Throughout literature madness, or insanity, is presented to the reader as a method to surprisingly control the plot of a story. In the poem "Madness is Divinest Sense," Emily Dickinson explains, "madness is divinest Sense/ To a discerning eye." Dickinson hints that apparent madness might not be madness at all. She shows that maybe the strangeness that some people see as madness may actually be cleave ruse used by a character attempting to obtain something. …showed first 75 words of 835 total…

…showed last 75 words of 835 total…the strangeness in their personalities is more than mere madness. It is evident that their madness was not only a maneuver by the author to control the plot but also a method for each character to obtain something once thought unattainable. Whether this goal is something temporary like Faustus's supernatural powers or permanent like Kate's loving husband, madness helps the characters achieve their goals proving that madness is truly divinest sense to a discerning reader.