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In the play Macbeth, author William Shakespeare utilizes modest yet distinct diction as well as word organization to portray the resilient personalities of the play. In the early 1600’s mental illnesses and disorders were not recognized and people who displayed symptoms were labeled “crazy” then thrown away to be forgotten. In Macbeth, author Shakespeare uses significant and dramatic elements, diction and organization to show the shift of the main character Macbeth as the play progresses. In the play, Macbeth displays symptoms of, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) and Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), which all go unnoticed.
Macbeth is introduced by others praising his loyalty and bravery
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in the war which is essential to the reader’s initial impression of Macbeth. After their return from the battle Macbeth and Banquo run into the "Three Weird Sisters” who promise that Macbeth shall be king and so shall Banquo’s sons, during these scenes Macbeth appears to be stable.
But overtime Macbeth’s character gradually begins to display symptoms of PTSD caused by his experiences from the battle which was life threatening. “Symptoms of PTSD include difficulty falling or staying asleep, irritability, outbursts of anger, hypervigilance, feeling jumpy and/or easily started.” (“Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder”), After his return from the war Macbeth experiences an increasingly extreme state of paranoia and emotional instability, never having a sense of security Macbeth goes on a killing spree. “Here we will eat our meal in fear, and sleep in the affliction of these terrible dreams that shake us nightly. Better be with the dead,” (Shakespeare, 3.2.20-23) after murdering King Duncan Macbeth experiences symptoms of PTSD, he is sleep deprived, has trembling nightmares and …show more content…
is experiencing strong feelings of regret as he begins to sees death as the advantageous choice. The readers can parallel Macbeth’s behavioral changes to Banquo, as Banquo returned from the war at the same time but does not seem to be experiencing any of the changes Macbeth seems to be experiencing. “Come, seeling night, scarf up the tender eye of pitiful day and with thy bloody and invisible hand cancel and tear to pieces that great bond which keeps me pale.” (Shakespeare, 3.2.48-53), As Macbeths character continues to evolve he beings to lose his grasp of reality and put his sole focus on his desire for power, not matter the cost even if it meant killing his “best friend”. Shakespeare links Macbeth's changing and dynamic character to Lady Macbeth as he portrays her as the puppet master and Macbeth the puppet which aids the reader in determining Lady Macbeth’s role in Macbeth’s actions.
Initially Macbeth is the caring and brave leader who has grave respect for his wife and is criticized for being “soft hearted” while Lady Macbeth is portrayed as a vigorous and unrelenting woman who is cruel and dominant. Shakespeare introduces Lady Macbeth in Act I scene V with a soliloquy that is essential to the reader’s perception, in her soliloquy Lady Macbeth expresses her desires and worries concerning Macbeth. “"When you durst do it, then you were a man; And to be more than what you were, you would Be so much more the man" (Shakespeare, 1.7.49 - 51), As the play progresses Lady Macbeth expresses her desires of pushing Macbeth to be the “Man” she wishes him to be in an abusive and domineering fashion that intensifies Macbeths symptoms of DID. Macbeth develops and experiences symptoms of Dissociative Identity Disorder and Borderline Identity Disorder as he experiences feelings of extreme emotional instability and vulnerability, depression, hallucination, flashbacks and paranoia which all result in an alteration of his character. “Often alters are stable over time and continue to play a specific role in a person’s life” (“Mental Health Conditions”), Facing subjugation and pressure from his wife Macbeth appears to have an alter with a completely
different set of goals and morals .After committing the murder of King Duncan Macbeth beings to experience extreme levels of guilt that cause him to hallucinate “One cried, God bless us! and Amen, the other, as they had seen me with these hangman's hands. List'ning their fear, I could not say Amen, when they did say 'God bless us. Me thought, I heard a voice cry, sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep” (Shakespeare, 2.2). As the play progresses, Macbeth experiences Extreme levels of emotional instability and uneasiness and begins to speak about suicide as a way out “Better be with the dead” (Shakespeare, 3.2.23). “Banquo I am in blood Stepp'd in so far, that, should I wade no more, Returning were as tedious as go o'er” (Shakespeare, 3.5) as Macbeth hallucinates the ghost of Banquo he feels an overwhelming sensation of guilt and experiences extreme levels of paranoia and flashback which are symptoms of BPD. Mental illnesses and disorders are frequently disregarded as well as misunderstood, in the play Macbeth, author William Shakespeare portrays Macbeth as a character that is dynamic and rapidly changing. As a result Macbeth seems to be suffering from Dissociative Identity Disorder, Borderline Personality Disorder and/or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. In Macbeth, author Shakespeare uses significant and dramatic elements, diction and organization to show the shift of the main character Macbeth. As the play progresses Macbeth begins to display symptoms of DID, BPD and PTSD but they are often disregarded and unnoticed as In the early 1600’s mental illnesses and disorders were not recognized and people who displayed symptoms were labeled “crazy” then thrown away to be forgotten.
