Phthisis and Romantic Sensibility: The Social Construction of the Idea of Illness

This article aims to understand the process of social construction of the idea of phthisis as a “romantic” illness. The construction of the discursive space on phthisis expresses the conjuncture coalitions of interests that shape the different discursive registers produced by various agents from diverse social spaces (political, medical, religious, literary), making it possible to recognise, legitimise and promote the social visibility of the idea of phthisis as a “romantic” illness. Phthisis, associated with a romantic aesthetic, was seen as a hereditary disease or an illness associated with fate that affected the sensitive souls of the romantic elites, namely young people, women and fragile beings who were consumed by “sad passions”. Received: 1 June 2024 / Accepted: 21 October 2024 / Published: 05 November 2024