Lethologica and Literature - Part 1

Lethologica

- the inability to remember a particular word or name.

"Lethologica, also known as the "tip-of-the-tongue" phenomenon, is a common experience where an individual knows a word or a piece of information (like name, place, address, events, etc) but is unable to retrieve it from their memory at that moment. This can be a frustrating experience, and it can also have an impact on our ability to communicate effectively.

But do you know over the literary ages and modern literature; authors have used this literary comical device in many classics and popular books?

In literature, "lethologica" refers to the phenomenon of temporarily forgetting a word or words, especially in the act of speaking or writing. It is often depicted as a situation where a person struggles to recall a word, or as a humorous moment in the narrative.

Without further ado, let's check them out; shall we?

If we trace back to the history of literature from the age of the earliest Greek playwrights to the 15th century, examples of lethologica may not be explicitly labeled. Or the concept of lethologica as a specific phenomenon or literary device was not widely recognized or documented as such. But instances of characters struggling to recall words or find the right words in conversation can still be found in literature from that period.

Let's dig into the history of literature and discover 'Lethologica' as depicted in the plays and writings.

The earliest use of this phenomenon can be traced to the writings of the greatest ancient Greek epic poet; Homer and the three earliest playwrights; Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides. In their works characters sometimes struggle to recall the proper words or terminology in their exchanges, leading to misunderstandings or comical mishaps. This can be seen as an early example of the use of lethologica as a literary device, even if the term itself was not widely used at the time.

In Homer's epic poems 'Iliad' and 'Odyssey', the characters often struggle to recall the proper words or terminology, but this phenomenon is not specifically referred to as "lethologica." However, the use of hesitation or struggling to articulate thoughts and feelings is a common literary device used by Homer to reflect the characters' emotions and to build dramatic tension.

For example:

From the "Iliad":

The character Achilles, in a moment of intense anger, struggles to find the right words to express himself and says,

"My heart is torn between two conflicting impulses."

From the "Odyssey":

The character Odysseus, after years of wandering, struggles to find the words to describe his experiences and says,

"My tongue is tied, my heart is heavy, and I cannot find the words to describe what I have seen and suffered."

These examples demonstrate how Homer uses the struggle to articulate thoughts and feelings as a literary device to create dramatic tension and to reflect the characters' emotional states.

From Sophocles' play "Oedipus Rex":

The character Oedipus, in his search for the truth about his past, has trouble finding the right words to express his thoughts and feelings, leading to a poignant moment in which he says,

"Words are failing me, my tongue refuses to obey."

From Aeschylus' play "The Eumenides":

The character Orestes, grappling with the aftermath of his actions, has trouble finding the right words to express himself, leading to a moment of distress in which he says,

"My tongue can’t find the words."

From Euripides' play "Medea":

The character Medea, in the midst of intense emotions, has trouble articulating her thoughts and feelings, leading to a dramatic moment in which she says,

"My mind is confused and I can’t find the words to express my feelings."

These examples demonstrate the use of lethologica as a literary device to reflect the characters' emotional states, adding depth and nuance to the plays and contributing to the overall dramatic impact.

Now let's move to the period of Roman playwrights such as Plautus and Terence.

From Plautus' play "The Braggart Soldier":

The character Miles Gloriosus is prone to using elaborate and bombastic language, but he often struggles to recall the specific words he wants to use, leading to awkward or comical moments in conversation. For example, when trying to describe his military exploits, he says,

"I'm not sure of the word—you know, the thing with the sharp point."

From Terence's play "The Self-Tormentor":

The character Davus struggles to recall the proper word for a type of shoe and says,

"I can’t remember the name, I’ve forgotten it."

These examples illustrate the use of lethologica as a literary device to create humorous or entertaining moments in the plays, and demonstrate the timelessness of the phenomenon as it still resonates with audiences today.

Now let's trace back directly to the 13th century.

"The Divine Comedy" by Dante Alighieri is a narrative poem that describes the poet's journey through Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven. While the characters in the poem do struggle to articulate their thoughts and feelings at times, this phenomenon is not specifically referred to as "lethologica."

