THE GREAT CHAIN OF BEING AND THE FOUR ELIZABETHAN HUMOURS

By Justin Gerhardt

The Great Chain Of Being

It was created by early Christians in the 1500’s

It was a metaphorical representation of the universal hierarchy

It showed the link between the most meager forms of life to the highest forms

The highest form was known as “ens perfectisimum” or most perfect

The lowest form of life was Satan and the followers of evil, these included demons and evil Spirits.

The second class was the class of stone, the greatest of which was the diamond

The third class was the plants, they knew only growth and nourishment. The greatest of the plants was the Oak Tree.

The fourth class comprised of the beasts, for they understood both motion and hunger.

The fifth class was made up of mankind, it is important to note that only men were counted in this class and not woman. Men had the attributes of animals but the understanding and minds of the Angels

The next class was made up of the elements

- The lowest of the elements was Earth because it was the lowest and closest to mankind - The next element was water - it was second closest to mankind

- Air was further up - Fire was the most important element for it

represented the sun, source of all heat and nourishment

The Seventh class was the planets

- The sun was situated half way between the Earth and the Stars, the moon represented chaos and was found in the closer half of the Cosmos along with Mercury and Venus.

-On the other side of the sun was Mars, Jupiter and Saturn

The Eighth Class was made up of the sentinel realm of the Angels, who were completely spiritual beings. They were separated into two groups, Seraphims and Cherubims.

The Highest class was God the All Mighty and all perfect being

All classes overlapped e.g.. The oak (plant) was greater than the oyster (beast) .

The FOUR Elizabethan Humors

The Elizabethan Society categorized people into four groups which described their characteristics. These in turn corresponded to different parts of the body and to different elements.

Hot and moist qualities were considered to be natural and healthy, whilst the other two were considered unhealthy

The lowest organ was considered to be the liver because it carried out cleaning functions etc.

Melancholy was considered to be the most unfortunate human characteristic

-Element: Earth -No healthy qualities, both cold and

dry -No lively energy or good spirits -Experience a lot of grief and

suffering - These were usually people who’s

minds were exhausted from study or they were born with previous dispositions.

Element Humour Common Quality

Earth Melancholy Cold & Dry

Water Phlegm Cold & Moist

Air Blood Hot & Moist

Fire Choler Hot & Dry

Phlegmatic -Element: Water -Have one healthy quality

(moist) -Usually fat and stupid men -This group was famous for not

even understanding the simplest jokes

-These people were also very drowsy and unenergetic individuals

Choleric Element: Fire

-Characterized by the element of fire

- Have one Healthy quality (Hot)

- They had dried up bodies

-They were prone to well impended natural growth

-They tended to be very arrogant and imperious people.

Sanguine -Element: Air

-The best of the humours

-Person was well tempered, robust physique, personal charm and liveliness.

-This temperament was usually determined by bleeding the patient

Bibliography

Internetwww.stanford.edu.comwww.Earlham.edu.comwww.tiscali.it/no-redirect-tiscali/ mgtun/elizabethan_beliefs.htm

Books• Encyclopedia Britannica, Britannica Publishers, 1975• The Elizabethan World Picture, by E.M.W. Tillyard, Pimilco

□ SOFTWAREEncarta 2001, Microsoft Software, 2001