Manufactured Madness: Bertha Mason in the Crosshairs of Disability Discourse

This article critically examines the representation and characterisation of the famous ‘madwoman in the attic,’ Bertha Mason, under the nuances of disability studies and Foucauldian theory. The character of Bertha is depicted as an epitome of madness who is hysterical, insane, animalistic in her endeavours and beyond any form of control. The critical paradigm of disability studies and Foucauldian theories unravel the fact that Bertha’s condition is not a congenital one but rather a socio-cultural construct, which is mediated through various discourses of disability propagated by dominant systems of power and knowledge. The article tries to shed light on the fact that her disability status as a ‘madwoman’ is a mere social phenomenon. It contextualises the general norm on which the notion of corporeality is demarcated as abled or disabled and tries to reimagine the plethora of ways the character of Bertha Mason is deemed as ‘mad’ from disability studies and Foucauldian perspectives.