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Paranoia In Macbeth And Holinshed's Chronicle

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People in real life and also in every story, play, musicals, etc, all have certain characteristics about themselves. In the tragic play Macbeth by William Shakespeare and in the story Holinshed’s Chronicle by Raphael Holinshed paranoia is a huge trait in these works of Literature. Paranoia is when someone or even multiple people are worried that other people or even everyone will find out their big secret that they do not want anyone to know about them. Macbeth, Banquo, and basically everyone in real life show the traits of paranoia at one time or another in their lives. In the play tragedy play of Macbeth, Macbeth shows that he has the trait of paranoia many times throughout the play. For example, after killing Duncan Macbeth states to Lady Macbeth “shall sleep no more. Macbeth can sleep no more” (2.2.41). Macbeth shows that he is so paranoid that everyone is going to find out that he was the person who …show more content…

For example, in Holinshed’s Chronicles Macbeth and Banquo worried and paranoid that people will find out that they are the ones that killed the king “so that he would not have his house slandered but that in time to come he might clear himself in anything were to laid to his charge upon any suspicion that might arise” (Holinshed 297). Both Macbeth and Banquo show that they are paranoid because they do not want people finding out about Duncan to ruin their reputation. In addition, they are are worried that their conscience is going to get the best of them, so Macbeth states that he they killed Duncan “he should be severed the same cup as he had ministered” (Holinshed 207). Macbeth and Banquo are paranoid that since they killed Duncan and if people were to find out it was them they will be next to be killed. In the play Macbeth they are not the only time you see paranoia, people in real life get paranoid all the

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For example, after Macbeth encountered the witches, he had a small monologue. In one part, Macbeth claims, “My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical,/ Shakes my single state of man,” which shows he believes the prophecies and resorts to murder to make them come true (act 1, scene 3, lines 148-153). This piece of evidence helps

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In the play you are able to see that Macbeth has low moral standards. He chooses power and fame over honesty. This portrays how he has allowed his ambition to control him while ignoring the quality of being virtuous and ignoring his immense guilt in committing a murder. He attempted to hide his darkness from the world so that other people would continue to see him as a man that is worthy of honour.

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At this point in the play Macbeth is shown to us as unsure of himself and he seemingly lacks the confidence to carry out the plan. This results in what we see as deeply rooted fear that in the end turns into complete paranoia. “Hallucinations are sensory experiences that do not result from external circumstances; paranoids are fears of harm from others.” (Lucy) The fear of “Harm from others” as mentioned in the article is what Macbeth and Lady Macbeth fear the most.

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Shakespeare reveals Macbeth's guilt also, when Macbeth says “[to the Ghost]. Thou canst not say I did it. Never Shake Thy gory locks at me.” ( Shakespeare

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His emotions are affected so much that he decides to “keep a servant fee’d” in Macbeth’s home (3.4,132). At this point, he is so paranoid and so filled with anger and suspicion that he spies on all his Lords. Lastly, after killing Duncan, Macbeth shows a great deal of grief and guilt. Immediately after Duncan’s murder, Lady Macbeth tells Macbeth to smear blood on the guards but he refuses, saying, “I’ll go no more. /

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The tragedy Macbeth, by Shakespeare introduces fear and the effect it can have on people. Fear can motivate people to do things that are immoral to their human nature. In Macbeth fear takes control of many characters imaginations and actions, causing them to commit violent acts. Fear causes Lady Macbeth to hallucinate. It also causes Macbeth and Macduff to commit murderous acts.

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Published in 1577, Rapheal Holinshed’s Chronicles of England, Scotland and Ireland was the key source for William Shakespeare’s Macbeth. The framework of Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’ originated from Holinshed’s account of King Duncan and Macbeth, but he changed facts to fit the social and political context of Shakespeare’s time, and to craft dynamic characters instead of static. Several intentions were behind Shakespeare’s modifications, but they served three key purposes; Dramatic; Shakespeare’s Macbeth is a more exhilarating story than Holinshed’s Chronicles, Thematic; Shakespeare creates a multifaceted portrayal of Macbeth.

