This way madness lies is a thought provoking exploration of the history of madness and its treatment as seen through the lens of its proverbial home bethlem royal hospital london popularly known as bedlam the book charts the evolution of the asylum through four incarnations the eighteenth century madhouse the nineteenth century asylum the twentieth century mental hospital and the post . Whats the origin of the phrase oh that way madness lies from shakespeares king lear 1605 king lear thou thinkst tis much that this contentious storm invades us to the skin so tis to thee but where the greater malady is fixd the lesser is scarce felt thouldst shun a bear but if thy flight lay toward the raging sea thouldst meet the bear i the mouth when the minds free . This way madness lies is a thought provoking exploration of the history of madness and its treatment as seen through the lens of its proverbial home bethlem royal hospital london popularly known as bedlam. O that way madness lies let me shun that no more of that king lear act iii scene iv lines 17 22 the tempest arises in the kings mind when he is feeling depressed for his daughters ingratitude toward and maltreatment of him then he goes blank and thinks about this reminding himself that this heartache and emotional pain is