The Psychological Meltdown Of Lady Macbeth
The Psychological Meltdown of Lady Macbeth
In Shakespeare’s play Macbeth, Shakespeare challenges the idea of male dominancy. Is Macbeth really in control of his own actions, or is he being manipulated by the women around him? Maybe Macbeth would never be king if the witches had not suggested it. Duncan could have lived a full life if it were not for Lady Macbeth. Shakespeare gives women a sort of power over him. In Lady Macbeth’s case, the very power that drives her insane. By giving powerful women a negative view, Shakespeare argues in Macbeth that men should always be leaders, otherwise the result will be madness; therefore, validating the patriarchal system of his time.
Lady Macbeth was the major driving force behind Macbeth throughout the …show more content…
play. Once she read Macbeth’s letter containing the witches’ prophecies, she knew he would not do what was necessary to make them reality. With the sweet thoughts of power, wealth, prestige, greatness, and destiny, Lady Macbeth was determined to do whatever it takes to ensure her spot as queen. She began by praying to her god. She asked him to unsex her, so being a woman would not hold her back. She knew that as a woman, she would be incapable of murder, of evil persuasion, and would lack the gall necessary to follow through with her actions. To be filled to the brim with cruelty, to be incapable of pity and remorse, and to be stealthy in her endeavors where her desires. She knew that if Macbeth is to become King, then he would need to kill the current King Duncan, and according to his nature, he would not be able to do it. This was the beginning of Lady Macbeth’s deterioration: the catalyst being the letter, the motive being the lust for power, the unnecessary killing driving her insane, and the separation anxiety revealing her bloody past.
Lady Macbeth's Plan for Power
Lady Macbeth began her plot once she was informed of Duncan's arrival. He was coming for dinner to congratulate Macbeth on his new title (the Thane of Cawdor), so the Macbeth’s would have to kill him that night. With her newly found wickedness, Lady Macbeth instructed her husband to pretend to be welcoming, but remain true to their cause. In her words,” look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under it” (Shakespeare, 2004, 1.5. 71-72). She convinces Macbeth to get the guards drunk and to kill Duncan in his sleep. She would continue to frame the guards by smearing Duncan’s blood on them. Macbeth was very hesitant with killing his king, but according to his wife, he could not be a man as long as Duncan lives. He argues that, “I dare do all that may become a man; Who dares do more is none” (Shakespeare, 2004, 1.7. 50-51); however, Lady Macbeth became manipulative and coerced Macbeth by using humiliation. By maintaining two fronts, Macbeth was able to see the dark side of her, while everyone else saw a calm and collected hostess. They had gotten what they wanted, but living a lie proved to be too difficult for them as they eventually spiraled into insanity.
After killing Duncan, Macbeth kills multiple people without instigation. He kills his best friend Banquo over suspicion and later kills Macduff's family. After his best friend dies, Macbeth becomes delusional: During a dinner with the nobles, Lady Macbeth comes up with excuses for Macbeth’s fits as he frantically casts out Banquo’s spirit. In order to keep the nobles from becoming suspicious, Lady Macbeth says, “Sit worthy friends. My lord is often like this, and has been since he was young. If you stare at him, you will make his fit last longer (Shakespeare, 2004, 3.4. 60-66).” These actions, in my opinion, steer Lady Macbeth into insanity with Macbeth, for she must stay witty for him, hide her own dark secrets, and be the queen her country needs her to be. All this pressure must find a way out, and it does; Catherine E. Thomas (2012) states, ”The internalization of her deadly plans highlights the bad thoughts that lead to later bad deeds” which perfectly illustrates the consequences of internalizing such pressure.
How Her Health Is Affected
Once Lady Macbeth has done her part to become queen, she goes through another personality change. She no longer needs to be evil, to be capable of murder, or to be persuasive to get what she wants, so her desire to be unsexed is no more. One could say she is a woman again. C. Thomas (2012) claims Lady Macbeth, “has a voice, but the voice is contained in opposition to her body, which has become an anxious spectacle of surveillance rather than the determined instrument of agency.” She can no longer “violate the fundamental order of human community by taking life without provocation or clear purpose,”(Churchill, 2014) without suffering the traumatic consequences, or tolerate “a descent into madness triggered by pointless destruction” (Churchill, 2014,). Being unsexed in the beginning of the play proved to be beneficial, for the stress proved to be intolerable as a woman.