However, in the following excerpt, Dante himself experiences difficulty in expressing the emotions he feels as he encounters the souls in Hell:

"Here let my voice be hushed, here let my feeble powers be silent, for from here I saw things that, to tell of, no words are equal, no articulation can suffice." (Inferno III, 22-24)

In this passage, Dante recognizes the limitations of language in expressing the depth of the emotions he feels and the atrocities he witnesses in Hell. This demonstrates how Dante uses the struggle to articulate thoughts and feelings as a literary device to reflect the overwhelming emotions and experiences of the journey through the afterlife.

14th-century literature does not contain any references to the term "lethologica". However, the concept of forgetting a word or a name is depicted in several works of medieval literature, such as Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales" and Giovanni Boccaccio's "The Decameron".

In Chaucer's "The Miller's Tale", in this excerpt, Absolon is so taken aback by the noise from Nicholas that he temporarily forgets the name of the woman he is trying to court.

"And at the window out she put her head,

And Absolon cried, 'sweet heart, I pray thee,

speak to me one word, I thee beseech!'

This Nicholas anon let fly a fart,

As great as it had been a thunder-clap.

This Absolon was so astonished,

That he was almost down from his horse

He said, 'Alas! what has befallen?

Is all the world destroyed?'

And he looked up, and saw the window

Where that this Nicholas stood, and said,

'What, Nicholas, hast thou lost thy wit?

Is there no woman who will love me?' "

This scene portrays the idea of lethologica, or the forgetfulness of a word or name, humorously.

In "The Decameron", there is a story about a man who forgets the name of his wife. Here is a portion of that story:

"There was once a man of Florence who, having taken a wife, found himself so often at a loss for her name that he was obliged to ask her every time he wanted to speak to her. At last, finding himself unable to remember it, he asked her to write it down, and having read it, he repeated it to himself as often as he could. Nevertheless, he soon forgot it again and was again obliged to ask her for it. He did this so frequently that his wife, losing patience, told him to write the name down and carry it about with him."

In this story, the man's forgetfulness of his wife's name is portrayed as a source of frustration and annoyance for both the man and his wife. The story illustrates the concept of lethologica, or the forgetfulness of a word or name, in a lighthearted and humorous way.

In the 15th century, the play "Everyman" features a character who forgets the name of Death, which is symbolic of the transience of human life. Similarly, works of literature from this period often explore themes of memory and forgetfulness in a broader sense, such as the fleeting nature of youth and the inevitability of death.

In the play "Everyman", the character Death appears and is referred to by various names, but the protagonist Everyman initially forgets Death's name:

Everyman: "O, who art thou?"

Death: "I am Death, the end of all men."

Everyman: "Alas, Death, why have I not heard thy name before?

I have heard of thee, but I cannot call to mind thy name."

Death: "I am the end of all earthly joy,

And I bring men to the judgment to come."

In this excerpt, Everyman's temporary forgetfulness of Death's name symbolizes his denial of his own mortality and serves as a reminder of the inevitability of death. The scene portrays the concept of lethologica, or the forgetfulness of a word or name, in a poignant and thought-provoking manner.

16th-century literature explores the first documented excerpts of 'Lethologica'. Examples of "lethologica" can be found in works such as "Rabelais' Gargantua and Pantagruel" by Fran?ois Rabelais and "The Colloquies" by Desiderius Erasmus.

In "Gargantua and Pantagruel", there is a scene in which the giant Pantagruel forgets the name of a friend:

"Pantagruel, desiring to call one of his friends, thought for a good while, but could not remember his name, and so asked what it was. When he was told it, he said, 'What a rare man! I have known him so long and yet I had quite forgotten his name.' "

In "The Colloquies", there is a dialogue between two characters in which one forgets the name of a common acquaintance:

Character 1: "Do you remember the name of that good man we used to know?"

Character 2: "I cannot seem to recall it at the moment."

Character 1: "I cannot either. It is strange how we can forget the names of people we have known for so long."

Character 2: "Yes, it is indeed a common occurrence. But let us try to remember it together."

