One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest: Violence and Madness

Manfred J. Holler () and Barbara Klose-Ullmann ()
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Manfred J. Holler: University of Hamburg
Barbara Klose-Ullmann: Center of Conflict Resolution (CCR)

Chapter Chapter 8 in Strategic Games on Stage, 2025, pp 161-187 from Springer

Abstract: Abstract In many cultures mad people are outside of society, they are discriminated against, and suffer from this discrimination, but also enjoy the freedom to live without obligations. There are cultures in which mad people are ranked to be the wise ones or even declared sacred. Who would deny food to a saint or even violate his bodily integrity by beating or killing him? MadnessMadness can give shelter against aggression and assure safety. To what degree can people play madnessMadness to protect themselves? Is this a viable strategy? How is madnessMadness connected to violenceViolence and safety? Here we will try to find preliminary answers to these questions by looking into ShakespeareShakespeare, William’s King LearKing Lear and HamletHamlet, Ken KeseyKesey, Ken’s One flew over the Cuckoo’s NestOne Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, and the case of Ibn al Haytham. We will also look into collective madnessMadness which is the driving force behind Arthur Miller’sMiller, Arthur Crucible and which also reigns in Euripides’Euripides BacchaeBacchae. However, in the latter play madnessMadness is predominantly a punishment strategy.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-82945-1_8

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