Macbeth’s decision to continue his voracious killing spree results in the unnecessary accumulation of stress for Lady Macbeth. She is able to suppress the guilt and paranoia throughout the day, but her subconscious cannot. In other words, her body expresses these thoughts while asleep. One of her servants discovered this trend and notified a doctor. According to the servant, Lady Macbeth can be seen walking around at night, talking in her sleep, and performing strange actions. More specifically, Lady Macbeth would arise in the middle of her sleep, acquire a gown, unlock her chest, take out a piece of paper, write a letter with the paper, read it, seal it, then go back to bed. She has also been seen trying to rub off imaginary blood off her hands while cursing Macbeth for being a coward. It seems that she has an extremely vivid recurring dream about the night of Duncan’s murder, for when she talks in her trance, she asks Macbeth, “Why should we fear the consequences if we are going to be the most powerful people? Still, who would have thought the old man would have so much blood in him?” (Shakespeare, 2004, 5.1. 30-35). Typically recurring dreams occur after a traumatic event, I’d say murdering a king would bring sufficient trauma. Consequently, she unintentionally admits to murdering Duncan as the doctor and maid watch one of these episodes.
Even though these spectacles are common, they are only brought upon when Macbeth is away at the battlefield. It is possible that this may indicate some sort of trauma induced separation anxiety. The trauma being caused by Macbeth’s actions following his acclimation of power. He murders Macduff’s family for no apparent reason and it didn’t sit well with Lady Macbeth. In another one of her episodes she asks Macbeth, “Macduff had a wife. Where is she now? Why won’t our hands ever be clean of blood? No more of that, my lord, no more of that. You’ll spoil everything with these outbursts” (Shakespeare, 2004, 5.1. 36-39). This backs the idea that Macbeth drives his wife insane, even if she was the cause for his insanity.
Her Illness
Many literary critics have different theories explaining Lady Macbeth’s illness.
For example, J. Levin believes that Lady Macbeth goes crazy due to possible childlessness. As stated by Levin (2002),“Lady Macbeth's illness . . . could be explained directly as a reaction to her childlessness”. In his opinion, Shakespeare uses “Lady Macbeth’s domineering sexuality” as a way to validate the patriarchal order of his time. He wanted to instill fear of strong women among men. Levin (2002) says that she, “ultimately validates the patriarchal order through her very resistance.” From another viewpoint, Catherine E. Thomas (2012) believes, “once Lady Macbeth’s plot is foiled and her position of wife is less central, she fades away into madness and eventually, suicidal death”. Basically Lady Macbeth can’t handle being her husband’s afterthought, which again supports J. Levin’s theory of supporting the patriarchal order. Some critics remain unsure as to what caused the illness; Freud (1916) states, “‘What, however, these motives can have been which in so short a space of time could turn the hesitating, ambitious man into an unbridled tyrant, and his steely-hearted instigator into a sick woman gnawed by remorse, it is, in my view, impossible to guess’” (as quoted in Churchill, 2014). After reading these ideas, my own opinions lead me to suggest that the meltdown was caused by Lady Macbeth “becoming a woman again” and not being able to psychologically deal with their actions. This must have triggered trauma induced separation anxiety, as her sleep pattern is disrupted while Macbeth is away; she fears his dauntless
actions.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Lady Macbeth’s mental state came into question from the very moment she received Macbeth’s letter. She was dazzled by the prestige and rank being Queen permitted; naturally she would do anything for it. After becoming queen her lust for blood ended. She was unable to deal with her past actions and her husband’s pointless murdering, so she spirals into madness. In the end, Lady Macbeth’s quest for power was the cause of her downfall; the catalyst being the letter, the motive being the lust for royalty, the unnecessary killing driving her insane, and the separation anxiety revealing her bloody past.
