Madness Macbeth

Madness Macbeth

1. Act 5 sn1

   • Lang devices
     • "The thane of Fife had a wife"
       • Rhyme as she admits to crimes that she didn't commit. Shows how guilt weighs on her mind.
     • "Hell is murky"
       • Religious imagery scares the audience.
         • "Can call powers to account"
           • She thinks that she'll be punished in hell for her actions. Scares people away from committing crimes.
   • Structure
     • "will these hands ne'er be clean"
       • Repeated motif of blood and handwashing show guilt and madness.
   • Content
     • Lady Macbeth has gone insane as she feels guilty for all her crimes.
   • Context
     • Mental health wasn't viewed as it is today . So this was a unique view on how people could become mad from guilt.

2. Whole play

   • Content
     • Macbeth and Lady Macbeth both show signs of madness. Lady Macbeth started off powerful but ends up being weak as her guilt overwhelms her. Macbeth is controlled by paranoia and his ambitions.
   • Banquo's ghost
     • Macbeth was the only one who could see him which was the opposite of Hamlet's ghost. It could show that he hallucinated Banquo.
   • "Is that a dagger I see before me?"
     • A hallucination. It shows how he has been corrupted by his ambition. As he is willing to hurt Duncan who was a "sainted king".