Reversibility

Note - I do have a different version from everyone else in the class so the adaption is a bit different.

"None of us lies or pretends what happens is, in all sincerity, we inhabit the self we have chosen for ourselves, and don't let go," (Pirandello, 27).

At this point in the play, all the characters have been introduced and they have discussed who they are and what the problem is, which is that Henry IV fell off his horse and does not know who he is anymore. His wife Matilda and daughter Frida have entered the scene along with a doctor to determine if Henry is a madman. The quote above that I have chosen, I believe to be one of the many explanations throughout the play to talk about madness and insanity.

The first phrase, "none of us lies or pretends, what happens is, in all sincerity" is speaking to the fact that Henry for the past eight years has known he is not mad, but in fact he does remember who he is. He is just choosing to be insane and give off the appearance of a mad man. Therefore, this phrase alone suggest that a mad man does not exist. To always speak the truth and act out the truth means that there is no room for madness because if there is madness there are lies and pretending. He is playing a "fixed" game under his control. Now this becomes a contradictory statement because Henry is lying and pretending to his servants, the doctor, his wife and daughter. So, the question becomes since he is aware of his lying and pretending is he still sane? I would argue that he is because he is obviously coherent enough to do this and play this game.

However, looking and the next phrase in this excerpt the wheels in our minds begin to turn. Henry states, "we inhabit the self we have chosen for ourselves, and don't let go." The key three words in this are "don't let go." Now, it begins to get interesting. Henry is arguing that he is sane and the first half of the phrase does prove that, but when you finish reading this phrase that idea is turned upside down. If Henry is saying "we inhabit the self we have chosen for ourselves" that means that he has inhabited the mad man he has chosen to pretend that he is to his peers. Meaning, he is not sane. And the last three words of "don't let go" prove this notion. Henry is holding on so tight to pretend that he is mad to his court that he eventually becomes mad because he can't let go. By the end of the play the reader/audience is left questioning whether or not a madman does exist. After examining this one sentence it can be argued that once you are mad there is no going back. There is no such thing as madness not existing.