Question

Read the passage. MACBETH. 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? In these lines from Act V of The Tragedy of Macbeth by William Shakespeare, what emotion does Macbeth express toward the doctor?

Answer 1

Macbeth expresses desperation and frustration towards the doctor, seeking a cure for Lady Macbeth's disturbed mind, but encounters the limits of medicine against psychological ailments.

Step-by-step explanation:

Macbeth's Emotion Toward the Doctor

In the passage from Act V of The Tragedy of Macbeth, Macbeth expresses a sense of desperation and frustration towards the doctor. Macbeth desperately yearns for a remedy to cure his wife, Lady Macbeth, of her tormented mental state, evident from her sleepwalking and guilty ravings. When he asks the doctor to "minister to a mind diseased," he is looking for a cure that he hopes will erase the troubles plaguing Lady Macbeth's conscience. However, the doctor's inability to provide a medicinal solution to such a deeply rooted psychological issue evokes Macbeth's frustration. Shakespeare's depiction of Macbeth's interaction with the doctor highlights the limitations of medicine when faced with the consequences of moral transgressions, in this case, the guilt derived from the murderous actions driven by Macbeth and his wife's ambition.

Answer 2

sounds like his guilt is on his mind, he does stuff he knows he shouldn't do and doesn't want to do, but his mind also plays with him, Macbeth deep inside wanted to keep his power but his heart was pure and he could never bring himself to do the things he thought of until his wife pushed him to