Theme Of Insanity In Macbeth

Mental Stability in Macbeth As Erma Bombeck once said, “Guilt: is the gift that keeps on giving” (“A Quote by Erma Bombeck”). In Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, guilt plays an enormous role in the development of Macbeth’s descent into madness. Macbeth is about Macbeth being persuaded by Lady Macbeth into committing heinous crimes, and it all started when Macbeth tells her about premonitions three witches gave him. In pursuit of making those premonitions come true, Macbeth kills King Duncan, which scares his children, Malcolm and Donalbain out of the country, allowing Macbeth to become King. Then from there a lot more murder takes place and the guilt starts to take its toll on Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, as Macbeth “succumbs to insanity, while

One example is how is easily persuaded by Lady Macbeth to commit such a heinous crime, and murder their King. After, that their downfall begins because they are both so plagued by guilt it starts to affect them both mentally and physically. The first hallucination that Macbeth experienced was the floating dagger that he claimed to Lady Macbeth, led him to King Duncan the night he murdered him (Shakespeare, 2.1.40-46). Then when Macbeth returns to his wife after murdering King Duncan, he asks her if she has heard any strange noises. Macbeth then goes on to explain how, “There’s one did laugh in’s sleep, and one cried, ‘murder!’ That they did wake each other: I stood and heard them: but they did say their prayers and address’d them again to sleep” (Shakespeare, 2.2.28-31). He then further explains how he thought he heard a voice saying, “Sleep no more! Macbeth doth Murder sleep” (Shakespeare, 2.2.43-44). Although in reality there were no voices that came from the house, it was all a figment of Macbeth’s imagination. Plus, as Macbeth is panicking that someone is coming, Lady Macbeth “tries to bring him back to a sense of reality, warns him against losing his strength and purpose and then urges him to take the dagger back” and wipe the blood on the King’s guards (Bali, 87). But when he begins to panic again, she tells him to go wash his deed off of his hand when

He sees Banquo’s ghost sitting in his seat right after Banquo’s death was confirmed. Then everyone at his dinner party thought he has fallen ill, stating, “Gentlemen, rise; his Highness is not well” (Shakespeare, 3.4.62). Until Lady Macbeth butts in stating that, “my lord is often thus, and hath been from his youth. Pray you, keep seat. The fit is momentary; upon a thought he will be well” (Shakespeare, 3.4.63-65). Assuring their guests that all is well and that Macbeth’s episode will pass soon, and that they shouldn 't worry; while Macbeth is having a conversation with Banquo’s ghost that isn’t really there. Macbeth then confesses that “I have a strange infirmity, which is nothing to those that know me” (Shakespeare, 3.4.100-101). Therefore confirming that he does in fact have something wrong with him mentally that is most likely schizophrenia, due to the fact he sees hallucinations and that his paranoia has gotten much worse since he murdered King Duncan and