The Language of Melancholy

This book explores how the demise of the traditional language of melancholy lies at the root of contemporary difficulties in engaging with darker aspects of human affective experience within a wider understanding of human nature, contrasting this capacity with the modern discourse of depression.

Robert Vinkesteijn is a researcher at Utrecht University. His research focuses on ancient Greek philosophy and its reception. He has previously published Philosophical Perspectives on Galen of Pergamum.

Introduction 1. The Substance of Finitude 2. Melancholy and Thinking 3. Melancholic Intensity 4. Melancholic Powers 5. The Demise of Melancholy 6. The Future of Melancholy