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. The historical views of such an aspect profoundly differed back in the 19th century compared to how it would be delineated today. Love-sickness was a serious issue of its own whose effects and symptoms could not be ignored by the philosophers and health professionals of Russia back then. Its effects on the body urged theorists to take medical precautions in order to aid those in need.
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. 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.
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. His failed desire to obtain such a perfect being is where ‘naricissistic love’ comes in 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. The text portrays how disappointed love, object overestimation and narcissistic love play major roles in the ideology of lovesickness.
One can also decipher lovesickness from other common illnesses. You must first understand that 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. 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 causes of lovesickness differ between the type of love that is experienced. 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 are highly attributable to 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. Therefore, sources of recovery 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.
How might healthy love differ from lovesickness? 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). 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 chivalry that required both of the lovers to be absolutely obedient 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 the psychological and physiological needs of a relationship.
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. 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 love sickness had urged these theorists to take methodical precautions in order to aid those in need.
Work Cited
Beus, Yifen. “Alfred de Musset’s romantic irony.” Nineteenth-Century French Studies, 2003, 197+. Literature Resource Center, go.galegroup.com.ccny-proxy1.libr.ccny.cuny.edu/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA102271318&v=2.1&u=cuny_ccny&it=r&p=LitRC&sw=w#. Accessed 15 Oct. 2018.
Bynum, B. “Lovesickness.” Lancet (London, England), vol. 357, no. 9253, Feb. 2001, p. 403.
Gogol, Nickolai.“Nevsky Prospect”. Bristol Classical Press, 1995. Print.
Schmidt, Jane. Lecture.
Sobol, Valeria. Febris Erotica : Lovesickness in the Russian Literary Imagination, University of
Washington Press, 2011. ProQuest Ebook Central, https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/ccny-ebooks/reader.action?docID=3444234&query=.
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