Lady Macbeth is really quite insane“Out damned spot! Out, I say!...Yet who would have thought the old man have had so much blood in him?”(Scene 1, act 5)But she isn’t the only one with an unstable mental state .In Shakespeare's tragedy Macbeth, Macbeth’s mental state quickly deteriorates. We can trace Macbeth's mental deterioration by his actions leading up to his death at the end of scene V, such as when he saw the floating dagger, or when Macbeth sends the three murders to murder his best friend Banquo,and when he started to talk to somebody that nobody else could see at the banquet.
After the slaughter of his former comrade, Macbeth explains to his wife, “Strange things I have in head that will to hand/Which must be acted ere they may be scanned” (3.4.137-140). This assertion from Macbeth paves the path for his future misdeeds. Lady Macbeth is concerned by her husband’s announcement and responds with, “You lack the season of all natures, sleep” (3.4.141). Lady Macbeth believes that her husband has lost his sanity. She no longer supports Macbeth’s murderous plans, and resents his new impulsivity. Following this conversation, Macbeth continues to kill harmless people, such as Macduff’s wife and children. He implies that he will no longer think about his actions before completing them, which is a deranged approach to life. The change in Macbeth’s behavior reshapes Lady Macbeth’s personality. She realizes that “what’s done cannot be undone” (5.1.57). Lady Macbeth now recognizes the lasting impact of the murders on herself and her husband. Initially Lady Macbeth approves Duncan’s murder, as it leads to her queenship. Her sadism and zeal for power declines after Macbeth’s killing spree. Lady Macbeth’s newfound heart is the outcome of her husband’s wicked
We start to see Lady Macbeth’s actions have a huge impact on Macbeth’s character as he transforms from a decent being to an overly bitter creature. The cause of his alteration is due to the fact that Lady Macbeth is constantly excreting heartless information into his mind. "Art thou afeard to be the same in thine own act and valour as thou art in desire?" (I;vii;39-41) "And, to be more than what you were, you would be so much more the man." (I;vii;50-51) Lady Macbeth uses these quotes to push her husband beyond limits and is therefore responsible for his dramatic change in attitude. She is constantly feeding his thoughts with negative comments and later on Macbeth realizes that he has another side to him. As he moves along to discover the concealed side of him, Macbeth falls in love with himself and begins to be drawn towards his evil desires. Because Lady Macbeth was the main cause of his new hidden discovery, she is fully responsible for opening up the door and letting the darkness in. This results in Macbeth committing both murders.
Although Macbeth may have suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, his suffering does not constitute insanity. Macbeth was in a healthy mindset when he embarked on his murderous spree and treacherous rule of Scotland. His actions and reactions prior to and throughout his tenure as King of Scotland were normal considering the circumstances. The following evidence will prove that Macbeth was indeed sane.
