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Mental State In Macbeth

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In William Shakespeare’s tragic play Macbeth, the reader can clearly note the decline in Macbeth’s mental state. As the play progresses one can undoubtedly see Macbeth’s mental state degrading as his thoughts become increasingly dark, anxious, desperate, and laced with insecurities. Shakespeare’s writing effectively conveys Macbeth’s state of mind by using various literary devices, imagery, as well as the presence of Lady Macbeth to provide contrasting thoughts to that of Macbeth, allowing the reader to clearly observe and understand Macbeth’s state of mind throughout the scene. By using literary devices, Shakespeare is able to convey the thoughts of Macbeth in a way that is easy for the reader to understand. As the scene begins to advance, Macbeth, talking to his wife, begins to outline the object of his declining mental state through a metaphor, “We have scorched the snake, not killed it.” In this quote Macbeth speaks to the murder of King …show more content…

“Better be with the dead” Here Macbeth says that it is best that he be with King Duncan in the grave, rather than alive and having to cope with his mental instabilities. The reader can note the dark nature of these thoughts, which is further evidence into the declining mental health of Macbeth. “Whom we, to gain our peace, have sent to peace,” It is here that the irony is seen in the sense that out of desperation for the Kingship Macbeth had killed King Duncan with the intention obtaining freedom from his evil thoughts, “Than on the torture of the mind to lie” Instead however, Macbeth has been the opposite of serene as he is still troubled by malignant thoughts. The reader can note that Macbeth himself acknowledges the decline in his state of mind as he speaks to “the torture of the mind” Shakespeare makes it apparent that Macbeth is fighting a mental battle with himself, and is obviously

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In Shakespeare’s famous tragedy Macbeth, he utilizes various techniques in order to develop the theme of negative consequences when one’s ambition gets out of control. Though usage of metaphors and diction, Shakespeare is able to weave the theme into the core of the play while having it remain an interesting story. One of Shakespeare’s most notable skill as the world’s most famous playwright, is his almost impeccable ability to use figurative language to convey a scene. Macbeth is a prime example of his masterful command of the English language.

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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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In Macbeth, Shakespeare writes about a man named Macbeth, who has a very strong ambition to be the the king of Scotland. His credulousness led him into believing the prophecy from the three witches without thinking rigorously. Because of this prophecy, Macbeth is willing to do everything he can to gain the throne, even to the extreme of murdering someone. Shakespeare uses syntax, similes, and personification to convey the evolution of Macbeth’s insanity.

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Macbeth, written by William Shakespeare, is a play that mainly focuses on one common theme of insanity. Macbeth gradually becomes plagued by intense guilt as his desire for power drives him to attain his goals by any means necessary, including committing murder. He kills Duncan in cold blood in order to become King, has Banquo killed by three murderers because he wishes to maintain his position as King, and finally, he has Macduff’s family slaughtered. Each of these occurrences takes place because of Macbeth’s will to be King, or they are a result of his guilt. Nonetheless, they are all completed of his free will, which is what causes him to deteriorate mentally.

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