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Examples Of Paranoia In Macbeth

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“Stars, hide your fires; Let not light see my black and deep desires.” – (Macbeth, Act 1 Scene 4 Line 51-52). Macbeth is the main character of Shakespeare’s Macbeth. He shows some of the most prominent and dramatic versions of character traits throughout the story. Courage, ambition, and paranoia is the most prominent ones throughout the story, and the ones covered in this essay.
One of Macbeth's most prominent character traits is his ambition. This is shown in his famous soliloquy in Act 1, Scene 7, where he muses about the prophecy that he will become king and begins to consider the possibility of killing King Duncan. He states, "I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition, which overleaps itself and falls on the other." (Macbeth Act 1 Scene 7, Line 25-28). This quote illustrates how Macbeth's ambition is so strong that it clouds his judgement and ultimately leads to his downfall. …show more content…

As he becomes more consumed by guilt over the murders he commits, he becomes increasingly paranoid and begins to see hallucinations. For example, after killing King Duncan, he states "Methought I heard a voice cry 'Sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep'—the innocent sleep, Sleep that knits up the raveled sleeve of care, The death of each day's life, sore labor’s bath, Balm of hurt minds, great nature's second course, Chief nourisher in life's feast" (Macbeth Act 2, Scene 2, Line 34-39a). This quote illustrates how Macbeth's guilt is preventing him from finding peace even in sleep and disturbing his mental

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