Onset of Lear's Epileptic Seizures
Poet involved
What happened
While still a young child in London, England, Edward Lear began experiencing grand mal seizures, a condition he privately termed 'the Demon.' He kept the illness carefully hidden from all but his closest confidants for the rest of his life, fearing social stigma. The condition would recur throughout his adulthood, often accompanied by depressive episodes.
Literary impact
Lear's private struggle with epilepsy and depression, which he called 'the Morbids,' fed the undercurrents of melancholy and isolation beneath the surface playfulness of his nonsense poems and limericks.
Source: Wikipedia
