Demonic possessions and mental illness: discussion of selected cases in late medieval hagiographical literature.
Carlos Espí Forcén, Fernando Espí Forcén
Early science and medicine 2014 DOI: 10.1163/15733823-00193p03 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Historical analysis Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Thirteenth-century hagiographical literature describing demoniacs |
| Intervention | Exorcism |
| Keywords | Humans Religion and psychology Mental disorders Paintings History, medieval Literature, medieval Christianity Saints Religion and medicine |
| Key points | Argues that thirteenth-century hagiographical accounts of demonic possession and exorcism are literary inventions rather than records of contemporary events, yet reflect the writers' knowledge and likely experience with demoniacs. The authors identify traits of psychotic, mood, neurotic, and personality disorders and epilepsy in the descriptions, and suggest exorcism seemed to alleviate suffering in some mentally distressed people. |
Abstract
During the Middle Ages, demonic possession constituted an explanation for an erratic behavior in society. Exorcism was the treatment generally applied to demoniacs and seems to have caused some alleviation in the suffering of mentally distressed people. We have selected and analyzed some cases of demonic possession from thirteenth-century hagiographical literature. In the description of demoniacs we have been able to find traits of psychotic, mood, neurotic, personality disorders and epilepsy. The exorcisms analyzed in our article are the result of literary invention more than the description of a contemporary event. Nevertheless, the writers were witnesses of their time, transferred their knowledge about exorcism and possession in their narrative and presumably incorporated their actual experience with demoniacs.