Questions & Answers about در اتاق، به جز آن مرد، همه را جنون گرفت.
Why does همه have the object marker را attached to it?
This sentence uses the Accusative Experiencer construction you are currently learning. Instead of saying everyone became mad, Farsi phrases it as madness took everyone. Therefore, همه is the grammatical direct object experiencing the state, which is why it must be followed by را.
If everyone is experiencing the madness, why is the verb گرفت in the third-person singular?
Because the people are the grammatical object, not the subject! The actual subject of the verb in this construction is جنون (madness). Since madness is a singular noun, the verb گرفت is conjugated in the third-person singular to match it.
Is using the verb گرفتن common for states like madness?
Yes, it is very common. In Farsi, involuntary emotional or physical states—like madness, sleep, fever, or panic—often use the verb گرفتن (to catch or to take). The feeling actively takes the person, which is exactly why this specific grammar structure exists.
Why is the phrase به جز آن مرد placed where it is, rather than at the end of the sentence?
Farsi word order is quite flexible with prepositional phrases. Placing به جز آن مرد (except for that man) right after the setting (در اتاق) builds tension and emphasizes the sole exception before delivering the dramatic main action. Grammatically, you could also place it at the very beginning or end of the sentence.