Madness In Macbeth

2 Pages 555 Words

In William Shakespeare’s play Macbeth madness is portrayed in three of the main characters. Macbeth, Macduff, and Lady Macbeth are all people in this play that reveal characteristics that we would not expect. There are many ironic scenes throughout Macbeth that brings action into the play and catches the audience’s attention. The scenes of Banquo’s death, the suicide of Lady Macbeth, and Macduff learning of the murder of his wife and children, are the three main scenes that show madness in the play.
Act three, scene four is the scene when Macbeth was at the banquet and started to hallucinate after the murder of Banquo. Prior to this Macbeth had sent two murderers to execute Banquo and Fleance, but they were only successful in the killing of Banquo. When Macbeth hears of Banquos death he is quite pleased, but when he learns of Fleance’s escape he is worried and looks troubled. As guests begin to arrive for the banquet Macbeth greets them, and when he goes to take a seat he sees the ghost of Banquo staring up at him. Macbeth, thinking this is real, begins to speak to him. The crowd is baffled and Lady Macbeth then hurries everyone out and announces that Macbeth has had this illness since he was a child. As it turns out, a banquet is prepared for all the guests, but because of Macbeth’s guilt, the banquet collapses in disorder and confusion before it even gets underway. This insane behavior about Macbeth exposes that he has regrets for what he has done to Banquo.
Act four, scene three, is when Macduff learns that his wife and children have been brutally murdered. Knowing this Macduff is enraged and wants with getting even with Macbeth by joining forces with Malcolm. But Macduff soon finds out that Macbeth has no children so no revenge will be equivalent to the pain he felt. Unlike Macbeth, Macduff’s madness is different because things done to him brought on his anger. This mad behavior reveals the darker and more brutal si...