Macbeth: Reasons For The Development Of Insanity Essay

Insanity, as defined as an inability to act ration completelyy, develops well-nigh comm provided when in individuals as a response to conditions with which the mind is uneffective to cope. Prolonged or intense, abrupt psychological trauma always results in denial or repression in some form or another, both(prenominal) of which cause the individual to gradu totallyy lose their grip on reality. In the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare, as the chaos and viciousness caused by their degenerate actions increases, the prevalent cases deteriorate into insanity. Macbeth, lady Macbeth, and Macduff slip into delusion and desperate acts as an outlet for their growing disgust with both themselves and the progenys of their actions.The play opens with a comment of gruesome war, in the thick of which is Macbeth, alluding to the dangerous internal conflict press release on within him- he is at once consumed by ambition, only completely lacking in the self-confidence to support it. Macb eths idle character, marked by his inability to make decisions that are not faint and white in nature and his susceptibility to persuasion, is clearly displayed in his continuous need for reassurance from outside influences and his expression of desire that his actions could flip no consequence,If it were through with(p) when tis done, then twere welltwere done quickly. If thassassinationCould trammel up the consequence and catchWith his surcease, success, that save this blowMight be the be-all and the end-all here. (I.vii.1-5)Since this is evidently impossible, he attempts to break the murder of Dun evict down into the most basic and delightful cause and effect- his ambition. If there are no tangible affirmations for the immoral actions that Macbeths ambition prompts he invents them, such as the bloody dagger he imagines leads him to kill Duncan. In any case, Macbeth attempts to evade the consequences of his morally ambiguous decisions by shifting their perceivable source to either his wife or the supernatural world, in his mind effectually making him only a douse to the whims of fate. As Macbeth contemplates Duncans virtues and other compelling moral reasons for aborting the crime, His virtues will asseverate like angels, trumpet-tongued against the deep damnation of his taking-off, (I.vii.18-20) morality seems to be the most complicating portion in the decision to commit murder and thus, is also the biggest obstacle to his ambition.So, to modify things, Macbeth allows his moral arguments to be rejected. However, once he sets his morals aside, he cannot get them, I am in blood stepped in so furthest that should I wade no more, returning were as tedious as go oer. Strange things I have in betoken that will to hand, which must be acted ere they may be scanned. (III.iv.136-140) At this take Macbeth admits that his actions are too horrific to ever be forgiven, thence the only avenue of action left to him that he perceives is to continue along the pathway he is already following.He can no longer patronage cosmosness a walking contradiction feeling immense guilt for the murders he commits, but all the time plotting more to salve his paranoia of being found out. To remedy this, Macbeth resolves to moderate his conscience completely, turning him irrevocably grievous from this point on, possibly with the aid of a hard whack to his forehead1. Macbeths abrupt turn of mood, from paranoid depression to manic delusion, is directly link up to the prophecies of the werd sisters that give him the false confidence he needs for affirmation of his actions and therefore solidifies his denial.Previously, as Macbeth begins to doubt that hiring murders to kill Banquo and Fleance will absolve him of the guilt, he subconsciously vents his horror at his action through the hallucination of Banquos ghost, succession at the like time trying desperately to convince himself otherwise, kibibyte canst not say I did it never shake thy gory l ocks at me (III.iv.50-51) These fits of paranoia are products of Macbeths feelings of guilt that only compound as Macbeth tries to suppress them, surfacing in hallucinations that threaten to expose him and a violent defence wildness mechanism of murdering anyone that could be perceived as a threat.Macbeth seems to sense that it is only a matter of time in advance lying himself into an illusion of security department fails. As everyone, including his wife, continually abandons him, Macbeth sinks into a mood of nihilism that follows his psychological precedent of denial and justification by allowing him to claim that if life is ultimately without consequence then his crimes are also meaningless,Lifes but a walking shadow, a poor playerThat struts and frets his hour upon the stage,And then is perceive no more. It is a taleTold by an idiot, full of sound and fury,Signifying nothing. (IV.v.23-27)Against all rational logic, Macbeth concludes that he is innocent of any for good damn ing acts, but also that life holds no further purpose for him.Like her husband, bird Macbeth learns that there is such a thing as guilt by association. She is plagued by the knowledge that she herself did not kill Duncan, but is directly answerable for his death. Before the murder of Duncan, she has a misguided impression of aggression and fierceness as inherent male traits, and draws the conclusion that anyone truly masculine should be able to commit murder without repercussions on their conscience. Her compulsive need to muffle herself clean of imaginary blood indicates that, unlike her husband who can do to the nagging of his conscience by pushing it away completely, she cannot forgive herself, nor force herself to forget her culpability. Also, unlike Macbeth who nullifies his guilt, she magnifies her own to the point where it consumes her.Perhaps peeress Macbeth can sense the irony of her inability to cleanse herself of Duncans imaginary, yet permanently staining blood, Ye t who would have thought the old man to have so much blood on him? (V.i.33-34) when earlier she scolds Macbeth for making the same claim, A little water clears us of this deed. How easy is it then (II.ii.70-71) so, Lady Macbeths decline into insanity is marked most sharply by her contrast to both her earlier character and the character now being taken up by her husband, suggesting that if she listens to the his reservations, she can avoid the mental upthrow that she experiences later.However, Lady Macbeth expects that the amount of urging Macbeth requires to kill the first time is asserting(a) of an inability to plot further murders. Instead she is constantly reminded of the atrocity she instigated by Macbeths insistence to raise the body count as mellowed as possible. Disillusionment more than anything else is what pushes her over the brink of insanity and into an worrying of anxiety and discouragement gaining the throne does not bring her happiness, nor does it justify Dunca ns death.Accompanied only by Lady Macbeth, Macduff is the only other character that admits responsibility for their actions. Macduffs sanity is severely shaken by the sudden shock of learning that his entire family has been cruelly murdered at Macbeths orders. He responds with passionate grief and regret for leaving them at Macbeths mercy, while he himself flees beyond Macbeths reach. When compared with the reactions of Ross and Malcolm, Macduff seems almost hysterical, but justifiably so.It is Ross and Malcolm that seem to have disproportionate emotion. Malcolms claims that Macduff should avenge the murder of his family by challenging Macbeth are fraught with hypocrisy, since Malcolm himself flees when his own father is murdered instead of taking his own advice. His urgings to Macduff seem to come from selfish means, (he needs an armament with which to defeat Macbeth) instead of any real concern for the grief that Macduff is feeling. Macduff expresses his displeasure at Malcolms disregard and his feelings of culpability for provoking the tyrannical Macbeths wraith,But I must also feel it as a manI cannot but remember such things wereThat were most valued to me. Did heaven look on,And would not take their part? Sinful Macduff,They were all struck for thee. (IV.iii.224-228)Eventually Macduff does agree to Malcolms requests as it becomes increasingly apparent(a) that he will not receive the sympathy he seeks from anyone. Indeed Macduff throws himself into the aim with obsessive vigour, having nothing left to live for. Macduffs mad charge to meet in a fight to the death with his swearword seems to mirror his Macbeths own nihilistic mood- however, Macduffs willingness to die originates from despair rather than apathy.In the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare, the main characters stew in guilt upon realization of the aftermath of their actions, driving them to insanity. In that neither Macbeth, nor Lady Macbeth, nor Macduff can escape the mental anguish as consequence of their actions, Shakespeare efficaciously hits home the idea that one should thoroughly check their conscience before they act.