Anxieties In Macbeth

The projection of fears and anxieties in Macbeth

Fears and anxieties are very common human emotions and feelings. Fear is triggered based on things we perceive as threatening, and our anxieties are an emotion characterized by our thoughts and feelings. Everyone has fears, and everyone has anxieties, but what would happen if you project those fears and anxieties onto yourself, the people around you, and the world around you? Projection of your emotions is natural for humans, and we do it when we try to protect ourselves from bad feelings. William Shakespeare shows the projection of fear and anxiety through his play, Macbeth. The main factor of the characters in the play's action was made out of fear, and their fear was projected onto those

Lady Macbeth was overtaken by her constant fear, and anxiety, leading her to end her own life. Duncan and Macduff were both in fear of Macbeth's evil tyranny, which forced them to take action against their fears. The projection of fears and anxieties in Macbeth is a central theme that drives the plot and characters’ actions.

Fear of the supernatural was a common fear of many back in the 16th century, as many speculated that many women were witches, and feared them since they knew nothing about them. The three witches in Macbeth had the same effect on the characters in the book. Macbeth’s first instance of anxiety in the play is when he first meets the witches. He becomes uneasy when meeting them. Banquo shows no anxiety when meeting the witches for the first time. When Macbeth meets the three witches for the first time at the beginning of the play he says this.“Stay, you imperfect speakers, tell me more. …. Say from whence You owe this strange intelligence? or why Upon this blasted heath you stop our way With such prophetic greeting? Speak, I charge you.”- Macbeth Macbeth acts 1 scene 1. Macbeth’s feeling of unease and fear causes

Lady Macbeth is immensely affected by fear and anxiety throughout the play. Lady Macbeth initially appears to be the driving force behind Macbeth's actions. Lady Macbeth's ambitiousness and determination are shown in her speech in act 1 scene 5 "Come, you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, and fill me from the crown to the toe top-full of direst cruelty." Lady Macbeth's fear of being powerless is so great that she is willing to sacrifice her femininity to become more masculine and ruthless. However, as the play progresses, Lady Macbeth's projection of fear and anxiety becomes more pronounced. She is consumed by guilt and fear, constantly washing her hands and reliving the night of Duncan's murder. Her guilt gets so bad that she begins to sleepwalk, and confesses her wrongful acts in her sleep. Lady Macbeth's projection of fear and anxiety ultimately leads to her downfall, as she becomes increasingly unstable and eventually takes her own life. The theme of projection of fear and anxiety is also evident in the characters of Macduff and Malcolm. Both characters are afraid of Macbeth's tyranny, and their fear of being powerless against him and being killed by him drives them to take action against him. Macduff’s grief and fear after the murder of his family, and his desire for revenge leads him to join forces with Malcolm to overthrow Macbeth. Malcolm, on the other hand,