While the diagnosis of mental conditions is considered a modern practice, people throughout history have suffered similar mental illnesses but have gone undocumented or unstudied. But even without scientific or psychological records, mental illness can clearly be derived from historical figures and works of art. As early as the 1600s, characters in literary pieces are known to depict characteristics of modern mental labels. During this time period, mental illnesses were generally credited to witchcraft or demonic possession. Though the explanations seem farfetched, the symptoms of what are now seen as neurological disruptions remain the same. In William Shakespeare’s seventeenth century play Macbeth, several characters portray indications of what could be the modern diagnosis schizophrenia.
As Macbeth becomes less dependent on his wife, she loses more control. She loses control of her husband, but mostly, of herself, proving her vacillating truth. Lady Macbeth’s character gradually disintegrates through a false portrayal of unyielding strength, an unsteady control of her husband and shifting involvement with supernatural powers.Throughout the duration of play Lady Macbeth’s truly decrepit and vulnerable nature is revealed. Lady Macbeth has been the iron fist and authority icon for Macbeth, yet deep down, she never carried such traits to begin with. This duality in Lady Macbeth’s character plays a huge role in planting the seed for Macbeth’s downfall and eventual demise.
William Shakespeare’s Macbeth is a play centring around opposing forces trying to gain power in the succession for the throne of Scotland. Macbeth, in the beginning, is known to be a nobel and strong willed man, who is ready to fight for his country. However, one may see that Macbeth has a darker side to him, he is power hungry and blood thirsty, and will not stop until he has secured his spot as King of Scotland. Though Macbeth may be a tyrant, he is very naïve, gullible, and vulnerable. He is vulnerable and willing to be persuaded by many characters throughout the play, his wife, the witches to name a few, this is the first sign that his mental state is not as sharp as others. One will see the deterioration of Macbeth and his mental state as the play progresses, from level headedness and undisturbed to hallucinogenic, psychopathic and narcissistic. The triggering event for his mental deterioration is caused by the greed created from the witches first prophecy, that Macbeth will become King of Scotland (I.iii.53). Because of the greed causing his mental deterioration, Macbeth’s psychosis is what caused his own demise by the end of the play. In Shakespeare’s play Macbeth, the tragic hero Macbeth’s demise is provoked by his hallucinogenic episodes, psychopathic actions and narcissistic behaviours.
There were several aspects of Shakespeare’s novel ‘Macbeth’ that led to the downfall of Lady Macbeth. The mentality of Lady Macbeth in the play changes dramatically from the wife a Noble General, to an evil aggressive murderer (brought upon by the witches predictions), and finally a woman who had de-graded to such an extent that she took her own life.
After receiving prophecies from the witches about his future to come, he is forced into an ambition-fuelled madness. As previously mentioned, Macbeth was persuaded to kill King Duncan by his wife due to his debatable manliness. This presented Macbeth’s need to prove to his wife he was manly by being valiant and strong and partaking in violent acts. He responds to his wife’s forceful directives by telling her, “Please stop! I dare do all that may become a man;/ Who dares do more is none” (1.7.46-47). This quote indicates how Macbeth believes a “real” man would not murder, and only due to Lady Macbeth explicitly attempting to manipulate him into action, does he succumb to do so. Macbeth endeavours the heinous crime of murdering the King, all owing to Lady Macbeth’s commands. On more than one occasion Macbeth is seen becoming mad, being overtaken by guilt and concern, highlighting that his manhood does not in fact give him any power, but only draws attention to his lack thereof. The inferiority he has within his relationship, also makes evident that Lady Macbeth’s pressure causes the transpiration of Macbeth’s powerful future. It is clear that Macbeth’s power was affected by his gender, as seen through his desperate need to prove his masculinity. Without the questioning of his manhood, Macbeth would have still been the
Extreme circumstances such as the ones presented in Macbeth are highly probable causes for both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s development of schizophrenia. Their behavior, although seeming quite erratic and irrational, is quite common among patients with this disorder. The term “schizophrenic,” however, was not even brought to the public until 1911, by a Swiss psychologist, Eugen Bleuler, almost three decades after Shakespeare’s Macbeth was introduced to England. Citizens during the sixteen hundreds would have just thought Macbeth and his wife were insane and should be locked away. With today’s psychoanalytic sciences, though, it can be most likely predicted that schizophrenia was present in Macbeth.
