Some psychologic aspects of deafness: Beethoven, Goya, and Oscar Wilde

A personal experience interested the author in the psychologic aspects of deafness early in his career. It is the purpose of this article to discuss potential clues to change in personality by comparing the work of an artist before and after this handicap. Three artists were selected: the composer Ludwig van Beethoven, the painter Francisco Goya, and the author Oscar Wilde. The article develops some concepts and suggests continued appraisal.