Insanity in Macbeth Free Essay Sample

Have you ever met a famous, well-known person that grows into an insane murderer? Well in the book, Macbeth by Shakespeare, a couple of people transform into just this. This book begins with a well-known soldier named Macbeth who fought for King Duncan’s honor. He and Banquo, a friend, then get prophecies from witches that lead Macbeth to kill the king. After this Macbeth and his wife became Scotland’s rulers and continue to murder to keep and gain more power. The story of Macbeth intrigues readers' attention when showing the insanity that grows between Macbeth, and his wife, and how this insanity affects everyone around them. 

Macbeth was not only the king of Scotland but was also the king of insanity. He began as a happy, cheerful man that was honored. Due to the witches bringing prophecies, he started to desire the power they promised he would have one day. To do this, he decided to kill the king. With this, his hallucinations from guilt soon began. To prove, he saw a second dagger with the murder weapon in hand and said, “Is this a dagger which I see before me, The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee” (Shakespeare page 53). He proceeded to have a desire to murder anyone who threatened him. These people included Banquo and the king's helpers that could have been witnesses at the castle where the murder was. Not only this, but he got an obsession with blood. He continued to murder any and everyone. Like Macduff's family and servants for no reason. His desire for power was an absolute obsession, but this came at a price. His hunger led him to become depressed, have constant anxiety, and have bad hallucinations that constantly taunted him. These hallucinations included Banquo's ghost, the dagger as stated, and apparitions from witches. In conclusion, Macbeth’s power drive led him into an insane murderer affected his mentality completely. 

We know that Lord Macbeth had grown into insanity, but so did his wife Lady Macbeth. To begin, she started off happy and mindfully secure. Although, she always had a huge hunger for power. Lady Macbeth states, “Hurry home so I can persuade you and talk you out of whatever’s keeping you from going after the crown” (Shakespeare 31). This proves that she's always had a desire to be the superior ruler, at any cost. This cost included murdering a faithful and honest king, Duncan. She has been the one to convince her husband to do so. With this, she grew into extreme anxiety and a world of hurt. As this guilt grew on her so immensely, she started sleepwalking and sleeptalking. She would scream with terror and talk about how she would have rather died then kill someone. Due to this, her insanity leads to her greatest downfall; death. Finally, Lady Macbeth ended the same as her husband, deceased for her consequences. 

King and queen Macbeth did not only affect themselves with insanity, but everyone around them. As read, they had killed multiple innocent people to get more and more unnecessary power. These people included Ducan, Banquo, soldiers, the Macduff family, and servants. Also, darkness went all across Scotland. As stated by Macduff, “ Each day new widows howl, new orphans, cry, and new sorrows slap heaven in the face until it sounds like the heaven itself feels Scotland's anguish and screams in pain” (Shakespeare 157).  With this, it is proven that Scotland was in agony due to Macbeth's horrible rule from insanity. Not only, but Lords and leaders were told to always honor the king. They didn't do this with Macbeth and tensions grew. Also, a supernatural effect of Macbeth's insanity was that the witches got what they wanted. They got excited and drawn into seeing Macbeth ruined and kill for the insanity they planted in him. In addition, a desire for healing was needed in Scotland. To conclude, Insanity does not contain itself in one place but can expand to all those around it. 

This play by Shakesphere showed the insanity that developed in Macbeth, and Lady Macbeth, and how their craziness changed those around them. This play paved a way for the reader to understand how one mistake can lead to a never-ending path of struggle. Shakespeare wanted readers to understand that one small desire can change a person forever. This is proven when both the king and queen Macbeth had a desire to gain power and died from their insane mistakes. He also wants readers to identify that these situations do not only affect the ones trapped in their minds but all of the people who know and possibly love them. He shows that people need to identify and truly know someone before they could break loose in their horrible aspirations. All in all, people will always change and grow whether it's in a good way or not, we should lookout.