Taking my own look at this highly scrutinized and famous speech – Macbeth’s response to hearing that Lady Macbeth is dead – I think that Macbeth’s level of despair at this point is beyond words (figuratively speaking). Regardless of whether or not we can point to his villainous nature and or “monster-like” behavior, what we see Macbeth experiencing hear is raw human suffering. Yes, he has killed his way to the throne and killed to keep himself there, but at this point I think Macbeth truly realizes the level of failure of all his actions. His effort hasn’t gotten him anything but pain and misery. His wife dead, his enemies advancing, his brief rule about to end – the realization of it all is simply too much for Macbeth to bear. I would argue that it’s not PTSD, per se, that causes Macbeth’s descent into madness, but rather his own realization of his systematic failure.
These lines contain some very nihilistic musings on the part of Macbeth, and while they’re interesting to analyze (with regard to what they say about the nature of a play, among other things), I’m not entirely sure whether or not they’re meant to be taken seriously. After all, even now when we’re driven to despair about something or another, I wouldn’t be surprised to hear something along the lines of “life sucks” and “what’s the point” – not because it’s true, but because we feel that much despair at that one point. For us, it usually gets better; for Macbeth, obviously not. The words he says, then, bring up a quite worrisome philosophical debate.
I agree about Macbeth’s feelings regarding his wife’s death. Yesterday in class, the idea that he responded coldly to this news was suggested, but rather than someone who doesn’t care and therefore can’t take the time to acknowledge it, I thought of this moment as something so devastating to him that he couldn’t deal with it. When he says “tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow…”, I see this as Macbeth explaining when he will be ready to respond to his wife’s death: today, he will be ready tomorrow, but tomorrow, he will be ready the next day, and so on until there are no tomorrows left.
Aren’t we all like that? It seems easier to deal with problems tomorrow. And if Macbeth had said, “Life sucks,” we wouldn’t still be reading this play 405 years after it was written, would we? We are all subject to the passage of time. As you re-read the play, note how often time is the subject. At the very end, Macduff declares that “the time is free” (5.8.55). The editorial gloss says this means “the world is liberated,” but I think that’s too simple. What would it mean for time to be free? We talk about “free time” in our modern idiom. Is it the same thing?
I agree that while Macbeth is uttering this soliloquy, he is in the depth of despair. However, i do not think he has sunk into madness. In fact he may be seeing the world more clearly than ever. I think he has come to the realization that everything he has done has not only been for naught, but he has lost everything, including his beloved wife, thus making him fall into deep despair. His cause for despair may also stem from the prophecy of the witches, and his impending doom; he knows he does not have the ability to transcend his fate. Further more, while I agree with the concept that macbeth has fallen into a nihilistic view, I doubt he would ever say “Life sucks” (which is a depressing type of characteristic), because judging by his character, if there is a little bit of leeway that would pull him out of the situation, he would take it; he just doesn’t have faith in anything anymore due to the witch’s divination.
When Macbeth learns of his wife’s suicide, he is handling the fact that thousands of English soldiers are approaching his castle to overrule his position as King. This information alone is hard to take in because it means that the people, who he killed, are dead for no reason. King Duncan admired him as a soldier and needed Macbeth to win the war in the first Act. Macbeth thought of Banquo as a friend and he had to have both men killed to secure his political position. Macbeth is first overwhelmed by the physical force that will ruin him as King. Macbeth then becomes overwhelmed with despair when he is told Lady Macbeth is dead. I agree with Asmit that his despair is beyond words. His lacks of words demonstrate his deep connection and the relationship he had with his wife at the beginning of the play. Yet it does not end there for Macbeth. He is informed once again of bad news; that the trees of Birnam Woods are coming near the castle. Macbeth finally gives in to the overwhelming force that is present at his doorstep. Macbeth does not have enough time to react to his wife’s suicide. He has to face what is coming directly at him and try to make worthwhile his attempts as the King.