Macbeth: Illuminating the Tale of Ambition and Madness with Psychology One of Shakespeare’s four great tragedies, Macbeth, tells the story of the Scottish general Macbeth, who murders the king and ascends the throne himself, driven by the witches’ prophecies and his wife’s instigation. However, his reign is built upon a foundation of bloody sins, and Macbeth is tormented by guilt and paranoia, leading him to his downfall.
This work is not merely a tale of power struggles. Shakespeare vividly portrays the darkness lurking in the depths of the human heart—ambition, guilt, and madness—through the psychological portrayal of Macbeth and his wife.
In this exploration, we will shed light on the characters’ inner depths using modern psychology, reinterpreting the story of Macbeth from a new perspective.
- Macbeth: Caught Between Ambition and Guilt Macbeth is introduced as a brave and loyal general. However, the moment he hears the witches’ prophecy of becoming king, the fire of ambition ignites within him.
His character is marked by the conflict between ambition and cowardice. While harboring the ambition to become king, he is also terrified of committing the necessary crimes.
His internal struggle can be explained by the psychological concept of “approach-avoidance conflict.” This conflict arises when one simultaneously feels the desire to “approach” and “avoid” a particular goal.
For Macbeth, the throne represents an attractive goal of power and glory, but it is also a dangerous one, accompanied by guilt and fear. He suffers from this conflict but ultimately succumbs to his wife’s persuasion and makes the decision to murder the king.
Cognitive Dissonance and Self-Justification After killing the king, Macbeth is plagued by intense guilt and anxiety. This can be explained by the psychological phenomenon of “cognitive dissonance.” Cognitive dissonance is the psychological discomfort experienced when one’s actions contradict their beliefs or values.
To justify his crimes, Macbeth falls into self-deception, telling himself things like, “The king was a tyrant” and “I acted for the good of the country.”
Macbeth in the Modern World In a modern context, Macbeth could be an ambitious businessman. He strongly desires success and might engage in ethically questionable actions to reach the top.
However, deep down, he is tormented by guilt and anxiety, unable to fully enjoy the fruits of his success. He might concoct various excuses to justify his actions, deceiving those around him.
- Lady Macbeth: Ruthless Ambition and a Fragile Mind Lady Macbeth is portrayed as a woman with even greater ambition and ruthlessness than her husband. Upon hearing the witches’ prophecy, she manipulates Macbeth into murdering the king.
Her manipulation of Macbeth reflects the personality trait of “Machiavellianism.” Machiavellianism is a personality trait characterized by ruthlessness, manipulation, and a willingness to exploit others to achieve one’s goals.
Repression and Projection Lady Macbeth represses her guilt and fear into the unconscious realm through the defense mechanism of “repression.” However, repressed emotions can resurface in different forms.
In the scene where she washes her hands, Lady Macbeth is terrified by a hallucination of blood and cries, “Out, damned spot!” This is a form of the defense mechanism called “projection,” where unacceptable emotions or impulses within oneself are projected onto others or the external world to protect oneself.
Lady Macbeth in the Modern World In a modern context, Lady Macbeth could be the ambitious wife of a politician, scheming behind the scenes to ensure her husband’s success.
She might see her husband’s success as her own and be willing to use ruthless means to achieve it. However, deep down, she could be suffering from guilt and anxiety, leading to mental instability.
- Banquo: The Symbol of Reason and Conscience Banquo is Macbeth’s friend who, like Macbeth, hears the witches’ prophecy. However, in contrast to Macbeth, Banquo remains unfazed by the prophecy, adhering to reason and conscience.
His character is depicted as calm and thoughtful, the opposite of Macbeth’s emotional nature. He perceives the witches’ prophecy as an “evil temptation” and upholds his moral beliefs without succumbing to it.
Locus of Control and Realism Banquo believes in “internal locus of control,” the idea that one can control their own destiny. He is a realist who strives to shape his future through his own efforts, rather than being swayed by the witches’ prophecy.
Banquo in the Modern World In a modern context, Banquo could be a business leader who values ethics. He would prioritize long-term stability and growth over short-term profits and emphasize fulfilling social responsibilities.
Even if presented with a lucrative opportunity, he would not take it if it conflicted with his ethical principles.
- Macduff: The Avenger of Justice Fueled by Revenge Macduff is a Scottish nobleman who vows revenge after Macbeth murders his family. He is depicted as a symbol of justice and revenge in the play.
Sense of Justice and Anger Macduff harbors intense anger and hatred towards Macbeth’s evil deeds. His desire for revenge stems not only from personal vengeance but also from a sense of justice to restore the order in Scotland that Macbeth has destroyed.
Loss and Grief Macduff overcomes the grief of losing his family and strives towards his goal of revenge. His actions can be explained by the psychological concept of the “grieving process.”
The grieving process generally progresses through five stages: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Macduff goes through these stages, transforming his grief over the loss of his family into anger towards Macbeth, and ultimately finding peace of mind by achieving his revenge.
Macduff in the Modern World In a modern context, Macduff could be a family member of a crime victim, advocating for harsh punishment for the perpetrator.
He might be channeling his anger and grief over the unjust loss of his loved ones into the pursuit of social justice, seeking to heal his emotional wounds.
- The Witches: Reflecting the Depths of Human Psychology The witches are portrayed as supernatural beings in Macbeth, giving prophecies to Macbeth and driving him towards his doom.
Prophecies and Self-Fulfilling Prophecies Their prophecies ignite Macbeth’s ambition and serve as a catalyst for his downfall. This can be interpreted in connection with the social psychology phenomenon of “self-fulfilling prophecies.”
A self-fulfilling prophecy is a phenomenon where believing in a prophecy leads to actions that ultimately make it come true. Macbeth, by believing in the witches’ prophecy, takes actions that eventually fulfill it.
Witches as Symbols of the Unconscious From a psychological perspective, the witches can be interpreted as symbols of Macbeth’s own unconscious mind (the realm of the mind that is not accessible to conscious awareness).
Their prophecies could be seen as bringing to the surface Macbeth’s hidden ambition for the throne. They can also be considered as projections of Macbeth’s negative emotions, such as guilt, paranoia, and madness.
Macbeth: A Mirror Reflecting the Darkness of the Human HeartMacbeth is a work that depicts power, ambition, and the fragility and darkness of the human heart. The characters are all tossed about by the threads of fate, each carrying their own desires, beliefs, and conflicts.
By utilizing the knowledge of modern psychology, we can deeply understand their actions and emotions, receiving the messages embedded in this timeless masterpiece more clearly.
And through the mirror of Macbeth, we might also be able to confront the light and shadows lurking within our own hearts.