{"id":10611,"date":"2022-11-16T22:16:37","date_gmt":"2022-11-16T22:16:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/?p=10611"},"modified":"2022-11-16T22:16:37","modified_gmt":"2022-11-16T22:16:37","slug":"method-to-madness-meaning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/method-to-madness-meaning\/","title":{"rendered":"Method to Madness \u2013 Meaning, Origin and Usage"},"content":{"rendered":"

Has your new boss introduced unorthodox methods some are uncomfortable with, but do you think his way of doing things makes sense? You could say there\u2019s a \u201cmethod to his madness<\/strong>.\u201d This post unpacks the meaning of this fascinating but confusing idiom and explores its origins.<\/p>\n

Meaning<\/h2>\n

Famous playwright William Shakespeare coined the English idiom \u201ca method to [someone\u2019s] madness<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n

When there is a method to someone\u2019s madness, their actions and behavior may seem odd, inefficient, or even foolish<\/u>. However crazy the person\u2019s approach seems, logic underlies it, and the person has a clear end goal<\/u>.<\/p>\n

\u201cA method in [someone\u2019s] madness<\/strong>\u201d is an alternative form of this idiom. Both versions have the same meaning.<\/p>\n

Example Usage<\/h2>\n

Would you like to use the phrase \u201cmethod to madness\u201d in a sentence? These examples show you how to do it:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • \u201cYou\u2019re asking why my stuff is all over the floor? I know it looks crazy, but there\u2019s a method to my madness<\/strong>. I\u2019m using the Japanese KonMari method to declutter and create a harmonious interior.\u201d<\/li>\n
  • \u201cI didn\u2019t like that teacher at all when she first started working at Littlewoods Academy, but now I see there\u2019s a method to her madness<\/strong>. The children love her and are really engaged in the learning process.\u201d<\/li>\n
  • \u201cNever assume people are doing things wrong because you don\u2019t understand their approach. You\u2019ll find there is a method in their madness<\/strong> more often than not. If you\u2019re curious, you can just ask what they are doing and why.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Origin<\/h2>\n

    Many English idioms emerge gradually and organically. It is often impossible to discover an expression\u2019s exact origins. \u201cThere is a method to [someone\u2019s] madness<\/strong>\u201d is a notable exception.<\/p>\n

    This phrase was directly inspired by William Shakespeare\u2019s Hamlet<\/em>, which was published in 1602<\/strong>. The play includes the line, \u201cThough this be madness yet there is method in it<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n

    The line in question refers to Hamlet, the prince of Denmark. The ghost of this character\u2019s dead father warned Hamlet that he had, in fact, been murdered. This prompted Hamlet to embark on a murder mystery quest.<\/p>\n

    Hamlet decided to pretend he had gone crazy. This choice allowed him to spy on the members of his father\u2019s court freely, as they believed he wasn\u2019t capable of understanding what was going on.<\/p>\n

    The famous line explains that although these actions were unorthodox and seemed mad, Hamlet had good reason for his actions.<\/p>\n

    Shakespeare\u2019s famous play directly inspired the idiom \u201cthere is method to [someone\u2019s] madness<\/strong>,\u201d to the point where many people who use the saying are not familiar with its origins.<\/p>\n

    Phrases Similar to Method to Madness<\/h2>\n

    You can use the phrase \u201corganized chaos<\/strong>\u201d to describe methods that appear messy but make sense.<\/p>\n

    Phrases Opposite to Method to Madness<\/h2>\n

    The expression \u201cmethod to madness\u201d implies that someone appears crazy or weird but has a perfectly reasonable approach.<\/p>\n

    Idioms that describe genuinely being or going crazy include:<\/p>\n

      \n
    • That way madness lies<\/strong> \u2014 describing activities that make you feel crazy.<\/li>\n
    • [That person is in] cloud cuckoo-land<\/strong> \u2014 meaning the person is so out of touch with reality that they have gone insane.<\/li>\n
    • Running around like a headless chicken<\/strong> \u2014 being so busy that you have gone crazy.<\/li>\n
    • [Someone is] not playing with a full deck of cards <\/strong>\u2014 meaning someone who is \u201cslow\u201d or crazy.<\/li>\n
    • [Someone has] lost [their] marbles<\/strong> \u2014 Someone who has gone crazy.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      What Is the Correct Saying?<\/h2>\n

      The correct saying is \u201cmethod to madness<\/strong>.\u201d You can say, \u201cThere is a method to my<\/em> madness<\/strong>\u201d or explain there is a method to someone else\u2019s madness.<\/p>\n

      This saying means that, though the methods may seem odd, they are rational and reasonable.<\/p>\n

      Ways People May Say Method to Madness Incorrectly<\/h2>\n

      It would be incorrect to use the phrase \u201cmethod to madness\u201d to describe someone who is insane but appears organized. \u201cMethod to madness\u201d should only be used to say that someone who appears crazy is anything but.<\/p>\n

      Acceptable Ways to Phrase Method to Madness<\/h2>\n

      You can say there is a method to your madness whenever your actions seem strange but you have a good reason for engaging in them. The same can apply to anyone else who appears crazy but isn\u2019t.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      Has your new boss introduced unorthodox methods some are uncomfortable with, but do you think his way of doing things makes sense? You could say there\u2019s a \u201cmethod to his madness.\u201d This post unpacks the meaning of this fascinating but confusing idiom and explores its origins. Meaning Famous playwright William Shakespeare coined the English idiom […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10611"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10611"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10611\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10613,"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10611\/revisions\/10613"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10611"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10611"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10611"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}