2. Concepts that will be covered.
1. Trephination – In medieval times thought to release demons by boring a
quarter sized hole in the skull.
2. Schizophrenia – A mental disorder in which the individual experiences
hallucinations or delusions.
3. Attribution Theory – A claim about the cause of an individual's behavior,
whether it be personal or situational.
4. Phobia – Persistent irrational fear of an object, activity or situation.
5. Wondering uterus - was the belief that a displaced uterus was the cause of
many medical pathologies in women, including madness.
6. PTSD - a condition of persistent mental and emotional stress occurring as a
result of injury or severe psychological shock
3. Stonehearst AsylumFilm Plot:
The year is 1889 and a recent med-school grad(Dr.Newgate) shows
up at Stonehearst Asylumto receive clinical experience as an Alienist.
Whilehe initially finds the Dr. Lamb’s (head physician) methods
odd, he soonfinds that nothing and nobody are what they seem. The
Asylumhad recently been overthrown by the patients, and the staff
that survived are being kept in cells in the dungeon.
WhileDr. Newgate struggles to aid the staff that has been locked
away, he alsotreads carefully, as to not let the lunaticsknow that he
has discovered their mascaraed. What makes it even more difficult is
that Dr. Newgate has fallen in love with one of the asylumresidents
(Mrs. Eliza Graves).
4. Trephination
• While the method of trephination was not used in the
movie; when Dr. Newgate arrives as Stonehearst, he
examines a trephinated skull in Dr. Lamb’s office.
• Dr. Lamb explains how in a more barbaric time,
ancient doctors would drill a whole in the skull of
someone who was thought to be possessed by demons.
5. Attribution theory, Phobia, Wondering Uterus,
& PTSD
• At the beginning of the film the Alienist Professor
brings in Mrs. Graves as an example of a mad woman
with wondering uterus. They believe this because as a
result of sexual abuse, she bit her husbands ear off and
stabbed him in the eye.
• Mrs. Graves had experience severe sexual abuse at the
hands of her husband, and because of this she probably
has some PTSD as well as some phobia associated with
the emotional trauma. She exhibits behaviors like
skittishness, aversion to being touched, and hesitation
to enter into a romantic relationship. These are all signs
that point towards PTSD and phobia.
• Both of these are examples of attribution theory. Its
likely that the behaviors stem from a personal situation
that she has experienced, rather than a wondering
uterus.
6. S
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Horse man
Dr. Lamb (left), having overthrown the staff in the asylum, is now
living under the delusion that he is the head doctor at the asylum.
Lamb is also haunted by visions of his past. This too is an example of
attribution theory. Both personal and situational, due to his past and
torture like treatments that he was subjected to in the asylum.
Senor Balzoni (top) is under the delusion that he is an Arabian stallion,
and lives in such a way as to reflect that. He makes horse noises and
shakes his head around in a similar way to a horse. He also sleeps on a
bed of hay and eats apples as a treat.
