Spinoza and the tradition of melancholy

Abstract

Since the statement of the Problem XXX, imputed to Aristotle, several philosophers, artists and writers see the melancholy as a positive affection connected to the ‘man of genius’and to intellectual creation in general. According to the point of view of Spinoza’s theory of the affections the problem of melancholy leads to a second one: how it is possible an intelectual, artistic or literary activity arise from a deep sadness? Every activity is a production, a joy, an increase of the potency to act and think: how could it emerge from melancholy? Our hypothesis is that these problem could be explained by the ‘euforic joy’, the other face of melancholy, that springs as a reaction of the desire against sadness itself. Because it is joy, it removes the deep sadness. However, for beeing euphoric, it keeps the melancholic confined to his own disease. Therefore, the reaction does not cure the sick person of his illness, but mantains him confined to a endless cycle of euphoria and melancholic state.