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Insanity In Macbeth Research Paper

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Bridge to Insanity

While many blame others as the cause of their downfall, it is their own terror of destruction that leads them to such a tragic state. This theme is highlighted throughout William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, demonstrating to the audience that one’s actions can have a lasting effect. The fear of Macbeth and his wife served as a catalyst for their insanity in this somber play. Though this couple had not yet accomplished Duncan’s murder, their descent to madness began with a seed of fear. “...Yet do I fear thy nature;/It is too full o' th' milk of human kindness/To catch the nearest way: thou wouldst be great;” (I:v:1-28) Because Lady Macbeth is afraid Macbeth is too gentle to achieve the crown, she “unsexes” herself. Her resulting …show more content…

While killing, Macbeth hears men praying but could not say “Amen” himself when he felt he needed God’s blessing most. This hints God’s favour would not be upon Macbeth’s rule. To Macbeth’s worries, Lady Macbeth suggests that he doesn’t dwell on such things, as it would induce insanity. Such a statement contains a great deal of irony; as it is exactly what occurs. “Glamis hath murder’d sleep, and therefore Cawdor/Shall sleep no more.” (II:ii:52-53) Macbeth’s fall is accentuated by this quote, spoken by a voice only he heard. The title “Glamis” is used to symbolize the man Macbeth once was; likewise “Cawdor” a symbol to the man he is becoming. It is also a further foreshadow, attesting to the fact that Macbeth would not have a peaceful …show more content…

Soon after Duncan’s murder, Lady Macbeth states “A little water clears us of this deed;” (II:ii:80) which is in great contrast to the place where lunacy has led her to; she tries but fails to wash the imaginary, yet, permanent stain of blood on her hands. Also, Lady Macbeth constantly relives the night of Duncan’s murder and laments of the deaths of Banquo and Macduff’s family. Ironically, had she not convinced Macbeth to kill Duncan, their descent to this state would not have begun. Due to her derangement and Macbeth’s neglect, she takes her own life. To this news, Macbeth simply says “She should have died hereafter./There would have been a time for such a word.” (V:v:19-20) This shows how far Macbeth has gone due to his

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Dismiss me, enough” (V. i. 78-79), “None of woman born / Shall harm Macbeth.” (V. i. 87-89), and Macbeth shall never vanquished be, until / Great Birnam wood / to high Dunsinane hill / Shall come against him. (V. i. 101-103.) These visions lead Macbeth to be so blindsided that he puts himself in danger.

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William Shakespeare shows his audience that Macbeth creates his own downfall. Macbeth’s actions and decisions had impacted the lives around him. However, it might not be just one person’s own choice to decide their actions. Nevertheless, Macbeth shoes us how power-hungry and easily manipulated can cause his

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(1.3.47-48) These hags prophesy that Macbeth will become Thane of Cawdor, to add to his title Thane of Glamis, and, eventually, king. Confounded, Macbeth demands an explanation, though none is forthcoming. Later, he discovers that he has indeed taken the title Thane of Cawdor, due to the rebellion of the former Thane.

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To illustrate the characters being affected by sanity: “ere we will eat our meal in fear, and sleep in the affliction of these terrible dreams that share us nightly” (3.2). With this being stated one can see Macbeth and his wife already losing sleep and wondering about the dangers that lie ahead. Their sanity is becoming borderline to insanity and just waiting like a ticking time bomb to explode. “Terrible dreams that shake us nightly”: the guilt of killing Duncan was too overbearing that now Macbeth must rely on fate that allows his sanity to loosen and become insane. Sanity is the only thing that Macbeth had control over for a while, before the murder: “will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood clean from my hand?”

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In Macbeth, William Shakespeare uses the motif insanity to communicate the central message of being consumed by power leads to vicious doings. Insanity is presented in Macbeth when he kills Duncan and then reacts to this based on “What's happening to me, that I'm frightened of every noise? Whose hands are these? Ha. They're plucking out my eyes.

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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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