Hamlet v. Fetterman v. Oz: a Three-Way Debate No One Saw

Apoplexy and Pennsylvania’s Choice in 2022

Until the 20th century, most English literature did not use the term “stroke,” preferring ‘apoplexy’ or ‘palsy.’

The condition mystified ancients. A person might be immobile, partially mobile, completely incapable of speech, partially communicative, a little slurred, or perfectly fine (but ever-so-slightly different).

So when John Fetterman had a stroke, everyone interested in his candidacy had justifiable concerns for his condition.

Yet literature also acknowledged the distinction between loss of motor or speech skills and loss of intellect. Even Shakespeare knew these two were not connected.

In the Tragedy of Hamlet, after murdering Polonius, Hamlet confronts his mother and condemns her marriage to Uncle Claudius, whom Hamlet likens to a ‘mildewed ear.’ He then claims that the reason she married him had to be ‘apoplexy’ rather than madness.

Photo by Jonathan Tomas on Unsplash I like this one centering the referee, because every televised debate has questioners right there in the ring, making it a 3-way bout. Fortunately, Hamlet himself never puts in an appearance, or we’d see mass poisonings of boxers, referees, and their mothers.

Sense sure you have,
Else could you not have motion; but sure that sense
Is apoplex’d; for madness would not err,
Nor sense to ecstacy was ne’er so thrall’d
But it reserv’d some quantity of choice
To serve in such a difference.

William Shakespeare, Hamlet (3.4.71–76)

Seeing as how Hamlet, at this stage of the play, is a murderer who saw a ghost (and is just about to see one again), Gertrude reaches one obvious conclusion: Hamlet is mad, his sanity circling the drain of a mental collapse.

If only he assumed his mother not only had not lost her wits, but also had not lost her capacity to choose — was a full human being with agency, perspective, and insight the equal of his own, the entire climactic bloodbath of Hamlet might have been averted.

Alas.

Pennsylvania will choose whether to elect a longterm public servant who speaks funny or a television doctor who peddled a mix of good medicine and profitable quackery.

Fetterman went the distance with a television celebrity in a televised debate (unlike some other ‘not-so-manly’ candidates who walked away). Fetterman came out swinging, landed a few blows, some swings went wild, and pundits say that he wasn’t very reassuring to voters who need to see a certain sort of inspiring strength to induce them to do their duty.

Sometimes, those impressions and points determine a winner. Just ask Rocky Balboa.

But don’t ask Hamlet. Hamlet’s confidence in his flawed judgment wound up killing everyone and costing his kingdom.