Macbeth’s Insanity and Overconfidence
In the story Macbeth, the main character Macbeth was a Scottish noble and the Thane of Glamis. Macbeth was respected by the King and the Kings lords. Macbeth and his friend Banquo found three witches after a battle which flipped his life around for the worst. The witches prophecies lead Macbeth to a road where he could only see personal gain. These three witches are mostly responsible for Macbeth's tyranny; through their prophecies they lay the foundation for his insanity and overconfidence which leads to his death.
After the witches prophecy that Macbeth would become Thane of Cawdor came true Macbeth was convinced all of their prophecies were real. Their prophecies said Macbeth would become Thane of Cawdor and King. Macbeth was given the title of Thane of Cawdor by King Duncan, but for Macbeth to become king he would need to take matters into
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The witches prophecies for Banquo said “Thou wilt get kings, though thou be none,” (Act 1 Scene 3, Line 68 - 69) which meant Banquo will not be a king, but his children and their children will become kings. Macbeth did not like that Banquo’s son would become king so Macbeth sent murderers to kill Banquo and his son. Macbeth started showing how insane he really became after he had Banquo killed. Macbeth had invited his Lords for a banquet, after the murderers informed Macbeth the deed was done he saw the ghost of Banquo sitting in his seat. Macbeth said “Prithee, see there! Behold! Look! Lo! How say you? Why, what care I? If thou canst nod, speak too. If charnel houses and our graves must send those that we bury back, our monuments shall be the maws of kites.” (Act 3 Scene 4, Line 72 - 76) Even though Lady Macbeth saw something was wrong with Macbeth she ensured the lords he was fine and asked the lords to leave. Some of the lord's started to see that Macbeth was not
In fear of losing this power to his friend Banquo or his son Fleance, whom of which the witches said would be king after Macbeth and would yield a long line of kings, Macbeth had them murdered in the woods while they were out horseback riding. This proves that he truly believes in what the witches have to say about him and his future, which leads him to back to seek out more of the witches half truths to see what else would come of his future. The next set of prophecies that the witches had to offer were shown in a set of three apparitions. The first said “Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! Beware Macduff. Beware the thane of Fife,” the second apperition then spoke “none of woman born can harm Macbeth,” the third aperition then said “Macbeth shall never vanquish’d be until Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill Shall come against him”(Shakespeare,168-170). Some say it was the witches fault for Macbeth’s actions next, but in reality it was Macbeth’s and Macbeth’s alone. Due to these three prophecies Macbeth’s level of arrogance went up along with his hunger for power as well, his level of common sense was decreasing faster and faster. Macbeth’s lack of common sense caused him to make rash decisions without thinking them through. Such as when he says “From this moment the very firstlings of my
Macbeth is a worthy soldier and a brave one. He is on a quest when the then thane of Cawdor retaliated against King Duncan. He lost obviously. So the title was given to Macbeth. He and Banquo then meet three weird witches. They then give them three prophecies.
The witches vanish after giving their news of the future. The king's lords, Ross and Angus, come to tell Macbeth some great news. He is will receive the title, Thane of Cawdor. Macbeth is now starting to trust the witches' words. Macbeth believes the witches are right, and that he will not have to help his prophecy come true. "If chance have me king, why, chance may crown me, / without my stir" (I.iii.143-144). He doesn't want to get involved with his fate, he just wants fate to lead it's own course.
