A Psychological Analysis of Alexander

[Michael]

Hello,
My name is Michael Rayome, I am a student at St. Xavier High School in Louisville, KY, and I am writing a World History report on Alexander the Great. I'm also a student in the psychology class, and decided it might be fun to take a psychological angle with this research project. One of my first thoughts was in fact that Alexander was bi-polar, and would like to ask if any of you could help me in supporting this claim. I believe I had read that Alexander did not sleep very well. Is this true? Also, are there any signs of irratability throughout his life? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you very much for your time.

[karen]

Hi Michael:I suggest you look around the articles on this site, and then visit Tim Spalding's ATG-on-the-Web site, especially the "Alexander's Character" page, http://www.isidore-of-seville.com/alexander/4.html.I am interested to know where you read that he didn't sleep well. The only thing I can think of that refers to that is a quote (and, understand, no quotes attributed to Alexander are known for certain to be actual quotes) -- "Sex and sleep remind me that I am mortal." Which doesn't necessarily mean that he had trouble sleeping (else we might also infer he had trouble with sex); it might just be a comment on the necessity of mortals to sleep. (And have sex.)Good luck,
Karen

[ruthaki]

How can we possibly know? It's all speculation. There isn't any on-the-spot documentation of his actions/behavior, quotes, etc etc so how in heck can anyone psychoanalyze him?

[dean]

Hello,I have been interested in this area regarding his personality and yet have felt very frustrated because how can we form a true profile of a person who's bio' has been handed down to us via many people who may misconstrue things according to their own agenda.Of course the word bi-polar is a word that seems to come up a lot and he must have been to go through the range of behaviour patterns that he displayed. He was a killer- good friend- etc he went to every extreme.Drink of course influenced him and his early encounters with hero's and role models who he would try to emulate also did too- his emulation of Achilles retreat into his tent to draw people to him perhaps the most obvious.Maxwell O'Brien's book- the invisible enemy contains excellent insights and also Renault's- the nature of Alexander.Best regards,
Dean.

[Linda]

I am sorry - Alexander was not bi-polar. People with bi-polar are seriously ill. I think it is far more interesting to see Alexander as a man who lived and played hard, and who was subject to the pressures that could affect someone with so much power, wealth, ambition, and so many enemies. He lived every day with the weight of his achievements and his failings. I prefer to see through a Shakespearean filter rather than a Freudian one.

[beausefaless]

That's the best answer (there's been many) I've heard on this subject, well said!

[xxx]

There's already been a psychological analysis of Alexander published. I can't remember the reference, but it's on Alexanderama, Tim's website. It was quite long, dealt with Alewxander from a freudian perspective, but in the end, was a lotta speculation and no hard evidence.Alexander was exceptionalyl intelligent, but outside of that, I see no clear and convicing evidence that he had a personality disorder of any sort.

[dean]

Hello,I suppose that when all is said and done- there is no way to say defininetly either way because of the nature of our sources.Suffice it to say that at times he was very very good and and at other times the complete opposite- take the treatment of Darius' family as opposed to his treatment of Clitus.By bi polar I meant simply that he could be hot or cold (not manic depressive psychosis)Best regards
Dean

[Dragonlord]

With his dad murdered and a rather iron-wristed mother notwithstanding the constant thrill seeking actions in physically dangerous situations- As someone with a combine psychology degree I would think he'd be doing rather well if he was merely bi-polar. He certainly displayed extreme behaviours/ emotions which gave him extraordinary courage and edge in battle.One can say rather than being incapacitated by his psychological disorder he was able to harness his extreme emotional swings very well. It would be hard to imagine anyone doing what he did and being what he was in those brutal times did not end up suffering some mental disorder- a lot of rulers of the time certainly did and would have been behind a lot of the tyrannies of that age.