EXHIBITS

The title page of The Anatomy of Melancholy by Robert Burton.

The first edition of The Anatomy of Melancholy was published in 1621 in an age casught between the end of the Renaissance and the sprouting of the Reformation, an age which was still recovering from decades of plague epidemic, and melancholy was the distinguishing psychic illness of the time[1].

Robert Burton’s efforts on this nearly 1300 page book were an attempt to understand and solve his own melancholy while also aiding others with theirs. The book catologues the symptoms, causes, and cures of melancholy while also suggesting possible treatment of illness.  

Burton’s was well acquainted with the philosophers of old and often refers back to them throughout the text. The the  extensive use of quotes indicates that melancholy had afflicted humanity since the dawn of man, and was nothing new to the people of the Renaissance.

The time period this book was created in was characterized by spiritual questioning, and Robert Burton’s life was no exception.  In The Anatomy of Melancholy, Burton seems to be caught between his strong spirituality and his scientific mind.  

He experienced and sought to understand the physical and spiritual effects of melancholy.  This physical and spiritual melancholy fueled his desires to understand, and led to his continual efforts on his book. 

His book is like an encyclopedia, with a variety of quotes describing the types, causes, and treatments of melancholy.  The amount of detail and uniqueness in Burton’s book shows his perseverance and intellect.