Psychological Study of Macbeth's Tomorrow Speech

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Psychological Study of Macbeth’s “Tomorrow” Speech

Shakespeare’s Macbeth attains its deepest psychological resonance in the famous “Tomorrow” soliloquy (Act V, Scene V). Here, the tragic hero faces the ultimate realization of life’s futility and the collapse of meaning. When Macbeth utters, “Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow,” his tone reflects exhaustion rather than grief — a man psychologically detached from the world around him. This moment captures the culmination of his moral and mental disintegration, as ambition gives way to despair and nihilism.

Throughout the play, Macbeth’s psyche has been torn between moral conscience and overpowering ambition. His crimes, driven by desire for kingship, gradually erode his inner stability. By the time Lady Macbeth dies, he has become emotionally numb — no longer capable of feeling love, fear, or remorse. His reflection on her death, “She should have died hereafter,” marks a complete detachment from human emotion and a descent into existential emptiness.

The repetition of “Tomorrow” symbolizes the endless passage of meaningless time. Shakespeare transforms this rhythm into a psychological echo of hopelessness — the slow ticking away of purpose. The metaphor “Life’s but a walking shadow” extends this despair into a vision of human life as an illusion, a fleeting performance devoid of lasting significance. In psychological terms, this represents depersonalization: Macbeth viewing himself as an actor in a futile play, detached from identity and emotion.

The final phrase “signifying nothing” concludes his inward collapse. From a Freudian viewpoint, Macbeth’s Thanatos — the death instinct — now overpowers Eros, the instinct for life. The soliloquy thus becomes not just an expression of grief, but a portrait of a disintegrating mind confronting the void of existence. Shakespeare’s artistry transforms personal guilt and loss into a timeless psychological truth: unchecked ambition leads inevitably to spiritual annihilation.

1. By: Sandipkumar Jethava
Smt. S.B. Gardi, Department of English


Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University Bhavnagar

Psychological Study of
Macbeth's Tomorrow
Speech

2. Academic Details

Presented by : Sandipkumar Jethava
Roll no :
Semester : 01
Batch : 202527
Email : [email protected]
Presentation Details 

Paper Name : Paper 101  Literature of The Elizabethan and Restoration Periods
Paper No : 101
Paper Code : 22392
Unit no : 01  William Shakespeareʼs Macbeth
Topic : Psychological Study of Macbeth's Tomorrow Speech
Submitted To : Smt. Sujata Binoy Gardi, Department of English, Maharaja
Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University

3. Table of content

01. Introduction
02. Research question and Hypothesis
03. The Actual Speech
04. Context of the speech
05. Imagery and key lines
06. Nihilism & Existential Despair in Macbeth’s “Tomorrow”
Speech
07. Time & Temporality in Macbeth’s “Tomorrow” Speech
08. Psychoanalytic View: Id, Ego, Superego
09. Language and Mental Disintegration
10. Conclusion: Why This Reading Matters ?

4. Purpose of the Study
This presentation explores Macbeth’s “Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow” speech (Act 5, Scene 5)
through a psychological lens, focusing on how Shakespeare dramatizes the collapse of the human mind at
the edge of death, guilt, and existential despair.
We will analyze how Macbeth’s mental breakdown, time distortion, and emotional detachment reflect key
psychological states—drawing from:
●Psychoanalytic theory (Freud: id, ego, superego)

●Existential psychology (meaninglessness, absurdity, fatalism)

●Linguistic cues (disruption in grammar and temporality)

“Macbeth’s speech... is one of the most despairing moments in all of Shakespeare.”
— William Irwin, Despairing Macbeth

Introduction


5. Research Question:

How does Macbethʼs “Tomorrowˮ speech reflect psychological
themes of despair, guilt, and existential nihilism, and what does this
reveal about his mental state in the final stages of the play?

Hypothesis:

Macbethʼs “Tomorrowˮ speech reflects a profound psychological
breakdown marked by symptoms of existential despair, emotional
numbness, and unresolved guilt. This soliloquy reveals how
unchecked ambition and moral disintegration lead to a collapse of
meaning and identity.

6. The Actual Speech 

“Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day
To the last syllable of recorded time,
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death.”
“Out, out, brief candle!
Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more.
It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.”
- Macbeth ,William Shakespeare
(Act v, Scene v)

7. Context of the Speech

Macbeth’s “Tomorrow” soliloquy occurs at a pivotal psychological moment:
●He has just learned of Lady Macbeth’s death, but shows no visible grief—a chilling sign of
emotional detachment.

●At the same time, the enemy army advances on his castle. His power, control, and ambition are
collapsing.

●The speech reveals not sorrow, but a bleak resignation—life is meaningless, time is relentless, and
death is inevitable.
“She should have died hereafter. There would have been a time for such a word.”
— Macbeth, 5.5.17–18
“Macbeth does not mourn his wife. He dissociates.”
— Sitohang et al., Personality Development in Macbeth.

8. Imagery & Key Lines


Macbeth’s language in the “Tomorrow” speech is saturated with images of emptiness,
futility, and fragility. Each metaphor reflects his disintegrating psyche:

“Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow…”
➤ Repetition suggests the monotony of time, creeping forward
meaninglessly.
?????? “Out, out, brief candle!”
➤ Life is fragile and easily extinguished, like a dying flame.
“Life’s but a walking shadow…”
➤ Macbeth sees himself as an empty projection, lacking substance or
identity.

