The Humours

Robin Williams • i Read Shakespeare • International Shakespeare Center

Coming soon: The Humours are four bodily fluids, or spirits: blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile. By Shakespeare's time, the humoural theory of health had been in effect for more than a thousand years. Knowing this theory, we can see how the humours impact every Shakespearean character—and you.
     An abundance of one humour or another changes your very personality and can make you act inappropriately or unnaturally. Have you ever wondered why Othello has an epileptic fit, or why Beatrice suddenly comes down with a cold, or why Katerina is not allowed to eat dry roasted beef with mustard?

In this course you'll learn:

• The ancient history of the humours and how it has influenced personality assessments even today.
• How often the humours appear in the Shakespearean plays and how to notice.
• Why people fall in love at first sight.
• Why music affects your temperament.
• What causes Melancholic behavior; the good and bad characteristics of a Melancholic person.
• What causes Choleric behavior; the good and bad characteristics of a Choleric person.
• What causes Sanguine behavior; the good and bad characteristics of a Sanguine person.
• What causes Phlegmatic behavior; the good and bad characteristics of a Phlegmatic person.
• Which Shakespearean characters are abundant in which humour and how it affects them.
• Which foods to eat or not eat (according to humoural theory) to balance one's humour.

You will also have a questionnaire to discover which humour you are naturally most abundant in; this tells you which Shakespearean characters you are most similar to, and also helps you understand what sorts of foods to eat and things to drink to balance your humours most effectively (according to humoural theory).

All this for only $5!