William Shakespeare’s Macbeth tells the story of a general who commits regicide in order to become king. Early in the play, Macbeth is conflicted as to weather or not he wants to kill his kinsman the king. In the first two acts Macbeth is not portrayed as a ruthless killer; he is a sympathetic character who succumbs to the provocation of his wife and a prophecy foretold by three mysterious witches. In contrast, Lady Macbeth is a manipulative, immoral woman. Her ambition is so strong that she is willing to do anything to see her husband succeed. However, in the third act things begin to change. The death of the king and lord and lady Macbeth’s rise to power catalyze profound transformation in their personalities.
“When you first do it, then you were a man, And to be more than what you were, you would, be so much more the man” (I. VII, 54-56). After struggling with the thought of killing Duncan, Macbeth is reprimanded by Lady Macbeth for his lack of courage. She informs him that killing the king will make him a man, insinuating that he isn’t a man if he doesn’t go through with the murder. This develops Lady Macbeth as a merciless, nasty, and selfish woman. She will say, or do anything to get what she desires, even if it means harming others.
Lady Macbeth is the first to strategize a way to kill Duncan. As a character foil to Macbeth she juxtaposes their possession of guilt and ruthlessness, which creates irony and excitement to the play. Originally, she is very power hungry and wants to utilize her husband’s position in status to become queen. Macbeth objects to the plan to kill Duncan because he believes Duncan is Macbeth’s kinsman, host, and an overall virtuous ruler (Act. 1 Scene. 7) and thus feels very guilty for taking advantage of Duncan’s trusting quality towards the Macbeth family. She refers to Macbeth as weak and rebukes his manhood (Act 1. Scene 7.) . As the play progresses, Lady Macbeth and Macbeth have a character role reversal of their possession of guilt and ruthlessness. The character foil is extant, however Macbeth’s ruthlessness overcomes his guilt, and Lady Macbeth’s guilt vanquishes her drive for power. In addition to an alteration in character foils, Shakespeare introduces situational irony because now Lady Macbeth succumbs to the weakness Macbeth once possessed and Macbeth is the one who is formidable and ambitious. Macbeth’s ability to transcend his guilt exemplifies his struggle for power and reinforces the theme of evil ambition because Macbeth is able to secure the throne and power only by mass
In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Macbeth’s visions and hallucinations play a significant role and contribute to the development of his character. In the play Macbeth, a man is driven to murder his king and his companions after receiving a fairly ambiguous prophecy told by three witches. Although the witches triggered the series of events that later aid Macbeth’s descent into complete insanity, Macbeth is portrayed from the very beginning as a fierce and violent soldier. As the play goes on, several internal conflicts inside of Macbeth become clear. After he performs several bloody tasks, the madness inside of Macbeth is unmistakably visible to everyone around him. As a result of this insanity, he sees visions and hallucinations. Each time Macbeth hallucinates, he plunges further into insanity that is essentially caused by misguided ambition, dread and guilt. Macbeth has three key hallucinations that play a considerably important role in the development of his character: a dagger, the ghost of Banquo, and four apparitions while visiting the prophesying witches.
William Shakespeare is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the history of English literature as well as the world’s paramount playwright. Possibly the most superlative writing attribute he possessed was his unmatched ability of characterization. Shakespeare created unique, opaque, and eminent characters who related to almost everyone. When one thinks of these famous characters, Shakespeare’s tragedy of Macbeth comes into consideration. Macbeth is possibly Shakespearian Theatre’s densest and most disturbed character, and this prestigious title can be credited to his obvious psychological problems. The troubled mind of Macbeth can be related to several modern day psychological problems.