Thank you for asking. One thing I want to say is that I honestly don’t like labels I have to look up the meaning to. I know it’s cool and unique to use the fancy words but it can be confusing to know who your character actually is.
My faves: The Spitfire, The Halcyon, The Opulent, The Sovereign, and The Wallflower
From left to right: Choleric, melancholic, sanguine, and phlegmatic]
ARE YOU FULL OF SHIT? Or, The Temperaments
If you're at all familiar with the history of medicine, then you know one thing to be true: people of the olden days were pretty goddamn stupid and had no idea what they were doing about their well-being and health. Don't believe me? People used to ply their newborn babies with morphine and other kid-tested, mother-approved drugs. And that's only barely scraping the barrel of human stupidity.
I'm sure the people of 3014 will be looking back on our current society's medical practices and failures (maybe Obamacare will be a savior to healthcare as we know it?) but at the very least, doctors of the past had some worthwhile ideas about health, credible or not. The temperaments are some of them.
What are the temperaments, you may ask? Essentially, they work as a system of determining a person's prioritization of either people or tasks, in terms of their introversion or extraversion. While not as elaborate as Jungian psychology or the Enneagram system, it's a more succinct (if simplified) way of classifying a character's mindset, and I think it helps in the characterization process when you have a shiny new muse who needs developing.
The temperaments are based on the (now discredited) theory that illnesses are caused by an imbalance/abundance of certain bodily fluids. What are these fluids, you may ask? The most commonly attributed ones are black bile (or shit), yellow bile (or piss), phlegm (or snot), and blood. Each have their own corresponding temperaments that I will outline below.
Time to find out if your character is full of shit, piss, snot or blood.
As alluded to above, the temperaments are measures of introversion and extraversion, dependent on one of two factors that a person prioritizes more: people, or tasks. The first step in determining a character's temperament is figuring out if they're introverted or extroverted; after that, you can narrow it down to one of the four (or five, in some instances) temperaments.
Let's begin with the extroverted temperaments:
Sanguine, or "bloody." Aside from being prime targets in a slasher film, those who have an excess of this fluid in their bodies are supposedly people-oriented extroverts. Since blood has a connotation of energy and life behind it, you could probably figure out what this temperament entails for a person. Sanguine individuals are invigorating, lively talkers who are unafraid to display their emotions and garner some attention from an audience. This sounds well and good, but they're also prone to being temperamental (go figure), not to mention extreme and somewhat uninhibited. You definitely wouldn't them leading a charge, because they'll probably get your group killed. Basically, they put it all out there and leave nothing to the imagination, which can be a good or bad thing, depending on the situation. Context is everything with them. While sanguine individuals may not be natural-born leaders, their siblings-in-temperament usually are.
Choleric, or "pissy." When they're interrupting movies with constant bathroom breaks or wetting themselves in excitement, those with an excess of urine are most identified as task-oriented extroverts. Among all the temperaments, these individuals are the most likely to be leaders, and for good reason. They tend to be ambitiously pragmatic, unquestionably charismatic and dedicated to causes of all sorts, with their extroversion being a massive tool in getting their agendas across. Leaders aren't always the best at making friends, though, and these types of people tend to be textbook proof of it. Choleric individuals can come across as overbearing, overly bossy and even a little detached from interpersonal relationships because of their task-based priorities. They are best balanced by sanguine types because of this --- and usually clash over it, too.
Meanwhile, the introverted temperaments are...
Phlegmatic, or "snotty." These people-oriented introverts don't always have issues, but they most certainly need tissues for all the boogers they apparently deal with. Among the temperaments, they are easily the most submissive (and in fiction, usually female, but don't take it as a rule), tending to be meek in nature and inoffensive as possible. They're indecisive people pleasers, and are most likely to be a choleric type's Yes man, while sanguine types are occupied with keeping them in check. What they lack in winner's intuition, they gain in people skills: phlegmatic individuals are kind, forgiving and calm. They're peacemakers who try to fan the flames instead of inciting them, which is often needed when people of each temperament find themselves in argument. You know which type is least likely to stop a fight, though? Time to check the bathroom, because the next temperament has probably been in there for a while.
Melancholic, or "shitty." Better keep an extra pack of toilet paper for these individuals, who are generally task-oriented introverts. Melancholic individuals don't start or end fights; in fact, they don't do much of anything. They tend to be lazy, stubborn perfectionists who need everything to be just right, or else they lash out at others --- and themselves. Self-deprecating pessimism is the name of their game; sound familiar to you? While they may sound useless and devoid of value (much like this very blog --- what did I tell you?), melancholic individuals bring just as much to the table as the other temperaments. If anything, a melancholic individual is the one who probably writes (and thoroughly edits) their choleric boss' speeches --- and most likely clash with them. They're independent, thoughtful analysts who are usually the one you'd go to for constructive criticism; just be sure you can handle what they got to say. The funny part about that? They're most likely to be the thinnest-skinned of all the temperaments. Don't you love irony?
Those are the primary temperaments, but there's a rare fifth one that's worth mentioning:
Leukine (white phlegm), or "mucusy." I'm honestly not too sure what "white phlegm" is meant to be, but a Google search is giving me gross pictures of white gooey stuff, so I'll assume it's the kind of mucus that comes from your mouth? Regardless, leukine individuals are generally a even balance of the previously-mentioned four temperaments --- which sounds like a good thing, but they're likely to be jacks of all trades, but masters of none. Leukine individuals can be seen as unremarkable and even generic, which doesn't make for compelling characterization or storytelling. Of course, you could also see them as versatile and prepared for anything, but this should be done sparingly --- and for contrast with the other temperaments. Most leukine individuals are meant to round out a Five Man Band of characters and shouldn't be the sole focus of any story. They're not inherently a bad temperament to give a character, but make sure they're present for a reason
Here are some examples of Four/Five Temperament Ensembles to help you better understand them in practice:
Sex and The City: Samantha (Sanguine), Carrie (Choleric), Charlotte (Phlegmatic), Miranda (Melancholic)
The OC: Summer (Sanguine), Seth (Choleric), Marissa (Phlegmatic), Ryan (Melancholic)
Hannibal: Alana (Sanguine), Jack (Choleric), Hannibal (Phlegmatic), Will (Melancholic)
Teen Wolf: Stiles (Sanguine), Scott (Choleric), Lydia (Phlegmatic), Derek (Melancholic), Allison (Leukine)
Star Trek: Kirk (Sanguine), McCoy (Choleric), Uhura (Phlegmatic), Spock (Melancholic), Sulu (Leukine)
That's about it for the temperaments. Keep in mind that these are very broad descriptions and shouldn't dictate every facet of characterization, but they're a good starting point to launch from. If you have any remaining questions, you can refer to the following: [x], [x], [x]
Now go forth and label your characters as being full of shit. Or otherwise.
