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How Does Shakespeare Present Depression In Macbeth

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In our world, more than 350 million people suffer from depression. Depression is much more than simple unhappiness. It is a serious mental disorder that causes severe symptoms that affect how one feels, thinks, and handles daily activities. People with this illness often feel sadness, guilt, or helplessness. Many will feel restless and have difficulty sleeping, and and possible thoughts of death or suicide. The impact of this illness can be seen in multiple Shakespeare plays. In William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the main protagonists, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, both suffer from depression as a result of guilt during the play. First of all, Macbeth states that he feels his life is worthless which shows that he experiences depression as a result …show more content…

During the wait for the beginning of the war, Macbeth is informed of his wife’s death. He is saddened by this news, and speaks into the night. In a monologue, he says,

“Life’s but a walking shadow; a poor player, that struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more: It is a …show more content…

The scottish doctor watches Lady Macbeth, after being shown her state by the gentlewoman who attends her. The doctor says to the gentlewoman, “Look after her; remove from her the means of all annoyance, and still keep eyes upon her.” (5.1.107) This quote shows the doctor is worried about Lady Macbeth’s mental state. It seems that she is becoming sad and may be suffering from the modern known illness of depression or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Both involve disturbance of sleep and possible vivid recalls of guild imposed experiences. The doctor wants Lady Macbeth to be kept alone, but still wants to look after her, as he feels she may be deteriorating herself and her mental condition. The scottish doctor speaks to Macbeth of his wife’s illness and suffering. Meanwhile, Macbeth is preparing himself for battle. The doctor tells Macbeth, “Therein the patient must minister to himself.” (5.3.113) He also says, “Not so sick, my Lord, as she is troubled with thick-coming fancies that keep her from rest.” (5.3.112) In these quotes, the doctor is merely stating that Lady Macbeth has a guilty conscience and has done bad things which is why she sleepwalks, as her soul will not let her feel free of guilt and there is nothing anyone else can do to help her. Lady Macbeth is suffering mentally and is not sick, as in the way that

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Macbeth And His Schizophrenia Picture this: a world full of witches, prophecies, and bloodshed. Welcome to William Shakespeare's famous tragedy, Macbeth. Some may argue that Macbeth's erratic behavior and hallucinations throughout the play are signs of schizophrenia. However, a closer examination reveals that Macbeth's actions and psychological state are better understood within the framework of guilt, ambition, and moral deterioration. This essay will argue that Macbeth has schizophrenia and show how his character represents the tragic consequences of a flawed individual driven by his ambitions and inner demons.

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In the play, Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, Macbeth wanted to gain power and leadership over the country of Scotland and become king. He wanted these authorities so desperately, Macbeth would do whatever it took to get it, even going as far as murdering not just one but multiple people. He wanted nothing more other than to be king as well as his wife. Throughout the play, Macbeth showed different varieties of many mental disorders but mainly Paranoia and Schizophrenia. Paranoia is described as ¨a delusional belief that one is being harassed, or betrayed by others¨, while Schizophrenia is described as ¨a serious long-term mental illness that affects how a person thinks, feels, and

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Medicinal practices can dilute the feelings, numb the person, or sedate them. However, there’s no true cure for a disease that is most detrimental to oneself. Often people turn to self-medication because they’re too embarrassed to admit they have an issue, the natural man in everyone. The time-period of the play, medicinal practices were subpar. The best doctor in all the land was provided for Lady Macbeth, since she is currently the queen of the kingdom.

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Obviously she has become seriously depressed and confused as she has been hallucinating like her husband, and not being able to sleep. It's all seemed to much for her, and she passed away. It is inferred she commited suicide in the play, and that is very likely due to her mental state. Macbeth is distraught that his wife died and prepares for battle. He seems to be carrying a cocky and carefree manor, because of the prophets he's heard.

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The doctor states that mental illness is “beyond [his] practice,” suggesting that Macbeth let his wife simply die in her

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The possibility that Macbeth may suffer from a Mental Illness is quite high, but one in particular stands out more than the rest, PTSD (Post-traumatic stress disorder). There are some crucial points that overall prove that Macbeth has PTSD from his past experiences in warfare. The hallucination of the dagger is an example in which patients

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Based on our observations, Doctor Kareemah Jackson And I (Kevin Hernandez) have diagnosed Lady Macbeth with Post-traumatic stress disorder. The reason for the diagnosis of Lady Macbeth is because she shows early symptoms of Post Traumatic stress disorder. The early symptoms of (PTSD) are Intrusive Memories, Avoidance, negative thoughts and thinking changes in emotion, and nightmares. The event that triggered Lady Macbeth to develop (PTSD) was when she first had vivid flashbacks to when she confronted her husband (Macbeth) after he orders murderers to kill Banquo(Shakespeare, Act 5).

