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Harold Pinter: "Aston's electroshock" (o la follia negli anni '90)
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The advent of Freud’s theories and the birth of psychoanalysis led to a radical change in the concept of madness. A lunatic was initially considered a genius
or a person possessed by divinity and so madness was defined as a "creative state" which gave the chosen person a touch of mystery and
originality. But in the 20th century, hysteria became an important field of research for many doctors, including Freud, who identified the causes of
madness not in physical illnesses, but as a result of the unconscious. Because of this, madness changed from being a personal skill and a divine quality
to a mental disorder in need of treatment. However, the limited scientific and medical knowledge of that period led to experimental treatments which were
often invasive and hence dangerous for patients. An example of this can be found in the extract "Aston’s electroshock" from Pinter’s play "The Caretaker". Aston is one of the main characters in the play, affected by mental disorders. |
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Aston’s monologue refers to his experience in a psychiatric hospital where he was confined after
showing sign of abnormal behaviour. Through this moving account of Aston’s experience, Pinter alludes to the hidden violence of medical institutions
and in particular to the practice of electroshock therapy.
Doctors had promised Aston that after the treatment he would have became "normal" again
and been able to live like other people, but the therapy only made his condition worse. To the already existing madness were added communication,
balance and coordination problems, which conditioned his future social life even more strongly. |
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