He tells lie after lie and keeps making them bigger. Him and Lady Macbeth are planning to kill the king. “When we have marked with blood, those sleepy two of his own chamber and used their very dagger” (324). They are going to lie about who killed the king by framing the guards that stand outside his room protecting him. They are going to spill blood on them and then the daggers that they used to kill the king, they will plant on the guards. When the king is announced dead, Macbeth and his wife both act sad and shocked like everyone else. After Macbeth sees Banquo’s ghost at the banquet, he starts acting weird. Lady Macbeth says to everyone not to worry that it is just a sickness he has had since birth. “You have displaced the mirth, broke the good meeting, with most admired disorder” (351). Lady Macbeth is annoyed at her husband because he could have revealed what they had done to the king, so she had to also lie. Everyone had to leave because Lady Macbeth made them to cover Macbeth’s lie. When Macbeth sees Banquo’s ghost, it reminds him of the crime he committed and what he made two other people
On his way home from war three witches tell him his future. “All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Glamis! All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor! All Hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter!” Macbeth was already thane of Glamis, and wondered why they would say that he would be Thane of Cawdor or even king, so he blew it off as tomfoolery, and impossible. However, he was later told by the king that because of his valiant fighting against MacDonwald that he was to be given the title of the Thane of Cawdor.
“All hail, Macbeth! Hail to you, thane of Glamis. All hail, Macbeth! Hail to you, thane of Cawdor. All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter!”(1.3.51-53) and also goes on to tell Banquo that his descendents will be kings even though he won’t become one. At first Macbeth dismisses these claims, and Banquo suggest that they were just hallucinating, but the idea of becoming Thane of Cawdor and king of Scotland has been implanted in Macbeths head. Coincidentally just before Macbeth and Banquo meet the witches Duncan announces to Ross that Macbeth will be the new thane of Cawdor “No more that thane of Cawdor shall deceive our bosom interest: go pronounce his present death, and with his former title greet Macbeth.”(1.3.76-76) When Macbeth finds out that he will become thane of Cawdor from Ross and Angus he starts to truly believe that he can and will become the new king. The witches use this previously announced fact “Hail to you, thane of Cawdor” as a catalyst, to trick him into believing that he will become king which makes him take action towards the prophecy, but which was really his free will maki...
Later in the play Banquo starts to have a bad feeling about Macbeth. "Thou hast it now: King, Cowdor, Glamis, all,/ as the weird women promised, and I fear/ thou play'dst most foully for `t." III i 1-3, this is a quote from Banquo explaining how he feels about Macbeth's predictions coming true. Macbeth realizes this about Banquo and he starts to have feelings about killing Banquo. This isn't the only reason he feels this way, the witches had also made predictions for Banquo. "Thou shall get kings, though thou be none." I iii 67, Macbeth doesn't want any of Banquo's family to rule Scotland; he wants his own family to continue to rule. Macbeth hires two murderers to kill Banquo and his on Fleance. The murderers end up killing Banquo, but Fleance gets away.
Macbeth decides to have his friend Banquo killed, since he is growing suspicious of Macbeth and how he is now king. “Thou hast it now; King, Cawdor, Glamis, /As the weird women promised, and I fear /Thou play’dst most foully for’t;” (Act III. Scene I. Lines ) In this quote from Macbeth, it shows Banquo being suspicious of how Macbeth suddenly now king after the original king, King Duncan was murdered in Macbeths keep. Macbeth remembers the
Insanity, greed, guilt, and deceit, these are traits of a madman. Throughout macbeth, a suspenseful and insane play written by shakespeare you’ll see these traits displayed throughout the story. In this intense story you’ll find a battle for kingship and power throughout the story. In the story Macbeth, Lady Macbeth and Macbeth display several characteristics of Insanity. Macbeth was driven to insanity from the witches and the prophecies eventually causing his arrogant death; along with that Macbeth's wife who eventually committed suicide due to her guilt and self condemnation.
Macbeth is a man stricken with greed due to the prophecies of the three witches. Returning form battle, Macbeth and Banquo meet up with the three witches. "All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Glamis! All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor! All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter!" (1.3.52-57) Little did Macbeth know that these three prophecies planted in his mind would change his life from that point on. Upon his arrival home, King Duncan grants Macbeth the title of "Thane Cawdor." He was astonished by the truthfulness of the witch's prophecies. Macbeth believed in the prophecies and became obsessed with them, particularly the one stating, "All hail Macbeth, thou shalt be king hereafter!" (1.3.56-57) Stricken with greed, he would stop at nothing to obtain the throne, even if it meant committing murder.
