Lady macbeth was an interesting character, in that she was able to play with people’s psychology but ends up getting psychology ill herself. According to M. L. LaBlanc “Lady
Macbeth is generally considered one of the most fascinating female characters in Shakespearean drama”. “How in the play she verbally manipulates gender values and expectations to suit her purposes. As Cristina Leon Alfar reminds us, "Lady Macbeth's 'evil' is ... an ideologically inscribed notion that is often linked in our literary tradition to strong female characters who seek power, who reject filial loyalty as prior to self-loyalty, and who pursue desire in all its forms-- romantic, adulterate, authoritarian, and even violent.” Lady Macbeth was full of greed for power
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As an article on Obsessive-
Compulsive Disorder by Larkin mentioned “Obsessions and compulsions represent human phenomena that have been a topic of interest for several centuries; for example, William
Shakespeare's characterization of the hand-washing Lady Macbeth has entertained audiences for hundreds of years.” This article helps us connect Lady Macbeth’s mental health during her last few days to a phenomena that is known to us that would not have been identified then. Her repetitive action of washing her hands as described in the play connects with her obsession of getting her hands clean of Duncan’s blood leading to her compulsion of washing her hand over and over again.
“In imagination she has already signed and sealed with the blood of her soul the compact with Satan to do his bidding if he will but grant this boon, not for herself but for her husband.
For her own selfish benefit she would probably hesitate to violate the lightest of the laws. But for her husband she is all too willing to lose even her soul forever.” this points to the flip side of the situation, where all her ambition and evil was not for herself but for her husband, so he could
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One of her line from the play “Had he not resembled my father as he slept, I had done't.” also shows a side of her that we don't usually think about. Macbeth had to be more evil than to not get similar thoughts that stopped him.
"PTSD, refers to the spectrum of responses--ranging from low levels of intrusive thoughts and other signs of distress at one end of the spectrum to high levels at the other.
Everyone exposed to traumatic stress experiences such symptoms to some degree. They are indicative of a need to cognitively process the trauma. Posttraumatic stress is a concept that is non-pathological; it recognizes both sides of trauma, that it can be both destructive and transformational.” (Joseph, 2012). It was obvious that Lady Macbeth had some problems in her head and her condition makes it look like she had PTSD. The trauma of Duncan’s death,
Macbeth losing his mind and the guilt that she made Macbeth become so evil and cold
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.
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.
Lady Macbeth shows prominent characteristics of borderline personality disorder throughout the play. According to Mayo Clinic, borderline personality disorder is defined as, “a mental health disorder that impacts the way you think and feel about yourself and others, causing problems functioning in everyday life” (“Borderline Personality Disorder”). Symptoms of this disorder include “rapid changes in self-identity and image, extreme emotions and impulsiveness, stress related paranoia, loss of contact with reality, and intense anger.” (Chmielewski). In
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.
Lady Macbeth is one of William Shakespeare’s most famous and frightening female characters. As she is Macbeth’s wife, her role is significant in his rise and fall from royalty. She is Macbeth’s other half. During Shakespearean times, women were regarded as weak insignificant beings that were there to give birth and look beautiful. They were not thought to be as intelligent or equal to men. Though in Shakespeare's play, Macbeth, Lady Macbeth is the highest influence in Macbeth’s life. Her role was so large; in fact, that she uses her position to gain power, stay strong enough to support her unstable Lord, and fails miserably while their relationship falls apart. Everything about Lady Macbeth is enough to create the perfect villain because of her ability to manipulate everyone around her. It appears that even she can’t resist the perfect crime.
PTSD, also known as post-traumatic stress disorder, is an anxiety disorder. It affects people that have experienced, witnessed, or were confronted with a life threatening event. It can cause flashbacks, depression, nightmares, and change of mood. Other common symptoms of PTSD are difficulty sleeping, anger outbursts, decreased interest in activities, avoidance of people and places that can trigger a memory, and inability to recall part of the trauma. Symptoms can occur right after the incident but also much later in life. Other common occurrences with PTSD are depression, suicide, and alcohol or drug abuse (FAQs about PTSD).
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.
In the play ‘’Macbeth’’ by William Shakespeare Macbeth struggles with his conscience and the fear of eternal domination if he assassinates King Duncan. Lady Macbeth’s conflict arises when Macbeth’s courage begins to falter. Lady Macbeth is has a cruel, venomous, evil personality in which no man can escape from her wrath and raging power. Lady Macbeth is like a black widow who utilizes aggressive and ruthless tactics to persuade Macbeth to commit the assassination. This cruel minded woman utilizes the power of manipulation and reverse psychology to get what she desires.
The last stage of schizophrenia contains hallucinations. When lady Macbeth was sleep walking, she replayed her washing her hands when Macbeth killed the king. “Out damned spot! I say!” (Act 5 scenes 2) This could be a sign of guilt along with her mental illness that starts to control her.
