Melancholia

High school (ages 12+)
Human Body

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/melancholia

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the linguistic roots?Related terms like 'lugubriousness,' 'moroseness,' and 'saturnineness' reflect historical nuances of sadness
2. Why did people in the past think melancholia was caused by black bile?They believed a fluid called black bile, made by the spleen, could make people feel sad and have other physical problems.
3. How did artists in the 1600s see melancholia?Artists and writers thought that being melancholic could show genius, making people creative and thoughtful.

Humoral Theory: An ancient medical doctrine positing that four bodily fluids (humors) dictate health and temperament.
Neoplatonism: A philosophical tradition that influenced Renaissance thought, emphasizing spiritual and intellectual ascent.
Nosology: The branch of medicine dealing with the classification of diseases.