In this excerpt, the characters' forgetfulness of the name of their acquaintance is portrayed as a common experience and serves to emphasize the fleeting nature of memory. The scene illustrates the concept of lethologica, or the forgetfulness of a word or name, in a relatable and everyday manner.

In 17th-century literature, examples of lethologica can be found in works such as "Don Quixote" by Miguel de Cervantes and "A Tale of a Tub" by Jonathan Swift.

In "Don Quixote", there is a scene in which the titular character forgets the name of a person he has met before:

"Don Quixote gazed at the gentleman for a long time, searching his memory for the name of the man he knew he had met before. He frowned and rubbed his chin, but the name escaped him. 'Forgive me, good sir,' he said, 'but I cannot seem to remember your name.'"

In "A Tale of a Tub", there is a scene in which the narrator forgets the name of a person they are trying to describe:

"I had heard of this person many times before, but I could not for the life of me remember their name. I struggled to recall it, but it escaped me. Frustrated, I turned to my companion and asked, 'Do you know the name of that person we were just talking about?'"

In this excerpt, the narrator's forgetfulness of the person's name is portrayed as a common experience and serves to emphasize the fleeting nature of memory.

In John Milton's epic poem "Paradise Lost". In Book IV, the angel Raphael visits Adam and Eve and recounts to them the story of Satan's rebellion against God.

At one point, Raphael tries to recall the name of a fallen angel:

"One next himself in power, and next in crime,

Long after known in Palestine, and named

Beelzebub."

In this excerpt, Raphael temporarily forgets the name of the fallen angel but is able to recall it soon after.

These works demonstrate the use of lethologica as a literary device that became frequent 17th century onwards.

In Laurence Sterne's novel "Tristram Shandy", the narrator Tristram frequently forgets words and names throughout the course of the story.

Here is an excerpt that showcases this:

"I have a most confounded headache this morning, and can't, for the soul of me, remember a word of it."

In Samuel Johnson's novel "Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia", there is a scene in which the narrator, who is also a character in the story, forgets the name of a place.

Here is an excerpt:

"I have been in a place, the name of which I forget, where the ladies hold their needles suspended in the air, and speak only when they have something to say that is worth hearing."

In this excerpt, the narrator temporarily forgets the name of the place he is referring to, illustrating the concept of lethologica. This portrayal of forgetfulness serves to emphasize the narrator's human qualities and adds to the realism of the story.

19th-century literature explores the direct (major/minor) influence of Lethologica as a literary device both comically and in a serious tone which develops a certain character in the book. From the classics of Jane Austen to Charles Dickens, from Oscar Wilde to H.G.Wells, from Victor Hugo to Alexandre Dumas, we can explore the concept of Lethologica. One can't simply exclude authors like Emily Bronte, Mary Shelley, Bram Stoker, George Eliot, Mark Twain, and Arthur Conan Doyle from this list.

Let's stop the newsletter here, if I start sharing about 20th-century literature, Modern Literature, or even Indian literature the newsletter will explode and I might have to write a book to keep the tab of every excerpt.

On a minor note Lethologica and Lethonomia are two different concepts, one I have already talked much about. The latter delves into the inability to call the right name; there are major influences of Lethonomia in Literature too. Share your thoughts in the comments.

If you find this insightful do let me know, I will post two more newsletters on this same topic which will cover 20th-century & Modern Literature and Indian Literature extensively. Hoping to help you in your personal research and learning through these newsletters. Will wait for your valuable feedback.

Until then, share and subscribe to this newsletter.

Still reading? Is it interesting? Then let's bid Sayonara with an emotional excerpt.

"He tried to remember his wife, his children, and his friends, but their images would not come to his mind. He could not even remember what his wife looked like. He knew that he had a wife and children, but he could not remember them. He tried to remember his work, his past life, but he could not. He felt as though all of it had happened in another life, or as though it had never happened at all."

- "The Death of Ivan Ilyich" by Leo Tolstoy

In this scene, Ivan Ilyich is grappling with the memories he is losing as he nears the end of his life. The experience of lethologica is poignant and emotional, as it shows the character's sense of loss and the fleeting nature of human memory and life.

See you soon.