State Of Insanity In Shakespeare's 'Macbeth'

Macbeth’s State of Insanity An insane person is one who demonstrates irresponsible actions due to their poor mental state. In the beginning of Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”, Macbeth is illustrated as a brave and valiant soldier who defeats a number of enemies on the battlefield with great courage, earning the title of Thane of Cawdor and Glamis. The play immediately leads the reader to affirm that Macbeth is surely sane and stable. Despite being a great and noble soldier, an insane character emerges from within once he learns that the witches’ have prophesized that he will be king. Macbeth validates the characteristics of an insane person when he claims to see a floating dagger, an illusive ghost, and becomes comfortable killing the
It begins when Macbeth sees a dagger appear right before his eyes with its handle pointing towards his hand. He struggles to decide whether the dagger is real or just a figment of his imagination as he says “Is this a dagger I see before me, the handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee. I have thee not, and yet I see thee still. Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible to feeling as to sight, or art thou but A dagger of the mind, a false creation, proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain?" (Act II, Scene I, Lines 33-39) This indicates that Macbeth is beginning to become mad as he fails to distinguish reality over fantasy. Subsequent to killing Duncan, Macbeth’s insanity pushes him to make further unwise decisions, which eventually leads to his best friend, Banquo’s, death. Macbeth plans to murder his best and most loyal friend because he fears that he poses a threat and will get in the way of his journey to deem power. Macbeth says “To be thus is nothing, but to be safely thus. Our fears in Banquo stick deep, and in his royalty of nature, reigns that which would be feared.” (Act III, Scene I, Lines 52-55) This shows that Macbeth’s insanity has reached such a