In Shakespeare’s play Macbeth, Shakespeare challenges the idea of male dominancy. Is Macbeth really in control of his own actions, or is he being manipulated by the women around him? Maybe Macbeth would never be king if the witches had not suggested it. Duncan could have lived a full life if it were not for Lady Macbeth. Shakespeare gives women a sort of power over him. In Lady Macbeth’s case, the very power that drives her insane. By giving powerful women a negative view, Shakespeare argues in Macbeth that men should always be leaders, otherwise the result will be madness; therefore, validating the patriarchal system of his time.
Lady Macbeth was the major driving force behind Macbeth throughout the …show more content…
play. Once she read Macbeth’s letter containing the witches’ prophecies, she knew he would not do what was necessary to make them reality. With the sweet thoughts of power, wealth, prestige, greatness, and destiny, Lady Macbeth was determined to do whatever it takes to ensure her spot as queen. She began by praying to her god. She asked him to unsex her, so being a woman would not hold her back. She knew that as a woman, she would be incapable of murder, of evil persuasion, and would lack the gall necessary to follow through with her actions. To be filled to the brim with cruelty, to be incapable of pity and remorse, and to be stealthy in her endeavors where her desires. She knew that if Macbeth is to become King, then he would need to kill the current King Duncan, and according to his nature, he would not be able to do it. This was the beginning of Lady Macbeth’s deterioration: the catalyst being the letter, the motive being the lust for power, the unnecessary killing driving her insane, and the separation anxiety revealing her bloody past.
Lady Macbeth's Plan for Power
Lady Macbeth began her plot once she was informed of Duncan's arrival. He was coming for dinner to congratulate Macbeth on his new title (the Thane of Cawdor), so the Macbeth’s would have to kill him that night. With her newly found wickedness, Lady Macbeth instructed her husband to pretend to be welcoming, but remain true to their cause. In her words,” look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under it” (Shakespeare, 2004, 1.5. 71-72). She convinces Macbeth to get the guards drunk and to kill Duncan in his sleep. She would continue to frame the guards by smearing Duncan’s blood on them. Macbeth was very hesitant with killing his king, but according to his wife, he could not be a man as long as Duncan lives. He argues that, “I dare do all that may become a man; Who dares do more is none” (Shakespeare, 2004, 1.7. 50-51); however, Lady Macbeth became manipulative and coerced Macbeth by using humiliation. By maintaining two fronts, Macbeth was able to see the dark side of her, while everyone else saw a calm and collected hostess. They had gotten what they wanted, but living a lie proved to be too difficult for them as they eventually spiraled into insanity.
After killing Duncan, Macbeth kills multiple people without instigation. He kills his best friend Banquo over suspicion and later kills Macduff's family. After his best friend dies, Macbeth becomes delusional: During a dinner with the nobles, Lady Macbeth comes up with excuses for Macbeth’s fits as he frantically casts out Banquo’s spirit. In order to keep the nobles from becoming suspicious, Lady Macbeth says, “Sit worthy friends. My lord is often like this, and has been since he was young. If you stare at him, you will make his fit last longer (Shakespeare, 2004, 3.4. 60-66).” These actions, in my opinion, steer Lady Macbeth into insanity with Macbeth, for she must stay witty for him, hide her own dark secrets, and be the queen her country needs her to be. All this pressure must find a way out, and it does; Catherine E. Thomas (2012) states, ”The internalization of her deadly plans highlights the bad thoughts that lead to later bad deeds” which perfectly illustrates the consequences of internalizing such pressure.
How Her Health Is Affected
Once Lady Macbeth has done her part to become queen, she goes through another personality change. She no longer needs to be evil, to be capable of murder, or to be persuasive to get what she wants, so her desire to be unsexed is no more. One could say she is a woman again. C. Thomas (2012) claims Lady Macbeth, “has a voice, but the voice is contained in opposition to her body, which has become an anxious spectacle of surveillance rather than the determined instrument of agency.” She can no longer “violate the fundamental order of human community by taking life without provocation or clear purpose,”(Churchill, 2014) without suffering the traumatic consequences, or tolerate “a descent into madness triggered by pointless destruction” (Churchill, 2014,). Being unsexed in the beginning of the play proved to be beneficial, for the stress proved to be intolerable as a woman.
