Macbeth Hallucinations Essay

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Hallucinations and Character Change of Macbeth Visions, mirages, and hallucinations are notorious for deceiving people. They are usually caused by deficiencies for the mind. In the play Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, Macbeth’s hallucinations cause him to feel immense criminality and trepidation, ultimately leading to a complete transformation of Macbeth’s personality. Macbeth’s first hallucination leads him down a rabbit-hole of misfortune. At this time in the play, Macbeth is contemplating if he should kill Duncan, the king, or not. He is thoughtfully weighing the pros and cons. “Is this a dagger which I see before me...A dagger of the mind, a false creation,” Macbeth hallucinates a dagger, which leads Macbeth towards Duncan’s quarters
At this time in the play, Macbeth’s best friend Banquo has just been killed on Macbeth’s order. This murder was not one that Macbeth hastily did drunk on ambition. He thought this through and planned it out. This is a change in his character due to the events after his first hallucination. Macbeth does not feel concerned or nervous about planning out this murder like he was for the murder of Duncan. Macbeth is repeating the unhonorable actions he committed when killing Duncan. The hired assassins have killed Banquo and Macbeth has his second hallucination. “This is the very painting of your fear,” Macbeth has just seen the ghost of Banquo and Lady Macbeth is trying to shake him out of his feeling of guilt and fear(3.4.1348). “This the air drawn dagger which, you said, Led you to Duncan,” Lady Macbeth is trying to calm Macbeth down and reassure him that Banquo is not there; his hallucination is not real (3.4.1349-1350). This hallucination is caused by fear, guilt, and ambition. “If I stand here, I saw him,” Macbeth being so adamant about seeing Banquo, tells us that Macbeth feels threatened by Banquo’s existence(3.4.1364). Selma Mehovic claims that Macbeth “is able of killing his good friend without blinking an eye, and this not only ambition this is clear sign of [a] corrupted and evil soul,” the Macbeth from the beginning of the play would feel reprehensible at the thought of his current actions
“If thou speak 'st false, Upon the next tree shalt thou hang alive,” Macbeth has threatened to kill the messenger at the drop of a hat for lying (5.5.2399-2400). Here you can see how drastically Macbeth has changed from the beginning of the play. Malcolm’s army has corner Macbeth within his castle. Macbeth repeatedly utters that unless one is not of woman born he can not be defeated. In the heat of battle, it appears as if Macbeth is correct. He slays a few soldiers, but many might forget that Macbeth is a decorated warrior himself. After Macbeth kills those few enemies, MacDuff appears from out of the crowd. MacDuff is an equal match for Macbeth, trading blow after blow. Macbeth is still stubbornly sticking to his vision telling him to fear none other than those not of woman born. “...Macduff was from his mother 's womb Untimely ripp 'd,” MacDuff unleashes this knowledge bomb on Macbeth (5.8.2493-2494). He is what Macbeth has feared more than anything else. Macbeth wants to avoid MacDuff but, also does not want to sacrifice his life. Macbeth continues to fight, but in the end, he lost. Macbeth trusting the witches and adopting one perspective of what he has learned leads to his demise at MacDuff’s

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