Original artwork, not a still
Absalom and Achitophel ‧ 1681
Great wits are sure to madness near allied, And thin partitions do their bounds divide.
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
Brilliant minds sit very close to madness, the couplet claims, since only a slight barrier separates the two conditions. It presents genius and insanity as neighbours rather than opposites, suggesting extraordinary intellect can slip across that fragile dividing line with little warning.
Context reviewed