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The character is suffering and this depiction of Macbeth is believed to have a modern mental illness. Macbeth’s past definitely can support the idea of his disturbed state of mind as we watch the character change throughout the film.

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Macbeth, also referred to as the Thane of Glamis, Cawdor, and King of Scotland, was considered a brave general of Scotland. He fought countless battles while Scotland was under the rule of King Duncan, but how did these countless battles affect the mental health and wellbeing of brave Macbeth? Fighting in wars, as Macbeth did, exposes people to many traumatic events. which, over time, can develop into mental disorders. Earlier on in the play, the protagonist did not display clear signs of mental illness, but from the point in the story where he began to plot the murder of King Duncan, Macbeth started to show symptoms that are similar to BPD (borderline personality disorder).

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Lady Macbeth suffered from a Post-Traumatic stress disorder and paranoid schizophrenia due to these symptoms: hallucinations, intrusive memories, as well as delusions. Post–traumatic stress disorder (PSTD) is a mental health condition that is triggered by a frightening event that someone has witnessed or experienced. Symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder is insomnia, guilt, reliving traumatic moments, and concentration problems. (Lipinski) Lady Macbeth is reliving a tragedy moment that

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Bryanna E. McCool Mrs. Dean British Literature 25 January 2018 Mental Illness in Shakespeare’s Macbeth The Tragedy of Macbeth by William Shakespeare, a play wrought with prophecies, deception, guilt, and death, brings light to the symptoms of mental illnesses and their effects on the human brain’s ability to reason, trust, and act in times of pressure. Both Macbeth and his lady are plagued by mental illness, and the effects of their illness only grow as the play evolves. Macbeth’s symptoms of schizophrenia and anxiety, as well as Lady Macbeth’s anxiety as well as hallucinations that eventually push her to suicide prove that not only can mental illness alter the way a person sees a situation, but it can also drive them to harm others and themselves.

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Macbeth, the main character from the play Macbeth** suffers from PTSD. This can be seen through his flashbacks, insomnia, and anxiety. PTSD can come in many forms, and these variations are caused by the exact same thing that caused the PTSD in the first place.

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Macbeth shall sleep no more.” ” It seems that Macbeth just hears things that aren’t actually there. This implies, Macbeth is undergoing a mental state from his guilt. It is clear by his actions that he is starting to become very crazy.

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Stages of this mental illness touched on by the playwright are the overpowering initial impact, difficulties sleeping, and the suicidal tendencies. In the moments subsequent to the treasonous murder of Duncan, Lady Macbeth feels an irrepressible amount of guilt. This occurrence is the root of her depression as she experiences the weight of her crime and needs to be “look[ed] to” (2.3.115) and “exit...helped” (2.3.Stage Directions). Subsequently, the shameful state of mind Lady Macbeth suffers provokes complications with her sleep. The queen’s “heart is sorely charged” (5.1.46) which “keep[s] her from her rest” (5.3.40).

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This might suggest that Shakespeare is telling the audience that Lady Macbeth identifies everything with disease or illness which can either mean that she (as queen) is a sickness that plagues Scotland, or that she herself is ailing. In act 4 scene 3, Macduff personifies the land of Scotland to “bleed” as “another gash is added to her wounds”, Macduff might be indicating that now that The Macbeth’s have turned away from God and killed the king (according to the Divine Right of Kings), they are unfit rulers and are therefore causing an illness to spread through the country. On the other hand, Lady Macbeth is said to be diseased herself: when in act 5 scene 3 Macbeth begs the doctor to cure her mind and tend to her with “some sweet oblivious antidote”, and the Doctor referred to her as a “patient”. Illness and disease have connotations of suffering and pain which connote that she is in deep anguish and in deep need of help, almost at the mercy- which Shakespeare has shown in act 5 scene 1, in her sleepless and almost insane state- she hardly seems capable of harming anyone else but

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