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Anxiety, a state of nervousness in response to uncertainty, can disclose information that would previously be unknown in a calmer condition. With his tragedy Macbeth, playwright William Shakespeare explores the interaction between anxiety versus ambition in a balance of power. At the beginning of the play, title character, war general, and Thane of Glamis Macbeth is told by three witch sisters of fate that he will also become the Thane of Cawdor and the King of Scotland. He murders the previous king Duncan from persuasion by his wife and his own ambition, and from this begins to experience a sense of regret about the situation, one that will frequently appear in his future endeavors to secure his crown. In his Act III soliloquy, Macbeth expresses anxiety about Banquo, his lack of a successor, and his personal safety, revealing

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Fear and lack thereof can play a strong role when making decisions and taking actions. In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Lady Macbeth first appears to be a strong woman in control of her husband, then becomes the main instigator of the bloody events that follow. Oddly enough, she disappears halfway through the play until shortly before her death, never seen again fully conscious. This is a stark contrast to her husband’s change from a fearful, guilt-stricken subject to an almost fearless supposed tyrant, before he too, dies off-screen.

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For example, when the witches notify Macbeth that he will gain a new title, they are simply telling him of the fact and are not prompting him to act upon it (Rahman and Tajuddin 138). In spite of that, he instantly conjures up an image in his head of himself killing King Duncan in order to get the position of the King, and subtly questions if his thoughts are against his own morals (Mac I.iii.130-137). This thought is not the witches’ fault, but if they never told Macbeth of his imminent future, he would not think this way. Macbeth’s murderous thought of Duncan lets readers see that Macbeth has a lust for power, which ultimately leads to the tragedy (Kesur 5561). In addition, the witches’ apparitions also play a slight part in Macbeth’s decision making.

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If people are too careful with their trust, paranoia will make good people look bad. Malcolm, the Prince of Cumberland in Macbeth, runs away to England after hearing of his father’s death. This action sparks distrust towards them as Macduff says “Malcolm and Donalbain, the king’s two sons,/Are stol’n away and fled, which puts upon them/ Suspicion of the deed” (2.4.25-27). Later on, it is learned that Malcolm has found help in England to overthrow Macbeth. In fact, after testing Macduff’s loyalty to Scotland, the audience knows that Malcolm hasn’t even lied before as he states “No less in truth than life.

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1010 Words | 5 Pages

A scene that demonstrates this is the scene where Macbeth said he wasn’t scared of anything. Before he said that he wasn’t scared of anything, he was awaiting confidently in his castle for the battle the witches told him. After a while, he heard that a huge army was ready to march towards his castle. This made him talk about the bitter regrets he made in his life. In the quote that I’m about to write, was said by Macbeth himself and it is about him talking about how he was not scared of anything.

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657 Words | 3 Pages

“Lady Macbeth” is a 14-year-old female, currently inpatient at a hospital, for obsessive and compulsive behaviors. She reports that at age 13 these behaviors started to arise and she describes the rituals and thoughts that were present during this time. She says that she was afraid of germs that were on her clothes and on other things, so she would shake her clothes for a half hour before she felt comfortable putting them on her body. She stated that it would take her 6 hours to get ready to go out to do something socially because she would have to shower and would go over and over again cleaning herself, to the point that her hands would be cracked and bleeding. Soap and water became not enough for her to get clean so she began using rubbing

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1574 Words | 7 Pages

Macbeth trusts them and continues on to do as he pleases because he knows no one could harm him. However, his excessive confidence allows the witches to deceive him. He thought he would not fall until “Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill shall come against him” (4.1.97), but the witches had twisted the truth and Macbeth is too arrogant to see the reality. Macbeth, who is excessively confident, who allows himself to be deceived, is ultimately killed by Macduff as a result of his overconfidence. By exhibiting Macbeth’s hubris, Shakespeare warns society when one is too confident, one will be blinded from reality, and it will lead to

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703 Words | 3 Pages

Macbeth is extremely paranoid and guilty. He doesn’t believe he will be able to sleep after committing this

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