The character Macbeth in the story of Shakespeare’s Macbeth faces decisions that affect his morals. He begins as an innocent soul, dedicated to serve his kingdom and its king, Duncan. As time passes and opportunities present themselves combined with the deception of the evil witches, Macbeth begins his descent into madness. Macbeth’s innocence and loyalty are completely corrupted due to his over confidence, guilty conscience, and the inevitability of human nature. Macbeth looses sight of what is morally right to do in life because his logical choices are changed by these factors.
Post-traumatic stress disorder, or commonly referred to as PTSD, is a mental health condition that is triggered by an event that triggers people that are either witnessing or experiencing the event to undergo an excessive amount of stress within a certain time frame. Symptoms may include flashbacks, nightmares and severe anxiety, as well as uncontrollable thoughts about the event ( Mayo Clinic Staff). Throughout the play Macbeth, the main character Macbeth shows signs of possessing the symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. PTSD is commonly seen in war veterans when they have come back home from war due to fact they were beaten down physically and mentally with stressing moments. This resembles Macbeth in such case, due to the fact he
Trauma is especially bad when the person is involved in a violent death, war atrocity, or abuse. Trauma victims push people away when they need people the most, and they have intense, yet unstable relationships with partners. For example, Lady Macbeth feels guilty from the trauma of killing Duncan in addition to others in order for pushing her husband to gain power. The drama states,” Seyton: ‘The queen,my lord, is dead’” (Shakespeare 81). Lady Macbeth’s trauma runs so deep that she becomes mentally unstable and commits suicide. In addition, Macbeth goes through the trauma of killing Banquo. The drama states,” Macbeth: ‘The table’s full.’ Lennox: ‘Here is a place reserved, sir.’ Macbeth: ‘Where?’ Lennox: ‘Here, my good lord. What is’t that moves you highness?’ Macbeth: ‘Which of you have done this?’ Lords:’ What, my good lord?’ Macbeth: ‘ Thou canst not say I did it. Never shake/ Thy gory locks at me’” (Shakespeare 49). Macbeth has so much trauma from killing his best friend, Banquo, that he hallucinates Banquo’s ghost at the dinner with all the lords. As well, there is the possibility that Macbeth has trauma from being at war. The drama states,” Captain: ‘For brave Macbeth-- well he deserves that name--/ Disdaining Fortune, with his brandished steel,/ Which smoked with bloody execution’” (Shakespeare 7). The trauma of killing others during war
He is suffering from PTSD. The full name of OTSD is “Post-traumatic stress disorder”. After the encountering or confronting grievous pressure, the psychological state of the will be disorder. Many of the soldiers returning from the war will realize themselves in a mental disorder. In the movie, Macbeth was an soldier.
There is heavy speculation surrounding the psychology of Macbeth. Nevertheless, even with an elementary understanding of the play one can attribute Macbeth with troubled emotions, these emotions being encompassed by anxiety and it is many divisions. Anxiety is defined as “an abnormal and overwhelming sense of apprehension and fear often marked by physiological signs…, by doubt concerning the reality and nature of the threat, and by self-doubt about one's capacity to cope with it” (Merriam-Webster). The most common symptoms of anxiety disorder include feelings of “panic and fear, uncontrollable and obsessive thoughts, repeated thoughts or flashbacks of traumatic experiences, nightmares, ritualistic behaviors, problems sleeping, shortness of breath, ritualistic behaviors, an inability to be still and calm, nausea and dizziness, and palpitations” (WebMD). The exact causes of anxiety disorder are unknown, but research suggests the disorder is caused by changes in the brain and environmental stress. One division of emotion that falls under anxiety...
Evil is a destructive force; it causes harm to those who embrace it and their victims. In Shakespeare's Macbeth, the protagonist Macbeth and Lady Macbeth fall into the hands of evil. Evil is what drives people to commit unnatural actions of destruction. Macbeth succumbs to evil through his fatal flaw, greed, and it causes him to disrupt the chain of being. When Macbeth willingly murders, massacres, lies and deceives, he loses his heath and sanity. Evil corrupts everything it touches, and Macbeth decides to be evil's servant. But, when Macbeth embraces evil, it corrupts him, and it ultimately destroys him as well. Lady Macbeth is a victim of Macbeth's fatal flaw, since she is drawn in, and becomes greedy for power herself. She pushes Macbeth into destruction when she adds the small touch that plunges Macbeth into a chain of murder, destruction, and lying followed by the loss of their sanity and health. After Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are well into the depths of corruption and greed, it is clearly seen that their guilt will haunt them for the rest of their lives. The harm they have caused others will be returned to them as revenge and they have lost their sanity in order to gain power. The fate of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth clearly illustrates that to embrace evil is to negate our own need for order and well being.