Portrayal of Addiction and its Psychological effects in Sheridan Le Fanu’s “Green Tea”

Abstract

This paper aims to show that Sheridan Le Fanu’s short story “Green Tea” is a portrayal of addiction and its issues. The paper begins by discussing the Victorian attitude to mental health in general and addiction in particular, finding that it was lacklustre in both cases. The paper then analyzes Le Fanu’s “Green Tea”, arguing that the author portrayed addiction and its effects in a sensitive manner, contrary to dominant Victorian ideas. To do so, the paper argues that Jennings’ afflictions are psychological in nature, that the supernatural monkey was a result of hallucinations borne out of substance-abuse related disorders such as HPPD. It also unpacks the symbolism of green tea and points out at Le Fanu’s understanding of the nature of addictiveness of any substance. Finally, the paper also focusses on certain textual lines that are concrete proof of the author’s deliberate portrayal of addiction and related issues. The paper concludes by finding Le Fanu’s discourse of addiction to be sensitive and humane – unlike Victorian moralistic condemnations of it – and many of his ideas to be foreshadowing developments in psychology and psychoanalysis of the twentieth century.