How Is Fear Shown In Macbeth

The idea of fear and being fearful is a common topic in popular literature. It is something everyone has experienced, so it is a very relatable topic. It is also a very complex one, as with any emotion. Every person experiences fear differently and has different reasons for feeling fear. There are many forms and facets of this emotion. Despite the differences, there are many similarities between cases of fear. Fear can be created in a number of ways: torture, isolation, danger. However, those means have one thing in common: helplessness. Fear often seems to be created through helplessness. When people experience a dangerous situation or hardship and realize they have no assistance, they become afraid. They realize that there is no one to help

I'll not fight with thee. (Macbeth 5.7.46-51)

Towards the end of the play, Macbeth believes he cannot be killed, as he believes there is no man not born of a woman. However, Macduff tells Macbeth could kill him, as he is a not a man of woman born. He cannot be invulnerable to Macduff, so he realizes he can be killed by him. Macbeth becomes afraid because he is helpless in his defense. Everyone becomes afraid when they realize they can do nothing to help themselves. People react to fear in a different way. Some break down emotionally; others repress the terror. However, everyone seems to panic. Panic is a common reaction to experiencing fright. When you feel helpless and afraid, you stop thinking clearly and overreact with alarm. In the short story “To Build a Fire”, the main character panics when he experiences fear. The text states, “The fear made him lose control of himself and he turned and ran along the creek bed on the old trail. The dog joined him and followed closely behind. The man ran blindly in fear such as he had never known in his life. Slowly, as he struggled through the snow, he began to see things again—the banks of the creek, the bare trees, and the sky” (London 14). In the story, the man fails to light a fire after falling into and icy stream. He becomes powerless against the cold and becomes afraid. Because of this fear, he panics and runs down the trail. Most people do not know what to in a situation where they are truly afraid.

They vary by situation, the fearful individual, and other minor factors. However, one thing fear definitely creates is more fear, and by extension trauma. When in a fearful situation, unless helped, the fear tends to grow. This fear can grow so powerful and be felt so deeply that it causes long lasting trauma and anguish. In the short story “And of the Clay we are Created”, a news anchor experiences trauma left by fear. In the story, a woman close to the anchor laments, “You are back with me, but you are not the same man… Beside you, I wait for you to complete your voyage into yourself, for the old wounds to heal. I know that when you return from your nightmares, we shall walk hand in hand, as before” (Allende 259). The news anchor had covered a story about mudslides in Colombia. He had met one little girl trapped in the mud. He was afraid for her safety for days. After she unfortunately died, he felt anguish. He felt fear so deeply for so long that he was traumatized. A stressful, fearful event often results in trauma. Fear is not something that can be easily forgotten. While everyone reacts differently, trauma occurs in