Temperament in pop culture: Severance

***CAUTION - THIS ARTICLE MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS***

Season 2 of Severance fleshes out some of the lore of the world and the religion of the company Lumon. In that universe, there is reference to the four tempers which, as indicated in the show, need to be balanced for optimal physical and mental health.

Mark S.’s work on the Cold Harbor file is a sorting and categorization of his wife’s tempers into four separate files.

The show’s character structure also reflects the 4 elements. There are four main characters in the MDR department: Mark S., Irving R., Dylan G., and Helly R. (previously Peter K.). This group of four is a mini temperament balance. Sanguine Mark S. is playful and friendly, although his natural disposition is eclipsed by an unnatural grief. Irving R. is serious, observant, and sad, like a melancholic. Family man Dylan G. is a phlegmatic. And fiery HELLy R. is violent and action oriented, like a choleric.

These four element characters are kept under control by Mr. Seth Milchick, who is always dressed in black.

The show has its own version of the four elements, called the tempers. They are frolic, woe, malice, and dread. According to show lore, the messiah-like Kier succeeded in controlling or balancing his tempers. Let’s look at the tempers one by one.

The four tempers as depicted by the dancers.

Frolic

This temper is depicted as the Jester. He is smiling and happy, depicting someone who is “cheerful, merry, or playful.”

This fictional temper corresponds to the element of air or the sanguine humor.

Woe

The petite bride is the symbol of this temper, indicating “great sorrow or distress.” The body type and the emotional nature suggests a correspondence to the water or phlegmatic humor.

Malice

Represented by the ram, the malice temper is “the intention or desire to do evil.” In astrology, the ram is the sign of Aries, the cardinal fire sign. This symbol and the reference to aggressive action suggest that this temper corresponds to the fire or choleric humor.

Dread

The old woman is the personification of this temper, which is “great fear or apprehension.” This temper corresponds to the earth or melancholic humor.

The more you look for the four temperaments, the more you see it reflected in culture all around us.