Trauma and Pain / Vulnerability
Body paragraphs:
Both works depict characters that suffer mentally; however, the function of
trauma in their conflicts differs. While Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s trauma
arises as a result of their immoral actions, Medea’s revenge is driven by her
past trauma. In Macbeth, both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth engage in deceit
and murder to seize the throne and fulfill their ambitions. However, their
initial triumph is eventually overshadowed by psychological trauma. This can
be seen in Lady Macbeth’s tonal shift throughout the play. After the Macbeths
murder King Duncan in Act 2, Lady Macbeth dismisses the gravity of the
situation and sharply contrasts Macbeth’s anxious demeanor, confidently
asserting, “A little water clears us of this deed.” Her tone was calm,
suggesting that she believes guilt and trauma can simply be washed away.
But as the play progresses, the weight of that trauma consumes her. Isolated
and emotionally distanced from her husband, Lady Macbeth begins
hallucinating bloodstains on her hands that cannot be washed away, her
tone turning frantic as she cries out, “Out, damned spot, out, I say! One. Two.
Why then, ’tis time to do ’t.” Here, her speech pattern shifts from composed
to fragmented, with broken rhythm and short syntax, revealing her attempt
to ignore cumulating trauma has failed. The imperative language, “I say,”
emphasizes her desperate attempt to regain control, but only underscores
how fully she has succumbed to trauma and guilt. Shakespeare’s use of
blood imagery is also a direct symbol of guilt. The fact that Lady Macbeth’s
“bloodstains” is unwashable represents how deeply her trauma has
embedded itself—what she once brushed off as manageable becomes all-
consuming. Thus, Lady Macbeth’s tonal shift and eventual psychological
collapse show how trauma is a direct and unavoidable consequence of
immoral action, culminating in her suicide.
Contrastingly, in Medea, the protagonist’s trauma is rooted in her past
suffering and betrayal, rather than the immoral actions she takes in the
present. Medea’s initial emotional distress is triggered by Jason’s infidelity,
which forces her to confront her own powerlessness. Unlike Lady Macbeth,
whose trauma is a result of her own direct actions, Medea’s immoral actions
stem from her victimization. In the beginning of the play, Medea was found
crying, grief-stricken by Jason’s decision to marry another woman. Her tone
Body paragraphs:
Both works depict characters that suffer mentally; however, the function of
trauma in their conflicts differs. While Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s trauma
arises as a result of their immoral actions, Medea’s revenge is driven by her
past trauma. In Macbeth, both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth engage in deceit
and murder to seize the throne and fulfill their ambitions. However, their
initial triumph is eventually overshadowed by psychological trauma. This can
be seen in Lady Macbeth’s tonal shift throughout the play. After the Macbeths
murder King Duncan in Act 2, Lady Macbeth dismisses the gravity of the
situation and sharply contrasts Macbeth’s anxious demeanor, confidently
asserting, “A little water clears us of this deed.” Her tone was calm,
suggesting that she believes guilt and trauma can simply be washed away.
But as the play progresses, the weight of that trauma consumes her. Isolated
and emotionally distanced from her husband, Lady Macbeth begins
hallucinating bloodstains on her hands that cannot be washed away, her
tone turning frantic as she cries out, “Out, damned spot, out, I say! One. Two.
Why then, ’tis time to do ’t.” Here, her speech pattern shifts from composed
to fragmented, with broken rhythm and short syntax, revealing her attempt
to ignore cumulating trauma has failed. The imperative language, “I say,”
emphasizes her desperate attempt to regain control, but only underscores
how fully she has succumbed to trauma and guilt. Shakespeare’s use of
blood imagery is also a direct symbol of guilt. The fact that Lady Macbeth’s
“bloodstains” is unwashable represents how deeply her trauma has
embedded itself—what she once brushed off as manageable becomes all-
consuming. Thus, Lady Macbeth’s tonal shift and eventual psychological
collapse show how trauma is a direct and unavoidable consequence of
immoral action, culminating in her suicide.
Contrastingly, in Medea, the protagonist’s trauma is rooted in her past
suffering and betrayal, rather than the immoral actions she takes in the
present. Medea’s initial emotional distress is triggered by Jason’s infidelity,
which forces her to confront her own powerlessness. Unlike Lady Macbeth,
whose trauma is a result of her own direct actions, Medea’s immoral actions
stem from her victimization. In the beginning of the play, Medea was found
crying, grief-stricken by Jason’s decision to marry another woman. Her tone
