his own life in the comfort of his home. This emphasizes the idea that “…a person’s love could be so profoundly harmful, yet so irresistible, that it undermines their ability to think rationally for themselves” (Robson 1). His failed desire to obtain such a perfect being is where ‘narcissistic love’ comes into play as posing a great relevance to the characters so called ‘love’ for this woman. He could’ve possibly not been in love with her but with what he could have been if he was with the ideal image of her that he painted in his head. Piskarev’s state of being portrays the effects that disappointed love could have on a person’s mental state. His loss of sleep and absence of his healthy eating habits were due to the matter of being lovesick. He became so physically and psychologically distressed that it even caused him to kill himself. This text portrays how the medical conception of love through the mental state of a being plays a major role in the ideology of lovesickness.
The causes of lovesickness differ between the type of love that is experienced which plays a large effect on the intensity of the ailment towards a person prone to succumbing to lovesickness. The different kinds of love consist of Eros, which is the initial stage of ‘romantic’ love, Agape which is known as brotherly or neighborly love, Philia which is regarded as family love and Mania which is destructive or obsessive love (Shmidt). As portrayed in Nevsky Prospect, the main character Piskarevs’ love for the young woman is Mania. His desperateness to see her again allows him to become fixated on the idea of her. Piskarev’s compulsion to her portrays his early stages of lovesickness towards the woman. Piskarev’s despair becomes clear within the text which states that “He greedily seized this precious pot, which he would not have given up for a heap of gold and rushed headlong home” (Gogol 263). Throughout the story, this love he has for her becomes rather unhealthy for him. This is of relevance to the idea that “…man’s nature is brought forth … when man is trapped in love” (Beus 206). Consequently, the causes of lovesickness towards one who is easily susceptible to it are highly attributable to the medical conceptions of obsession, overestimation, fixation, addiction, etc.
The diagnostic process and possible sources of recovery varied within each time era. For example, back in 19th century Russia philosophers described the sickness by defining a person’s symptoms as a complication of the soul. During our time, we would characterize lovesickness as an illness that falls under the categories of depression or a mental disorder. This shows that “the terminology for lovesickness has changed over time”, for instance, Erotomania is the delusional belief that another person, generally of higher social status, is in love with you” (Harris 549). Therefore, sources of recovery would vary. In 19th century Russia, their treatment would be to bring the unattainable being to their grasp. At times, the desired being would be in near reach, however there were problems that needed to be resolved. While at other times, it is an unachievable desire which the only cure was to rid them from their life or try to erase all memory of that being. For example, attempting to fall in love again was a tactic used by those diagnosed with the ’malady of the soul’; lovesickness. During our time, possible sources of recovery are quite different. Some treatments include therapy, pill prescriptions, and the use of a psychologist.
The historical views of unconsummated or unrequited love producing an illness in the 19th century had become a normality within that time era. Lovesickness had been thriving in Russia during the time causing it to become such a renowned topic of the 19th century. Its symptoms and causes seemed to be quite conspicuous during the time, allowing diagnosis’s to be described as an ailment within one’s soul. Attributable factors to being lovesick even included narcissistic love and disappointed love. Research has also indicated that the psychological profile of a person prone to succumbing to lovesickness is usually one who is naïve and impressionable to the concept of love. The sources of recovery had also been proven to vary depending on the attainability of such a ‘desired being’. All in all, unreturned love had confirmed itself to be a serious issue that needed psychological help during the 19th century time era. Its effects and symptoms were dangerously life threatening and couldn’t be ignored by the philosophers and health professionals of Russian during the time. The unhealthy effects of lovesickness had urged these theorists to take methodical precautions in order to aid those in need.
Work Cited
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