Diary Of A Madman

I think this song reflects upon Ozzy’s own life, but it’s possible he drew inspiration from one of the sources below:

Most likely it would be famous Russian writer Nikolay Gogol’s short story titled “Diary of a Madman” published in 1835. Gogol's characters are common people and his stories are rooted in commonplace events, but his realism is simply the doorway to a weird world of broad comedy and lunacy. "Diary of a Madman" recounts one man's struggle to be noticed by the woman he loved. His diary records his gradual slide into insanity, where he finally achieves the greatness that has eluded him in real life. Gogol's fascination with the demonic and the irrational ultimately contributed to his own death. While he was on an extended fast, his over-zealous doctors applied leeches to his face in an attempt to alleviate his condition. But the reports show that the only effect of this treatment was to hasten the untimely and somewhat grotesque demise of this most unorthodox playwright. Here is a sample: "The moon is made by some lame cooper, and you can see the idiot has no idea about moons at all. He put in a creosoted rope and some wood oil; and this has led to such a terrible stink all over the earth that you have to hold your nose. Another reason the moon is such a tender globe it that people just cannot live on it any more, and all that's left alive there are noses. This is also why we cannot see our own noses - they're all on the moon." (from Diary of a Madman, 1835) Also of mention is the writer Lu Xun which first published Diary of a madman in 1918 in New Youth magazine, reprinted in the collection of short stories Call to Arms (1922.) The story begins with the narrator's visit to a pair of brothers who were close friends of his during his school years. The older brother informs him that the younger one suffered from a mental illness but got better and took a job in another city. During the time of his illness the brother kept a diary that the narrator is allowed to read. This is the "madman's diary" and its text constitutes the bulk of the story. The diary tells of the protagonist's growing obsession with the cannibalism which he believes is routinely practiced by those around him. He is convinced that sooner or later he will be eaten. As his paranoia increases, and with it his sense that cannibalism is widespread and prevalent even within his family, he despairs of saving himself. The diary ends with a poignant plea to "save the children." Then there was the 1963 movie titled “Diary of a madman” starring Vincent Price. It was based on the story "La Horla" by Guy de Maupassant. It’s an interesting story of a worldly pernicious spirit called the Horla. The Horla used mortal men as hosts to commit acts of mayhem and murder. Vincent Price plays magistrate Simon Cordier who becomes enchanted by the evil specter. Price is a man who is poised in his official capacity, shows almost juvenile affection for an artist's model he falls in love with and gains sympathy as he gradually loses all dignity under the spell of the Horla.