9. Nihilism & Existential Despair in Macbeth’s “Tomorrow” Speech

At this moment in the play, Macbeth confronts a complete loss of meaning, both in life and in his
own existence.
The speech is not just poetic—it’s philosophical. It reflects deep existential despair,
resonating with thinkers like Albert Camus and Jean-Paul Sartre.
Macbeth’s Nihilism:
Life is empty, repetitive, and futile.
Time brings no healing or redemption—just slow decay.
Death is inevitable, and everything before it is meaningless.
What Is Existential Despair?
In existentialism (Sartre, Camus), despair arises when people realize that life has no inherent purpose, and they must create meaning for
themselves.
Macbeth cannot do this—his guilt, powerlust, and losses have destroyed his identity.
“Macbeth's view of life as a meaningless performance aligns with Camus’ concept of the absurd.”
— Umar Hayat et al., The Fall of Macbeth: A Psychological Inquiry into the Case of Corrupting Power

10. Time & Temporality in Macbeth’s “Tomorrow” Speech

Macbeth’s speech reveals a deeply disturbed perception of time—no longer linear, purposeful, or redemptive, but
slow, repetitive, and meaningless. Time becomes a psychological burden rather than a path forward.
“Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow...”

This repetition evokes endless monotony—each day is indistinguishable from the last.

Macbeth experiences time as static, not progressive. It drags on with no goal or relief.

The language mirrors his mental fatigue and emotional disconnection from life.

“Creeps in this petty pace from day to day…”

Time is now described as creeping, weak and without vitality.

Macbeth no longer believes in the future—only in the slow decay of existence.

This reflects a state of fatalistic temporality: time continues, but it means nothing.

“Macbeth’s perception of time becomes disordered; he is trapped in fatalistic temporality.”
— Daniel Johnston, Phenomenology of Time in Macbeth, Shakespeare Journal
Read via Taylor & Francis

11. Psychoanalytic View: Id, Ego, Superego

Using Freud’s structural model of the psyche—Id, Ego, and Superego—we can better understand Macbeth’s internal
psychological struggle in the “Tomorrow” speech.
Id: Unchecked Ambition
Represents Macbeth’s primal desires—his
ruthless ambition and hunger for power.

The Id drives Macbeth to commit regicide and
other crimes, ignoring moral consequences.


Superego: Guilt and Moral Dread
The Superego embodies conscience and social rules.

Macbeth’s guilt, paranoia, and fear arise from the Superego’s
judgment, causing intense inner conflict.


Ego: Collapse and Dissociation
The Ego mediates between Id and Superego, trying to maintain
balance.
Under the immense pressure of guilt and ambition, Macbeth’s Ego
collapses, leading to dissociation—emotional numbness and
detachment from reality.
This breakdown is vividly expressed in the nihilistic tone of the
“Tomorrow” speech.


“Macbeth’s ego is overwhelmed by internal conflict...
leading to nihilistic collapse.”
— Sitohang et al., Personality Development in
Macbeth, 2023
Read Article

12. Language and Mental Disintegration

Use of tense, aspect, and repetition reflect Macbeth’s broken cognition.
Grammar mirrors psychological fragmentation.

“Macbeth’s use of grammatical time reveals disorientation and fatalism.”
Jaspreet Tambar, SAGE Journals

Alternate Interpretations

William Irwin questions the placement of the speech:
“The speech may be inserted out of character… yet reveals universal human despair.”
Irwin, Despairing Macbeth
Still valuable as psychological insight.

13. ●Why This Reading Matters ?

Makes Macbeth’s downfall emotionally and psychologically real.
Shows the cost of ambition and guilt not just in power—but in the human soul.
Psychology turns a famous speech into a timeless reflection of human vulnerability.


This psychological reading of Macbethʼs “Tomorrowˮ speech makes his downfall feel
emotionally and psychologically real. We see not just a fallen king, but a broken man—lost in
despair, haunted by guilt, and numb to lifeʼs meaning.
It reveals the true cost of unchecked ambition and moral compromise—not just in the pursuit
of power, but in the erosion of the human soul.
Through this lens, Shakespeareʼs words become more than poetry—they become a timeless
reflection of human vulnerability, regret, and the inner collapse that follows great wrongdoing.

Conclusion:


14. Resources:



Sitohang, J. E., Sianturi, R., Sianturi, D., Siregar, M. K., & Bahri, S. (2025). Personality development in William
Shakespeare’s play Macbeth: Psychoanalytic perspective. Jurnal Pendidikan dan Sastra Inggris, 5(2),
287–303. https://doi.org/10.55606/jupensi.v5i2.522journalshub.org
Author(s). (2021). Title of article. Journal Name, Volume(Issue), page range. Full article: Shakespeareʼs
Phenomenology of Time in Macbeth. com
Author(s). (Year). Title of article. Journal Name, Volume(Issue), page range.
Grammatical expressions of time in Macbeth - Jaspreet S. Tambar, 2023. com
Sitohang, J. E., Sianturi, R., Sianturi, D., Siregar, M. K., & Bahri, S. (2025). Personality Development in William
Shakespeare’s Play Macbeth: Psychoanalytic Perspective. Jurnal Pendidikan dan Sastra Inggris, 5(2), 287–303.
https://journalshub.org/index.php/JUPENSI/article/view/5227?utm_source.com

15. Thank You!