![]() ![]() In all his time observing the exploitation of the villagers at the hands of government officials and nobles, he has never seen such looks on their faces. He ponders the villagers’ apparent hostility toward him. He concludes that they must have learned their hatred from their parents. Gu, although none of the children were born at that time, and he can’t figure out why they would hold any resentment toward him. The “madman” considers why the villagers might harbor resentment, thinking of when he exploited one villager, Mr. It is unclear whether the “madman’s” observations are imagined, as he even interprets children smiling as a veiled threat (II). Villagers huddle in whispered conversations with looks of fear on their faces. As the “madman” goes about his day, he notices “strange looks” from people. The “madman” confides that he must be careful he suspects that some of the villagers wish him ill. The “madman’s” diary begins with musings about seeing the moon, and he comments that he has not seen it “for more than 30 years” (I). ![]() The rest of the story comprises entries from the diary. It chronicles his experience of his worsening mental health, which ultimately results in a psychological crisis. The elder brother presents the narrator with the younger brother’s diary. ![]() He is met by the elder brother, who informs him that the younger, a government official, has recovered from his illness and is not present. He has heard that the younger brother has been struck by a “dread disease,” and seeks to pay him a visit. The story begins with an unnamed narrator who returns to his hometown to visit a pair of brothers he knew as a youth. Lu Xun also employs the corresponding archetypal figure of the “madman.” Any references to “madness” or the “madman” are contained within scare quotes. In "Diary of a Madman," Lu Xun engages with literary traditions that rely on poetic (i.e., unscientific) models of the mind to present a concept of “madness” that is stigmatizing and inappropriate for describing psychiatric conditions. For accessibility, citations refer to the numbered diary entries rather than pages.Ĭontent Warning: This guide discusses and reproduces biased language surrounding mental health. This guide uses the 1990 translation by William Lyell. Whereas Gogol’s narrative focuses on the personal, Lu Xun’s telling reflects a wider criticism of Chinese society and culture. In Gogol’s story, the protagonist becomes obsessed with his employer’s daughter and begins to experience delusions, including talking dogs and believing that he is the king of Spain. Lu Xun was inspired to write "Diary of a Madman” by a short story of the same name by Ukrainian-born writer Nikolay Gogol. ![]()
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