Idioms of Distress -- Contents -- Preface -- PART I: Hiding and Seeking Distress -- 1. Speaking through the Body -- 2. Swings of the Historical Pendulum -- 3. The Mysterious Leap -- 4. Literary Patients -- PART II: Metaphors of Distress -- 5. "A Strange Sympathy betwixt Soul and Body": Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Scarlet Letter (1850) -- 6. Nerves: At the Interstices of Physiology and Psychology: Emile Zola, Thérèse Raquin (1867) -- 7. "A Sick Spot on the Body of the Family": Thomas Mann, Buddenbrooks (1901) -- 8. "Legs Turned to Butter": Arthur Miller, Broken Glass (1994) -- 9. Substance and Shadow: Brian O'Doherty, The Strange Case of Mademoiselle P. (1992) -- 10. Shell Shock: Pat Barker, Regeneration (1991) -- 11. Outing the Distress -- Notes -- PREFACE -- 1. SPEAKING THROUGH THE BODY -- 2. SWINGS OF THE HISTORICAL PENDULUM -- 3. THE MYSTERIOUS LEAP -- 4. LITERARY PATIENTS -- 5. "A STRANGE SYMPATHY BETWIXT SOUL AND BODY" -- 6. NERVES: AT THE INTERSTICES OF PHYSIOLOGY AND PSYCHOLOGY -- 7. "A SICK SPOT ON THE BODY OF THE FAMILY" -- 8. "LEGS TURNED TO BUTTER" -- 9. SUBSTANCE AND SHADOW -- 10. SHELL SHOCK -- 11. OUTING THE DISTRESS -- Bibliography -- PRIMARY SOURCES -- SECONDARY SOURCES -- Index -- A -- B -- C -- D -- E -- F -- G -- H -- I -- J -- K -- L -- M -- N -- O -- P -- R -- S -- T -- V -- W -- Y -- Z.