Emily Dickinson’s poem “After great pain, a formal feeling comes—” (1861) delves into the lingering effects of intense physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual suffering.

In “To lose one’s faith—surpass,” (1861), Dickinson, much like in “I felt a Funeral, in my Brain,” examines the aftermath of spiritual devastation.

Similar to the speaker in “I felt a Funeral, in my Brain,” the protagonist of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet (1601) experiences the collapse of his rational thought processes.

In “Much Madness Is Divinest Sense—” (1861), Dickinson addresses the theme of insanity differently than in “I felt a Funeral, in my Brain.” Here, madness is portrayed as a manifestation of non-conformity.

American novelist William Styron’s memoir Darkness Visible (1990) recounts his struggle with clinical depression. The book is notable for how Styron articulates his efforts to comprehend his own mental state.

Robert Burton’s renowned psychological work The Anatomy of Melancholy (1621) explores various forms of melancholy, which Burton uses as a broad term for different mental illnesses. His book provides an intriguing look at early psychological theories.

T. S. Eliot’s intricate poem The Waste Land (1922) expands the personal breakdowns depicted in Dickinson’s work to encompass the entire twentieth century.