Hysteria; how language is used to silence women.
We live in an era now where society has developed. Women protested, they gained rights, and that was that. But when you delve more deeply into the social mechanisms of the current day, it grows increasingly apparent that we are far from free, and far from equal. What is most striking to me however, is that some of the language which is entirely acceptable in passing conversation, in truth stems from the singular patriarchal mission to undermine and oppress females. Through thorough research and intensive studying, I have tracked the history of one, singular word, in the hopes to uncover its dark meaning and unmasked intent.
Its origin:
Founded in 5th century BC by Hippocrates, the Roman ‘father of medicine’, the word ‘hysteria’ was first used to describe an illness which was believed to be caused by a ‘wondering uterus’. Stemming from the Ancient Greek word ‘hysterikos’,- meaning ‘of the womb’- such disease was said to cause various ailments in women, and began to form when the uterus was ‘left too long’, hence becoming ‘angry’ and thus ‘wonder’ around the body. In doing so, Hippocrates believed that this disease then spread around a woman’s body, creating symptoms such as heartburn, headaches, choking, depression, poor attention span, and jealousy.
Later, in response to this notion, 2nd century physician, Aretaeus, stated:
“In the middle flanks of women lies the womb, a female viscus, closely resembling an animal; for it is moved of itself hither and thither in the flanks…to become the cartilage of the thorax, and also obliquely to the right or left…it is all together erratic…and on the whole, the womb is like an animal within an animal.”
Firstly, it is not difficult to immediately spot the repetition of the simile of an “animal” being representative of the womb, which clearly alludes to the notion that having such organ made you ‘inferior’ and was a ‘weakness’- a notion which was reinforced through the works of philosophers such as Aristole, who stated that females are ‘deformed males’. Additionally, this noun holds strong connotations towards rabidity, stupidity, and lack of capability, which again are all stereotypical ideologies towards women of the time.
Mostly however, I am irrevocably attracted to how the womb becomes “the cartilage of the thorax”. A “thorax” refers to the area between your neck and abdomen, hence, relates to the throat and heart- a throat being a vessel for speech, and a heart being the keyholder to morality and the core drive of the human body. Hence, in describing how the “womb”, which is “animalistic” and diseased spreads into these other important bodily vessels, arguably Aretaeus is suggesting that because of the uterus, a women’s voice, opinions, desires, and sense of self is corrupt and rotten. As the author and critic, Sady Doyle once stated, “Not only is the actual word ‘hysteria’ gendered, it once referred to an exclusively female disease, a mental illness thought to be caused by a malfunctioning uterus- there is a very long history of critics using accusations or innuendos about women’s mental health to shut down their political views”, linking to my theory that such ‘disease’ was curated by men as a weapon to silence the ‘inferior gender’.
Galen’s theory:
Linking back to the notion enforced by the Ancient Greeks, that hysteria occured when the womb wasn’t being ‘used enough’, Greek physician, Galen, concluded that, in more depth, such ‘disease’ was caused by the retention of “female semen”, which was thought to be stored in the uterus and to mingle with male semen during sex. He stated that if stored female semen wasn’t used enough, it would become venomous. How coincidental! Well, now the women must have sex with you, Galen, because your ejaculation will surely ‘cure’ her of this very, very plausible illness…
Later interpretations of such word:
By the mid- to late 19th century, “hysteria” became referred to almost exclusively to what we know today as some sort of sexual disfunction amongst women, and treatment often involved doctors inducing orgasms on their patients.
Finally, in a more informal sense, the adjective “hysterical” can mean ‘extremely funny’- a notion that arose in 1930, after novels such as The Watch Girls. Does this imply that uteruses are perceived by the patriarchy as especially funny? Or did it earn its sense because fits of uncontrollable laughter were amongst the extensive list of “hysteria” symptoms, of a “venomous womb”?
So, as you now understand, for centuries the word “hysteria” has been used to extend the dismissal of women. By labeling us as mentally unstable or “diseased” due to our reproductive organs, the patriarchy clears a path to the silencing of our voices, because who would want to listen to the opinions of a “hysterical” woman, right? Upon reflection, when thinking of the adjective “hysterical”, I immediately think of a crying, screaming woman, never that of a man. Hence, arguably the centuries of oppression still remain largely deep-rooted in the foundations of our modern-day society. Language evolves, but unless we begin to question the words we inherit, the hierarchies they once served will continue to shape the present.
Bibliography:
The Sexist Roots Of Naming Hysteria: How Is Language Used To Silence Women? | Feminism in India
The Ancient Link Between Uterus and Hysteria First Described by Hippocrates – GreekReporter.com
The Etymology of “Hysteria” – Useless Etymology
Hysteria: a historical mirror in the misogyny of medicine? | BPS
Hippocrates: “Diseases of Women 1” on JSTOR
Galen on Women: Gynecology and Female Patients | The Oxford Handbook of Galen | Oxford Academic