Making Connections… Macbeth Psychological Diagnosis Essay
Modern psychology:
-research one of several topics regarding the psychological issues of the characters...
Behavior/Symptom
Possible Diagnosis
Willingness to murder Duncan to take the throne...
Personality Disorders - Sociopathic, Narcissistic etc.
Macbeth sees a floating dagger...
(Hallucinations)
Macbeth hears a voice cry
"Macbeth doth murder sleep!"
(Hearing voices)
Suspicion/murder of Banquo
(Extreme paranoia)
Trouble sleeping, disturbing dreams
Psychotic Disorders
Macbeth sees Banquo's ghost
(More hallucinations...)
Schizophrenia
Mood/Anxiety/Panic disorders
PTSD, depression, sleep
disorders - insomnia
Delirium
What do YOU think? These are only suggestions to point you in a search direction. Research the
symptoms, find the one that you think fits, and make your diagnosis! ONCE you think you have a
diagnosis... how do you prove it? (How do I defend my answer?) Psychiatrists, Psychologists,
Diagnosticians, Counselors, Therapists, ETC. use a range of criteria to determine a diagnosis of mental
illness. These include but are not limited to:

Observations (in and out of therapeutic settings)

Symptom inventories (can be completed by patient or guardian of patient)

Some medical tests (this is limited)

Behavior charting/journaling
What can you use? You've read (and watched) Macbeth in the play so use observations and
behavior - what was happening when Macbeth had a hallucination or heard voices? Use some kind of
symptom inventory. You can use most search engines to find basic ones. Professional Databases
provided by LCPS. Go to Library – Subscription databases. Look for peer-reviewed, scholarly journal
articles. You must have at least ONE article to back up your argument and cite that article in your essay.
LCPS library login
 username: lcpsh
 password: high
A few “housekeeping” notes:
 Your works cited list must include the textbook and ONE outside scholarly source from an
educational database.
 Do not use Wikipedia or random websites. Your outside source must be from a peer reviewed
scholarly journal. Use the professional databases I showed you in class!
 You must use MLA standard formatting. In text citations = (author last name, page #)
 All written language comes from a person or multiple persons. Authors, Editors, Publishers etc.
SOMEONE put the words on the paper. Submitting a paper without a correct works cited list
will be considered an honor code violation.
 Quote the play once or twice and your article once or twice. You should aim to have three
quotes and in text citations (one for each paragraph) based on your choice of organization. For
the purpose of this assignment, when you quote a character’s words and/or your observations
of that character you should cite the character and the page number. EXAMPLE: Macbeth
suffers from hallucinations during stressful or traumatic events such as the episode when he
thought he saw a dagger flowing in the air right before he killed Duncan, “Is this a dagger I see
before me…” (Macbeth pg 316)
Requirements
Points
Possible
Points
Earned
Usage/Mechanics




3-5 paragraphs typed, double spaced, standard 12pt font
relatively free of spelling and grammar mistakes
sentence variety and consistent verb tense
research and analysis writing style
MLA standard formatting: works cited list, in text citations
20

Composition





introduction with clear topic information and hook
clear, concise, and cohesive thesis statement
one-two quotes from the text
one-two quotes from a scholarly article
quotes are supportive and integrated into the argument
30
Sample thesis statement:
Macbeth’s auditory and visual hallucinations, in combination with his increasing paranoia regarding his
friends and noblemen all point to a diagnosis of schizophrenia.
Sample organization:





1st paragraph – start with a hook; introduce your topic and end with your thesis statement
2nd paragraph – discuss your first example that supports your diagnosis
3rd paragraph – discuss your second example that supports your diagnosis
4th paragraph – discuss your third example that supports your diagnosis
5th paragraph – wrap-up and conclusion, restate your thesis.
***Be sure to bold/underline your thesis statement!!