Mad In Early Day Asylum example essay topic

Madness and Civilization In Madness and Civilization, Michel Foucault discuses the history of insanity in Europe from the sixteenth to the nineteenth century. He begins his analysis with the treatment of the lepers and criminals concluding with the treatment of the insane. As "madness" became part of everyday life, people of the time were though to be threatened by "madness". This sense of threat resulted in the hiding of the "mad" in early day asylum or "mad house", whose conditions were inhumane. As medicine evolved, and the conditions of the "mad" worsened; There was a distinction made between medicine and reason. Not all that were housed in these "mad houses" were mad.

Some indeed were insane, but others were sick and their disease were contagious. However, both were unhealthy and had to be separated from society. Madness was seen as a plague that had to be concealed from society. In the early years of Foucault's analysis, the mad were kept in "mad houses" or sent away on ships so that society would not be exposed or threatened by these individuals. "Madness" impacted the time to the point were it is evident in the works of Shakespeare and Cervantes.

The confinement of the "mad" was an inhumane process. Concealed from society, these individuals were chained to their bed and walls. Some were even exhibited like animals around Europe. Toward the end of the time period which Foucault examines, medicine plays a greater role in the treatment of the "mad". The idea of the asylum was established to continue to separate the insane from the sane, but now in a moral and much more humane manner.

This separation of the members of society because of conditions that they cannot control nor help is wrong. The people who were considered to be "mad" did not want to become mentally unstable, and those who were exposed to leprosy did not want to become lepers. Society must be aware of these conditions, and learn how to live with these members of society. They should be helped and cared for, not thrown away or treated like animals. The establishment of the asylum is important to society. Sadly, many people do not want to see, know, nor care for the insane.

This is the asylum's role in society. The insane are also human, and must be treated like humans. There should be a separation between the sick and those who cannot abide by the laws of society. The sick should be helped, and criminals should be reprimanded. The function of laws is to protect the members of society. If everyone respects the law, society runs in a smooth manner.

Criminals should be separated from society because they are facing the consequences of not following the laws, not to hide them from society. Society must be exposed to the process the criminal faces so that people understand what happens when laws are broken, that the organization that protects the law is doing their job, and realize that we do not live in a perfect world. The people run the asylums, hospital, and prisons do a great deed to society. They deal day-in-day-out, with the ills of society caring for these individuals and trying to transform them into individuals that can be reintegrated into society.

This process is a lengthy one and sometimes there is a chance that the individual will not walk free outside of the of these institutions, but await their death behind it's walls as society evolves without them. Society must be exposed to the weakness of being humans so that we can become stronger. Work CitiedFoucault, Michel. Madness and Civilization. Trans. Richard Howard.

New York: Vintage Books, 1965.