Skip to main content

To what disease is Macbeth referring? How is this ironic?

In Act 5, scene 3, Macbeth gets a report about his wife's apparent illness from her physician. The doctor says that she is "troubled with thick-coming fancies / That keep her from her rest" (5.3.47-48). There is nothing physically wrong with her; her illness is in her mind. Macbeth's response is somewhat insensitive. He says,


Cure her of that. Canst thou not minister to a mind diseased, Pluck from the memory a rooted sorrow,Raze...

In Act 5, scene 3, Macbeth gets a report about his wife's apparent illness from her physician. The doctor says that she is "troubled with thick-coming fancies / That keep her from her rest" (5.3.47-48). There is nothing physically wrong with her; her illness is in her mind. Macbeth's response is somewhat insensitive. He says,



Cure her of that.
Canst thou not minister to a mind diseased,
Pluck from the memory a rooted sorrow,
Raze out the written troubles of the brain,
And with some sweet, oblivious antidote
Cleanse the stuffed bosom of that perilous stuff
Which weighs upon the heart?  (5.2.49-55)



In other words, Macbeth expects a doctor of the body to do something to Lady Macbeth's body in order to change something happening in her mind. He wants the physician to somehow "minister" to his wife, to somehow extract the terrible memory she keeps reliving, to destroy her mental troubles, or perhaps give her something that will make her forget whatever it is that so weighs on her. His expectations are ironic given the nature of Lady Macbeth's ailment: she feels guilty, and there is no medical cure for guilt.


Macbeth's response is ironic, as well, because he sounds as callous as his wife once did in regard to guilt. Immediately after the murder, she scolded him for dwelling on his guilt, saying, "These deeds must not be thought / After these ways; so, it will make us mad" (2.2.45-46). Now she has actually been driven mad as a result of her guilt, and her once-weak husband is the one who acts as though it is so easy to simply put one's guilt behind them. We would likely not expect such a reversal in attitude.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

What are some external and internal conflicts that Montag has in Fahrenheit 451?

 Montag, the protagonist of Fahrenheit 451, faces both external and internal conflicts throughout the novel. Some examples of these conflicts are: External Conflicts: Conflict with the society: Montag lives in a society that prohibits books and critical thinking. He faces opposition from the government and the people who enforce this law. Montag struggles to come to terms with the fact that his society is based on censorship and control. Conflict with his wife: Montag's wife, Mildred, is completely absorbed in the shallow and meaningless entertainment provided by the government. Montag's growing dissatisfaction with his marriage adds to his external conflict. Conflict with the fire captain: Montag's superior, Captain Beatty, is the personification of the oppressive regime that Montag is fighting against. Montag's struggle against Beatty represents his external conflict with the government. Internal Conflicts: Conflict with his own beliefs: Montag, at the beginning of th...

In A People's History of the United States, why does Howard Zinn feel that Wilson made a flimsy argument for entering World War I?

"War is the health of the state," the radical writer Randolph Bourne said, in the midst of the First World War. Indeed, as the nations of Europe went to war in 1914, the governments flourished, patriotism bloomed, class struggle was stilled, and young men died in frightful numbers on the battlefields-often for a hundred yards of land, a line of trenches. -- Chapter 14, Page 350, A People's History of the United States Howard Zinn outlines his arguments for why World War I was fought in the opening paragraph of Chapter 14 (referenced above). The nationalism that was created by the Great War benefited the elite political and financial leadership of the various countries involved. Socialism, which was gaining momentum in Europe, as was class struggle, took a backseat to mobilizing for war. Zinn believes that World War I was fought for the gain of the industrial capitalists of Europe in a competition for capital and resources. He states that humanity itself was punished by t...

Where did Atticus take the light and extension cord in To Kill a Mockingbird?

Atticus brings the light to the courthouse jail so that he can protect Tom Robinson.  Atticus learns that Tom Robinson, his client, is in danger.  A group of white men want to prevent the trial and lynch Robinson. He is warned by a small group of men that appear at his house.  He refuses to back down.  Atticus knows that the Cunninghams will target his client, so he plans to sit up all night with... Atticus brings the light to the courthouse jail so that he can protect Tom Robinson.  Atticus learns that Tom Robinson, his client, is in danger.  A group of white men want to prevent the trial and lynch Robinson. He is warned by a small group of men that appear at his house.  He refuses to back down.  Atticus knows that the Cunninghams will target his client, so he plans to sit up all night with Jim if that’s what it takes to protect him.  Atticus tells the men that he will make sure his client gets his fair shake at the law.  “Link, that boy might go to the chair, but he’s not going till ...