Examples Of Mental Illness In Macbeth

During stressful or traumatic moment in someone's life it is common for that person to experience intense dreams and sometimes even hallucinations. In Macbeth, both Lady Macbeth and Macbeth have these symptoms. Macbeth has hallucinations and Lady Macbeth experiences tormented dreams and sleepwalking. Before killing Duncan Macbeth experiences visions of a dagger floating in front of him guiding him to Duncan’s chamber. There are many examples of hallucinations and psychological anomalies throughout Macbeth. Which differs greatly from the era it was written in. Mental illness during the time was very misunderstood and often treated as sort of a taboo. Much has changed since then however, psychology and mental illnesses remain a topic to tread lightly around. Mental illness …show more content…
Macbeth is the story of a nobleman, Macbeth, who receives a prophecy that promises him success and power. The only way to secure that power is through murder and violence. Due to such evil Macbeth falls victim to karma and is killed. Throughout the story Macbeth does awful things. Although, he is not alone. His wife Lady Macbeth is right by his side aiding Macbeth in his evil deeds. In fact, Lady Macbeth encourages her husband to commit the first act of evil. That being, the murder of the current King Duncan. Macbeth opposes killing Duncan so much that even before the homicide he experiences visions of a dagger guiding him to kill his king. Later on, Macbeth has a few other symptoms of mental illness such as: hearing voices, seeing apparitions of his dead friend, and an all around change in personality. In addition, Macbeth’s wife also displays a few odd actions. The main example being her sleepwalking and panicked speaking and movements during her sleepwalking. THis husband and wife couple both experience clear signs of mental instability after an extremely traumatic time in their