They claimed that Macbeth would be King, but it would be Banquo's children that would follow after him. This made Macbeth very angry, he risked everything to become King and after him none of his family would follow. As Lady Macbeth is being consumed by fear and guilt, she is slowly losing her sanity. This is a result of her not being able to handle what she has done to Duncan. As shown in this quote "Fie, my lord, fie!
Banquo was a noble warrior and a Thane; at the beginning of the play he and Macbeth were close friends. While with Macbeth he met three witches who prophesied that his children would be king of Scotland. Banquo doubts the witches prophesies at first and even says to Macbeth; "have we eaten on the insane root/ that takes the reason prisoner"(1.3.87-8). This question posed by Banquo is basically asking Macbeth if they have gone mad and are hallucinating. Later, Banquo realizes that two of the witches' predictions for Macbeth have come true; Banquo begins to process the idea that maybe his children will become heir to the throne. Eventually, he confronts Macbeth saying, "I dreamt last night of the three Weird Sisters. / To you they have showed some truth"(2.1.25-6). Banquo was now ambitious for his line to take the throne; “Banquo’s character stands as a rebuke to Macbeth, since he represents the path Macbeth chose not to take: a path in which ambition need not lead to betrayal and murder” (Rev. of Macbeth). The fact that Ban...
While the general Macbeth and his friend Banquo are returning from a victorious battle, King Duncan hears of their courage and bestows the title of Cawdor on the still absent Macbeth. The two warriors encounter three witches who greet Macbeth as Thane of Glamis, Thane of Cawdor, and „(…) King hereafter'. They prophesize that Banquo will become king though he will not himself be one. Macbeth, who is already Thane of Glamis, is startled when two messengers from the king greet him as the new Thane of Cawdor, thus fulfilling the witches' prophecy in part. When Macbeth learns that Duncan's son Malcolm has been appointed Prince of Cumberland, automatic successor to the throne, he momentarily entertains the idea of killing the king and so begins the ultimate prediction of the witches.
As a result, they are being haunted by the guilt of murder but they can’t show their true emotions or else they will raise suspicions. In Act III Scene iv, Macbeth sees the ghost of Banquo at the banquet. Macbeth was confident that killing Banquo and Fleance was the right thing to do for his crown but hysterically freaks out after being visited by Banquo from the grave. Macbeth tries to ignore the ghost that is haunting him by coming up with an excuse to tell the lords. “I have a strange infirmity which is nothing / To those that know me” (3.4.85–86). Macbeth ultimately fails trying to mask his emotions and Lady Macbeth has to dismiss the
However, this experience is not one that gives him courage or ambition but one that gives him fear, enough to make a man go mad. At the party, Macbeth sees Banquo’s ghost which he describes as “a bold one that dare look on that which might appall the devil” (III.vi.63). He begins to act like a madman in front of all those loyal to him and reveals that Banquo is dead. Despite Lady Macbeth’s attempt to cover up his act by blaming it on a childhood illness, Macbeth’s followers begin to lose question their king, lose trust in him, and even wonder if he is the one who murdered Duncan. After the banquet, Macbeth seeks the witches out of their cave so that he can learn more about his future and silence those who are plotting against him despite what the consequences may be. This reveals that Macbeth has completely fallen for the witches prophecy. There, he sees a line of eight kings followed by Banquo’s ghost. The last king holds a mirror to reflect a never-ending line of kings descended from Banquo. When he sees this, he exclaims“ thou art look like the spirits of Banquo: down!” (IV.i.123). This vision confirms that Banquo’s descendants inherit the throne and contributes to Macbeth’s anxiety, fear and to his further loss of control. He becomes even more insecure about his position as king and can no longer make his decisions