Insanity or mental strife: a psychological exploration of Hamlet and Macbeth’s downfall

Abstract

Madness was more closely associated with its dictionary description during Shakespeare's time: the state of being mentally sick, frenetic or chaotic activity, or stupid action. In Shakespeare's time, becoming mad was frequently the narrative of a plot or the outcome of tragedy or sadness. Hamlet and Macbeth, the two tragic heroes of Shakespeare show signs of madness and mental illness right from the beginning of the play. Hamlet’s constant procrastination causes much suffering for himself and eventually leads to his tragic end while in Macbeth’s case, it was his unrestrained ambition that led to his downfall. The view of Hamlet as an Oedipus predicament stems from the fundamental concepts of Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytic psychology. Soren Kierkegaard’s existentialist philosophy resonates strongly with the character of Macbeth. Hamlet and Macbeth’s descent into madness is shaped by complicated psychological conflicts as Hamlet’s Oedipal tension and disturbed psyche reveal symptoms of depression and psychosis, while Macbeth’s repressed guilt and paranoia reflect signs of guilt-induced psychosis, illustrating how Shakespeare intertwines mental illness with the tragic downfall of his protagonists.