Delusional Characters in Shakespeare

Delusional Characters in Shakespeare

"Delusion can often lead to unhappiness." Comment on how characters you have studied in a text this semester have deluded themselves and other. What was the outcome of this delusion?

In William Shakespeare's play text "Macbeth", we are shown delusion can often lead to unhappiness. Many of the characters in the play deluded themselves and others along the way. A deluded Macbeth destroys his entire kingdom by deluding others around him as well as himself, and eventually in a moment of tragic realization, is slain. Lady Macbeth suicides in a moment of insanity and unhappiness when she realizes her own delusional state. King Duncan is deluded by feelings of safety and trust, impelling him to his death at the hands of Macbeth, causing unhappiness for all belonging to his kingdom. Banquo, though suspicious of Macbeth, still has confidence in their friendship then momentarily allows himself to be deluded by the promise of prophecy and soon after is murdered. All the characters, consequently, end up unhappy.

Macbeth is deluded by prophecies of kingship and once king, he is then deluded by the promise of power. The witches foretell Macbeth's rise to the throne and due to his superstitious nature, he willingly believes the prophecies, never really doubting their augury. A delusional Macbeth ignores the order of the natural world, failing to recognize the Great Chain of Being. The king on the Chain of Being is recognized as earth's tangible divinity, a Supreme Being of earth, situated at the highest earthly place on the chain. Macbeth's first delusion is that he has any right to claim a place on the throne and in doing so ignores divine order. The fact that it was the oracles of evil, the witches, who informed Macbeth of his ascension should have been enough to alert him that the witches were going to create disorder and use him as an agent of chaos. The seduction of power then fuels his delusion and he plots to kill King Duncan. Macbeth's second delusion is that he can enact the murder without encountering the consequences inevitable when divinity is slain. He does fleetingly consider these consequences of the heinous crime in a moment alone. After acknowledging the diablerie of the proposed crime, he decides not to carry out the murder.

"We still have judgement here; - that we but teach Bloody instructions, which, being taught, return To plague the inventor. This even-handed justice Commends the ingredients of our poisoned chalice To our own lips. Act I, Scene VII, Lines 8-12.

He tells Lady Macbeth of his decision, which prompts her to viciously impel him to reassess his decision. Macbeth then ignores what he knows is right and allows himself to be deluded by Lady Macbeth and the witches. Macbeth then goes on to murder his king, Duncan in order to reach the throne.

Once he is king, Macbeth is deluded that he can maintain power through chicanery. Fearful the witches prophecies of Banquo's sons elevation to the crown will eventuate, causing him to loose his position, Macbeth employs murderers to kill Banquo, in order to do this and to preserve himself from the fatal consequences of his actions.

Following Banquo's murder and the appearance of his apparition, Macbeth visits the witches due to new fears and with trepidation. At his feast, in which to Banquo was invited, Macbeth acknowledges Banquo's absence despite his knowledge of his death. In response, the ghost of Banquo appears at the table and a mortified Macbeth proceeds to rant and rave in fear. Lady Macbeth with no other choice takes control and sends the guest's home. Due to his fears after the ghostly visitation, Macbeth decides to visit the pernicious weird sisters in order to discover how to achieve his destiny. During the consultation, the witches delude Macbeth further by telling him what they know he wants to hear about his future. "Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! beware Macduff. Beware the thane of Fife...laugh to scorn The power of man; for none of woman born Shall harm Macbeth...

...Macbeth shall never vanquished be, until Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill Shall come against him." Act IV, Scene I, Lines 70-71,79-80&91-93.

Macbeth, deluded by the witches' promise of his immortality as well as his arrogance and fear of being discovered, becomes more treacherous and plans the slaughter of Macduff's family. After the witches vanish, Macbeth speaks to Lennox, a Nobleman of Scotland who tells him that Macduff has "fled to England." After hearing this Macbeth expresses his annoyance that he had not acted earlier when his suspicions first arose. He decides that from now on, he will act on his thoughts immediately. "The flighty purpose never is o'ertook, Unless the deed go with it. From this moment, The very firstlings of my heart shall be The firstlings of my hand. And even now, To crown my thought's with acts, be it thought and done" Act IV, Scene I, Lines 143-150.

Lady Macbeth's is the mirror of her husbands' delusion. She too, is deluded by the witches' prognostications along with the seduction of the throne and its power. She determinedly decides to provoke her husband to take the life of Duncan in order for Macbeth to reach the throne. Not believing Macbeth has the evil in him to carry out the murder of a king, Lady Macbeth calls upon evil spirits to make her uncompromisingly evil, in doing so empowering her to push Macbeth further towards the throne. "Come, you Spirits That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, And fill me, from the crown to the toe, top-full Of direst cruelty." Act I, Scene VI, Lines 38-41.

What Lady Macbeth fails to realize is that through her invocation of the evil spirits, she has heightened the irony of her delusion as it brings Macbeth's downfall closer. In becoming 'unsexed' Lady Macbeth is robbed of her femininity and she loses the ability to conceive children. Therefore, she and Macbeth will have no heirs to carry on the crown. In her evil and deluded state, Lady Macbeth then assists in the murder of Duncan and deludes both herself and Macbeth into believing in a false sense of security and that they could murder Duncan without meeting the fatal consequences. "A little water clears us of this deed; How easy it is then!" Act II, Scene III, Lines 66-67

King Duncan's delusion is that he is safe and well honored by the virtue of his position and this delusion leads to his death. His trust is inexplicable considering the actions of the previous Thane of Cawdor. A naпve Duncan believes Macbeth to be brave, loyal and trustworthy.