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Examples Of Schizoaffective Disorder In Macbeth

1113 Words5 Pages

Danica Otten
Ms. Matthews
EN 102
18 April 2023
Schizoaffective Disorder in Shakespeare’s Macbeth
The Tragedy of Macbeth (1623), a play by William Shakespeare, follows the main character, Macbeth, a robust and ambitious soldier who is loyal and fights for his king, Duncan of Scotland, until he receives a prophecy from three witches that he will one day become king. This prophecy drives him to murder Duncan and usurp the throne; however, once he becomes king, he continues murdering anyone he believes could betray him, as well as innocent women and children, as he sinks deeper into a state of mental illness. As the play progresses, it becomes more and more apparent that Macbeth suffers from Schizoaffective Disorder (SZD) due to his paranoia, delusions, …show more content…

Experts that it is common for a patient with SZD to have “false, fixed beliefs, despite evidence to the contrary” ("Schizoaffective Disorder - Symptoms and Causes") and can begin having “delusions- hearing voices or seeing things that aren't there” ("Schizoaffective Disorder - Symptoms and Causes"). Prior to Macbeth’s murder of Duncan, he views a bloody dagger in front of him and attempts to “clutch thee” (II.i.42). He later states, “I have thee not, and yet I see thee still / Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible / To feeling as to sight?” (II.i.43-45). While Macbeth believes the dagger is still present, he is aware that it is not a tangible thing and is simply a figment of his imagination. Similarly to the dagger, Macbeth believes he sees Banquo’s ghost at a party he is hosting. At this party, Macbeth states he cannot sit in his chair because “the table’s full” (III.iv.55) due to Banquo’s ghost taking it up. Misunderstanding Macbeth’s reasoning for not sitting down, Ross, one of the lords in attendance, questions, “What is’t that moves your highness?” in which Macbeth responds by placing the blame of the ghost’s presence on the lords, asking, “which of you have done this?” (III.iv.58-60). After seeing Macbeth acting deranged, Ross states, “Gentlemen rise; his Highness is not well” (III.iv.64), and the lords leave Macbeth to be with his wife. The prominent delusions …show more content…

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"Flat Affect in Schizophrenia: Symptoms and Treatment." Verywell Mind, 3 Nov. 2007, www.verywellmind.com/flattened-affect-2953086#:~:text=They%20exhibit%20a%20lack%20of,affect%20those%20with%20other%20conditions.
Hayashi, Naoki, et al. “Delusion Progression Process from the Perspective of Patients with Psychoses: A Descriptive Study Based on the Primary Delusion Concept of Karl Jaspers.” PLoS ONE, vol. 16, no. 4, Apr. 2021, pp. 1–18. EBSCOhost.
Lewis, Rhodri. “Polychronic Macbeth.” Modern Philology, vol. 117, no. 3, Feb. 2020, pp. 323–46. EBSCOhost, https://doi.org/10.1086/707083.
Niv, Noosha. "FACTS ABOUT SCHIZOAFFECTIVE DISORDER." MIRECC / CoE Home.
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Shakespeare, William. Macbeth. Prestwick House,

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