Macbeth Unconscious Mind Analysis

Through the lens of Sigmund Freud, concepts in the play Macbeth take on an entirely deeper meaning. Because the characters in the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare repress their feelings of guilt, they display their true psychological states through the acts of their subconscious in order to eradicate their feelings of remorse and to show that guilt is within human nature. Within the play, Shakespeare uses hallucinations and sleepwalking to show that acts of the subconscious are manifestations of guilt. In Act 2. sc. 1 lines 50-51, the main character, Macbeth, states in a monologue, “A dagger of the mind, a false creation proceeding from the heat-oppressèd brain” (Act 2. Sc. 1). This quote describes a hallucination that Macbeth is having, which displays that his unconscious mind is clouded with guilt and the hallucination is merely a manifestation of his undiscovered emotions. Sigmund Freud quotes that, “Unexpressed

1, when Macbeth’s wife, Lady Macbeth, is found sleep walking in the night while speaking out of her unconscious mind. After Lady Macbeth slips away from the main plotline, having just murdered King Duncan, she plummets into deep feelings of guilt. This scene allowed Shakespeare to show how guilt truly affected Lady Macbeth, which sent a strong message to the audience that guilt will ultimately lead to destruction. Freud also states “He that has eyes to see and ears to hear may convince himself that no mortal can keep a secret. If his lips are silent, he chatters with his fingertips; betrayal oozes out of him at every pore” (Article Freud). This quote further proves that Lady Macbeth was displaying repressed guilt through her unconscious mind. Freud also explains that it is within human nature to feel guilt. In the play, human nature, in the sense of guilt, led to the downfall of Lady Macbeth’s character. This can also tie into an universal message from Shakespeare: guilt leads to