Neurasthenia, Civilisation and the Crisis of Spanish Manhood, c. 1890–1914
In the early 1880s, a new disease called neurasthenia gained prominence within Western medicine. Neurasthenia, or nervous exhaustion, was associated with the development of modern civilisation, presented as both a cause and a consequence thereof. This article analyses the ambivalent discourse that...
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University of Pardubice
2021-09-01
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| Series: | Theatrum Historiae |
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| Online Access: | https://theatrum.upce.cz/index.php/theatrum/article/view/1901 |
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| author | Violeta Ruiz |
| author_facet | Violeta Ruiz |
| author_sort | Violeta Ruiz |
| collection | DOAJ |
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In the early 1880s, a new disease called neurasthenia gained prominence within Western medicine. Neurasthenia, or nervous exhaustion, was associated with the development of modern civilisation, presented as both a cause and a consequence thereof. This article analyses the ambivalent discourse that Spanish physicians articulated about neurasthenia in relation to the status of Spanish civilisation. It places neurasthenia within the context of the wider discourse of crisis and change known as Regenerationism, presenting the argument that the diagnosis could be considered either validating or destructive, depending on whether the patient’s attitude corresponded to or diverged from the values that the Spanish elites identified as necessary for the progress of the nation. Its main symptoms of aboulia and psychic passivity made it a condition that reflected the larger crisis of national identity in the wake of the loss of the last overseas colonies to the USA in 1898. As such, it argues that the disease served to define the parameters of proper bourgeois masculinity at a time when the status of Spain’s degree of civilisation was being questioned by the country’s elites.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-609a2039cb0441488cd536966a995b92 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1802-2502 2571-0621 |
| language | ces |
| publishDate | 2021-09-01 |
| publisher | University of Pardubice |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Theatrum Historiae |
| spelling | doaj-art-609a2039cb0441488cd536966a995b922025-01-24T18:28:07ZcesUniversity of PardubiceTheatrum Historiae1802-25022571-06212021-09-0127Neurasthenia, Civilisation and the Crisis of Spanish Manhood, c. 1890–1914Violeta Ruiz0Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona In the early 1880s, a new disease called neurasthenia gained prominence within Western medicine. Neurasthenia, or nervous exhaustion, was associated with the development of modern civilisation, presented as both a cause and a consequence thereof. This article analyses the ambivalent discourse that Spanish physicians articulated about neurasthenia in relation to the status of Spanish civilisation. It places neurasthenia within the context of the wider discourse of crisis and change known as Regenerationism, presenting the argument that the diagnosis could be considered either validating or destructive, depending on whether the patient’s attitude corresponded to or diverged from the values that the Spanish elites identified as necessary for the progress of the nation. Its main symptoms of aboulia and psychic passivity made it a condition that reflected the larger crisis of national identity in the wake of the loss of the last overseas colonies to the USA in 1898. As such, it argues that the disease served to define the parameters of proper bourgeois masculinity at a time when the status of Spain’s degree of civilisation was being questioned by the country’s elites. https://theatrum.upce.cz/index.php/theatrum/article/view/1901neurastheniacivilisationbourgeoisiemasculinityregeneracionismofin de siècle |
| spellingShingle | Violeta Ruiz Neurasthenia, Civilisation and the Crisis of Spanish Manhood, c. 1890–1914 Theatrum Historiae neurasthenia civilisation bourgeoisie masculinity regeneracionismo fin de siècle |
| title | Neurasthenia, Civilisation and the Crisis of Spanish Manhood, c. 1890–1914 |
| title_full | Neurasthenia, Civilisation and the Crisis of Spanish Manhood, c. 1890–1914 |
| title_fullStr | Neurasthenia, Civilisation and the Crisis of Spanish Manhood, c. 1890–1914 |
| title_full_unstemmed | Neurasthenia, Civilisation and the Crisis of Spanish Manhood, c. 1890–1914 |
| title_short | Neurasthenia, Civilisation and the Crisis of Spanish Manhood, c. 1890–1914 |
| title_sort | neurasthenia civilisation and the crisis of spanish manhood c 1890 1914 |
| topic | neurasthenia civilisation bourgeoisie masculinity regeneracionismo fin de siècle |
| url | https://theatrum.upce.cz/index.php/theatrum/article/view/1901 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT violetaruiz neurastheniacivilisationandthecrisisofspanishmanhoodc18901914 |