Hallucinations in Macbeth

Essay by bigted14High School, 11th gradeA, January 2008

download word file, 5 pages 5.0

Downloaded 12 times

Guilt is a major emotion. It can affect many parts of one’s life or body. Most of the time people, who have the guilt, deserve it for something they’ve done wrong. It can lead to hallucinations or death. “Kings are not born: they are made by universal hallucination.” Hallucinations are a sensory experience of something that does not exist outside the mind, caused by various physical and mental disorders. In the tragedy Macbeth, there are many hallucinations and visions that affect the characters and change the play. Macbeth was written in 1606 by William Shakespeare. It’s about a man named Macbeth who is the tragic hero of the play. Macbeth and Banquo are walking and they are stopped by some witches who reveal a prophecy that Macbeth will one day be thane of Cawdor and king, and that Banquo’s son will one day be a king as well. So the first two prophecies come true, and the rest of the play is about how Macbeth will make sure the Banquo’s son will not be king, and how Macbeth will stay in power.

A guilty conscience leads to many hallucinations and visions in this play. Once murder was committed there were usually a hallucination or vision, and many problems preceding them. The three most important showings of guilty conscience were the dagger, Banquo’s ghost, and sleepwalking of Lady Macbeth. They play an important role in the play and change the way the play unfolds.

In the opening Act of the play the witches tell the prophecy of Macbeth and Banquo. Once the first part comes true, his wife Lady Macbeth will do anything to ensure the second part does as well. She suggests murdering the King now in order for her husband to become king. Macbeth feels guilt at first...