Human disease on stage

Theater, being in most cases a representation of real life, can refer to anyone of its aspects, including disease. Human disease is a specific condition associated with several effects in the behavior of both, the patient and his environment, as well as their interrelationship. Several play writers, even from the ancient years, have tried to present these effects. Furthermore, another topic for the theater can be the way Medicine is practiced, usually with a critical approach. Of course play writers have not in general studied Medicine and so their references to disease may not be always absolutely right, especially if they represent aspects of past time. Furthermore, if we refer to poetic or symbolic drama it may express unrealistic situations only to serve the main idea of the author