StoryNote logo

In Othello, Brabantio accuses Othello of addicting his daughter to drugs, and in Macbeth, characters wonder if they've eaten "the insane root" after seeing the witches. How familiar were Elizabethan audiences with psychoactive substances and drug addiction? What were their conceptions of such?

by /u/[deleted] in /r/AskHistorians

Upvotes: 3259

Favorite this post:
Mark as read:
Your rating:
Add this post to a custom list

StoryNote©

Reddit is a registered trademark of Reddit, Inc. Use of this trademark on our website does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by Reddit, Inc.