Dermatologist Dr Catriona Wootton, from Queen’s Medical Centre, Nottingham, who took component in a language evaluation of Shakespeare’s plays, explained: ”Rat-infested and with open sewers, overcrowding and sexual promiscuity, Elizabethan London was a melting pot for diseases such as plague, syphilis and smallpox.
”Many of the illnesses of the time concerned lesions or sores on the skin, so skin imperfections have been witnessed as a warning indicator for contagious condition. This was not constrained to indicators of infection, but to any blemishes or moles, which have been considered unsightly and signs of witchcraft or devilry.
”Shakespeare makes use of these adverse undertones to his advantage, employing physical idiosyncrasies in his characters to signify foibles in their behaviour.”
The researchers argue that the Bard’s colourful language has helped to perpetuate damaging attitudes towards imperfect skin.
Nina Goad, from the British Association of Dermatologists, said: ”It is exciting to note that much of the Elizabethan stigma above disfiguring skin condition nevertheless persists these days. More than the final handful of decades dermatologists have attempted to tackle the impact this can have on individuals. However, even now, several examples exist in films and literature exactly where visible disfigurements are used to represent villainy or malice.
”This is specifically regarding when such movies are aimed at kids, who learn that lovely, flawless individuals are kind and reliable, and scarred or blemished individuals are to be feared.
”Nobody is suggesting that we edit Shakespeare, but possibly we must guarantee that new movies and books will not reinforce this stereotype. Many skin patients demand psychological assistance to deal with the visual element of their disease.”
The findings have been presented at the British Association of Dermatologists’ yearly conference in Glasgow.
ends
Shakespeare to blame for undesirable skin stigma, say specialists
Hiç yorum yok:
Yorum Gönder