Macbeth’s decision to continue his voracious killing spree results in the unnecessary accumulation of stress for Lady Macbeth. She is able to suppress the guilt and paranoia throughout the day, but her subconscious cannot. In other words, her body expresses these thoughts while asleep. One of her servants discovered this trend and notified a doctor. According to the servant, Lady Macbeth can be seen walking around at night, talking in her sleep, and performing strange actions. More specifically, Lady Macbeth would arise in the middle of her sleep, acquire a gown, unlock her chest, take out a piece of paper, write a letter with the paper, read it, seal it, then go back to bed. She has also been seen trying to rub off imaginary blood off her hands while cursing Macbeth for being a coward. It seems that she has an extremely vivid recurring dream about the night of Duncan’s murder, for when she talks in her trance, she asks Macbeth, “Why should we fear the consequences if we are going to be the most powerful people? Still, who would have thought the old man would have so much blood in him?” (Shakespeare, 2004, 5.1. 30-35). Typically recurring dreams occur after a traumatic event, I’d say murdering a king would bring sufficient trauma. Consequently, she unintentionally admits to murdering Duncan as the doctor and maid watch one of these episodes.
Even though these spectacles are common, they are only brought upon when Macbeth is away at the battlefield. It is possible that this may indicate some sort of trauma induced separation anxiety. The trauma being caused by Macbeth’s actions following his acclimation of power. He murders Macduff’s family for no apparent reason and it didn’t sit well with Lady Macbeth. In another one of her episodes she asks Macbeth, “Macduff had a wife. Where is she now? Why won’t our hands ever be clean of blood? No more of that, my lord, no more of that. You’ll spoil everything with these outbursts” (Shakespeare, 2004, 5.1. 36-39). This backs the idea that Macbeth drives his wife insane, even if she was the cause for his insanity.
Her Illness
Many literary critics have different theories explaining Lady Macbeth’s illness.
For example, J. Levin believes that Lady Macbeth goes crazy due to possible childlessness. As stated by Levin (2002),“Lady Macbeth's illness . . . could be explained directly as a reaction to her childlessness”. In his opinion, Shakespeare uses “Lady Macbeth’s domineering sexuality” as a way to validate the patriarchal order of his time. He wanted to instill fear of strong women among men. Levin (2002) says that she, “ultimately validates the patriarchal order through her very resistance.” From another viewpoint, Catherine E. Thomas (2012) believes, “once Lady Macbeth’s plot is foiled and her position of wife is less central, she fades away into madness and eventually, suicidal death”. Basically Lady Macbeth can’t handle being her husband’s afterthought, which again supports J. Levin’s theory of supporting the patriarchal order. Some critics remain unsure as to what caused the illness; Freud (1916) states, “‘What, however, these motives can have been which in so short a space of time could turn the hesitating, ambitious man into an unbridled tyrant, and his steely-hearted instigator into a sick woman gnawed by remorse, it is, in my view, impossible to guess’” (as quoted in Churchill, 2014). After reading these ideas, my own opinions lead me to suggest that the meltdown was caused by Lady Macbeth “becoming a woman again” and not being able to psychologically deal with their actions. This must have triggered trauma induced separation anxiety, as her sleep pattern is disrupted while Macbeth is away; she fears his dauntless
actions.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Lady Macbeth’s mental state came into question from the very moment she received Macbeth’s letter. She was dazzled by the prestige and rank being Queen permitted; naturally she would do anything for it. After becoming queen her lust for blood ended. She was unable to deal with her past actions and her husband’s pointless murdering, so she spirals into madness. In the end, Lady Macbeth’s quest for power was the cause of her downfall; the catalyst being the letter, the motive being the lust for royalty, the unnecessary killing driving her insane, and the separation anxiety revealing her bloody past.