Examples Of Bipolar Disorder In Macbeth

William Shakespeare’s play Macbeth is intense and horrifying, with Macbeth and his wife, Lady Macbeth, planning to kill the king so that Macbeth can take his position. Lady Macbeth is the master mind behind all of this. She is in his ear telling him what to do and how to do it. Under all of this pressure from his wife, Macbeth starts to go insane. In the play, Macbeth shows symptoms of bipolar disorder due to his lack of sleep, agitation, and activeness. Macbeth suffers from lack of sleep which is one symptom of bipolar disorder ("Bipolar Disorder Symptoms - Mayo Clinic"). Lady Macbeth tells Macbeth, “you lack the season of all natures, sleep” (3. 4. 140). This shows that she is worried that he is not getting enough sleep and that it is causing him to act strange. Macbeth starts hallucinating, seeing Banquo’s ghost, and screaming and shouting at it and disrupting the banquet. Lady Macbeth tries to save his image by telling the guests, “I pray you speak not. He grows worse and worse, question enrages him. At once good night. Stand not upon the order of your going, but

Resolve yourselves apart, I’ll come to you anon.” 1(3. 1. 133-138). This means Fleance is not important so kill him along with his father. Macbeth has been informed of McDuff fleeing the land to go to England and get Malcolm he is furious with this news. He says “the castle of McDuff I will surprise, seize upon fire, give to th’ sword his wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls that trace him in his line.” (4. 1. 150-153). Macbeth is saying he want’s everyone in McDuff’s castle killed including his wife and children. Last but not least this is a proven symptom of bipolar disorder "Bipolar Disorder Symptoms - Mayo