"Much Madness is divinest Sense—" packs in a whole lot of crazy. The cool thing about it, though, is that it flips the whole idea of crazy on its head. Not only does it suggest that so-called crazy people are the only ones who know what's going on, it also tells us that so-called normal people are actually the crazy ones. Ultimately, the thing this poem is really getting at is that what's sane and insane is far from objective—really, it's all in our heads.
Questions About Madness
- What do you think the speaker is getting at when she uses the word "divinest"? We get that she's saying "Madness" = "Sense," but why exactly is this "Sense" god-like? (1)
- How does the symbol of the "Eye" link with the theme of madness? (2)
- How literally should we take this poem? Is the speaker actually suggesting that insane people should be allowed to rule the world?
- Would the speaker say that you were sane or insane? What makes you say so?
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
The poem claims that people whom society labels as crazy are closer to God-the ultimate intelligence.
This poem sounds a lot like something a crazy person would say to get out of taking their pills.