Madness: (Foucault + Freud)

Macbeth is a play about the inner world of human psychology, as will be illustrated by the schizophrenic
characters (who display symptoms of psychopathologies/ mental breakdown) as a result of their
transgression/deviation:

 Sleeplessness/insomnia: Macbeth later believes that, in murdering Duncan, he "has murdered

sleep" and both he and Lady Macbeth are denied "Sleep that knits up the raveled sleeve of
care."
 Nightmares and guilt-ridden hallucinations:
Visual (ghosts/the dagger; which led him to Duncan, is just a "painting of your fear» (Lady
Macbeth)/ ‘‘A dagger of the mind", "a false creation" (Macbeth) ) : epitome of his desires.)
Auditory: hearing voices and delusions (“Macbeth shall sleep no more.”)
Lady Macbeth is described as having an "infected mind" + compulsive washing of stained hands.
 “Out, damned spot; out, I say . . . who would have thought the old man to have
had so much blood in him?”
 "Unnatural deeds Do breed unnatural troubles. Infected minds To their deaf
pillows will discharge their secrets" (doctor)
 "she is troubled with thick-coming fancies That keep her from her rest."
 Sleepwalking and fainting (Lady Macbeth)
 Cognitive dysfunctions that are apparent in the language: (fragmented speech, inability to
formulate thoughts, and discourse which lacks both cohesion and coherence (often limited to
cursing)) => logorrhea. Macbeth's words become "fury"
 Paranoia: Macbeth, as a king, is a tyrant who is paranoid and obsessed by keeping his power.

All of this reflects the troubled and guilt-ridden inner selves of the characters: "Will all great Neptune’s
ocean wash this blood Clean from my hand? No, this my hand will rather The multitudinous seas
incarnadine, Making the green one red."