In the play Macbeth a man is driven to murder his king and companions after receiving a fairly ambiguous prophecy told by three witches. Although the witches triggered a series of events that later aid Macbeths descent into complete insanity. Macbeth is portrayed from the very beginning as a fierce and violent soldier
As the play progresses several internal conflicts inside of Macbeth it became clear. After he performs several bloody tasks the madness inside of Macbeth becomes unmistakably visible to everyone around him and as a result of this insanity he sees visions and hallucinations each time. Macbeth hallucinates he plunges further into insanity that is essentially caused by misguided ambition to become king
From this decision arises obvious internal conflict- he has love for his king and has proved this in battle However his ambition is decidedly the prevailing emotion and he decides he must kill his king the scene before the murder takes place Macbeth imagines a dagger before him.
He says “I have not and yet I see the still. Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible to feeling as to sight? Or art thou but a dagger of the mind a false creation proceeding from the heat oppressed brain?”(2.1.47-51)
Macbeth recognizes that the dagger is not real and accepts this. This is his first step into insanity. As he admits his mind is feverish with excitement and perhaps dread and he understands that this vision is ominous. His internal conflict has now begun to develop, his ambition is driving him to do something and subconsciously he knows it is not right.
The second hallucination that Macbeth has is of the ghost of Banquo. The witches prophesized to Banquo “thou shall have kings, though thou be none” (1,3,70)
Macbeth knows that Banquo’s sons will be kings and in his conflicted state suspects that the murder of Duncan was in vain, for he believes he has done all the for Banquo’s sons. Macbeth puts into place the scheme for both Banquo and his son Fleance’s murder. Later on Banquo’s ghost appears at the banquet. The appearance of Banquo’s ghost plays an important role. But it also leaves us to wonder if it is a sign of Macbeth’s imagination, in addition it can be argued and demonstrated that Macbeth had lost his sanity before this point.
The use of visions in Macbeth is a very good stage technique, which like the soliloquy allows the audience an insight into the mind of the character’s mind the visions also shows Macbeth and lady Macbeths downfall .
Banquo’s ghost appears in act 3 scene 4 of the play. It makes an appearance a couple of times. The Ghost sits in Macbeth’s seat; however, we know that Macbeth’s comrades cannot see the ghost and that only he, Macbeth, is able to see it. The ghost is bloody and has similar comparisons as those other ghosts associated with Shakespearean era ghosts. As established by the “gory locks”, this whole vision takes place shortly after Macbeth had his friend murdered by three men. It is also important to note that the ghost never utters a sound and an important difference between him and Shakespeare’s other ghosts as will be established later.
Macbeth’s hallucinations plays an important role on the development of his character. It is important to know his hallucinations did not cause his insanity, his insanity caused his visions. His insanity was a result of ambition taken too far, ambition that converted into evil by internal and social conflict. Lady Macbeth’s hunger for power was the initial spark which guided him along this dark path. She knows her husband thinks and she knows his weaknesses being his fragile ego and how to play on them. From his ambitions came actions that filled his mind with conflict, dread and guilt, which eventually let to his tragic downfall.