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Kayla Quirarte

ELA 10

Sattelmaier

8 December 2021

“Macbeth” Final

In the play “Macbeth” by William Shakespeare, the topic of mental health disorders and

the effects are shown. Mental health disorders are shown through Macbeth and Lady Macbeth.

Macbeth has psychosis and paranoia. Psychosis is treatable if treated right away with

antipsychotic medications and it is shown by “anxiety, suspiciousness, and hallucinations”

(Healthline). Paranoia is not completely treatable, however, treatment can help a person cope

with their symptoms. Some symptoms of paranoia include “finding it difficult to trust others,

being overly suspicious, and not being able to compromise” (BetterHealth). Lady Macbeth

shows symptoms of schizophrenia and sleep deprivation. Schizophrenia is not treatable,

however, there are some medications to help reduce the symptoms. Some symptoms include

“delusions and suicidal thoughts” (MayoClinic). Sleep deprivation is treatable by simply getting

more sleep. “Some psychological affects of sleep deprivation include impulsive behavior,

anxiety, depression, paranoia, and suicidal thoughts” (healthline).

Macbeth shows multiple symptoms of paranoia and psychosis. One symptom of

psychosis portrayed by Macbeth is hallucinations. He believes he sees things that are not actually

there. When Macbeth is creating his plan to murder Duncan he hallucinates a dagger and says,

“Is this a dagger which I see before me, The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee.”

(Act ll Scene l). Macbeth believes that the dagger he is seeing is attempting to lead him to

Duncan to persuade him to commit the crime. Macbeth later starts to believe that his crimes will
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catch up to him and is worried about the consequences. He is paranoid and scared of what will

happen to him and is frightened simply by a little noise, he says, “Where is that knocking coming

from? What’s happening to me, that I’m frightened of every noise?” (Act II Scene II). After

murdering Duncan Macbeth becomes paranoid and he feels guilty that Duncan’s blood is on his

hands. All in all, Macbeth shows symptoms of both psychosis and sleep deprivation.

Lady Macbeth seems to show symptoms of schizophrenia and sleep deprivation. One side

effect of schizophrenia that is portrayed through Lady Macbeth is delusions. She feels guilty for

the murder of Duncan and feels like she has his blood on her hands. In one scene, Lady Macbeth

is sleepwalking and commands, “Out, damned spot! Out, I say!—One, two. Why, then, ’tis time

to do ’t. Hell is murky!—Fie, my lord, fie! A soldier, and afeard? What need we fear who knows

it, when none can call our power to account?” (Act 5, Scene 1). Lady Macbeth subconsiously

confesses to the murder of Duncan to the handmaid and the doctor. This scene shows that

although Lady Macbeth tries to be tough, she feels guilty about what happened. A psychological

side effect of sleep deprivation that is shown by Lady Macbeth is suicidal thoughts. After hearing

a woman scream, a messenger is sent to tell Macbeth the news that “The queen is dead” (Act 5

Scene 5). We learn that Lady Macbeth killed herself due to her sleep deprivation and

schizophrenia. The guilt was overwhelming and she was going crazy. To wrap it up, Lady

Macbeth suffered from sleep deprivation and schizophrenia.

In conclusion, both Lady Macbeth and Macbeth suffered from mental disorders. Macbeth

was suffering from paranoia and psychosis, and Lady Macbeth was suffering from schizophrenia

and sleep deprivation. Both of these disorders helped convey the plot and provided a twist which

the readers were not expecting.

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Work Cited:

https://www.healthline.com/health/hallucinations#types
https://www.healthline.com/health/psychosis#psychotic-disorders
https://www.healthline.com/health/psychosis#symptoms
https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/paranoia
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/schizophrenia/symptoms-causes/syc-20354443
https://www.healthline.com/health/sleep-deprivation/effects-on-body#Central-nervous-system