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Examples Of Schizophrenia In Macbeth

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Macbeth, the main character in William Shakespeare’s play Macbeth, deals with a variety of personal struggles that cause his unusual behavior throughout the story. Macbeth appears to be delusional, paranoid, and victim of hallucinations and insomnia. Today, these symptoms would lead to the diagnosis of schizophrenia, a disease that blurs the line between what is real and what is not. Schizophrenia distorts the actions, feelings, and thoughts of a person, causing social withdrawal, unresponsiveness to emotional situations, hallucinations, and paranoia. This diagnostic explains Macbeth’s responses and actions towards certain events in the play. The cause for this disorder is still unknown, however, it is believed that it could be triggered by …show more content…

He develops a strange sense of superiority, which is common among schizophrenic patients. These disturbances cause most patients to fabricate ideas that they are someone famous, of authority, or superior to loved ones. His impulses of sovereignty allow him to murder anyone who impedes him from making his kingship happen. He convinces himself that “present fears are less than horrible imaginings” (Act 1, Scene 3). In other words, Macbeth is trying to make himself believe that murdering in order to achieve his goal cannot be as bad as it seems. This is another very common display of schizophrenia as it shows indifference and insensitivity to important …show more content…

He sees a floating dagger before him that drips blood as it leads him towards Duncan’s room to kill him. At first, Macbeth is certain that the dagger is real, so he reaches out to grab it, but moments later he realizes that it is “a dagger of the mind, a false creation” (Act 2, Scene 1). This gives a clear insight that Macbeth struggles with determining what is real and what is not: a common symptom found in schizophrenic patients. In another occasion, Macbeth encounters Banquo’s ghost sitting in his chair at a royal feast. He speaks to the ghost, which is invisible to the rest of the guests. Banquo’s ghost disappears and reappears throughout the feast, causing Macbeth to outburst. This surprises his guests but Lady Macbeth assures them that these visions are quite common for

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