The finally pushes him over the edge was the cruel actions afflicted on him by the people that supposedly loved him. To such a lowness but his unkind daughters. 'Twas this flesh begot Those pelican daughters describes Lear of the cruelty of his daughters (III.iii.76,80-81). The character of Lear produces the theme of madness by expressing his own increasing insanity and reasons the reason for it in raving tangents. Shakespeare further explores the theme of madness in a second play with the thoughts and actions of Macbeth. He characterizes a madness driven by the guilt that he feels from committing murders. He looses his head in the horror of the murders, when it was done, considering them to deeply for sanity (Paris 8). Macbeth can do nothing but think of the murders that plague his conscience, causing him to slip further into madness and away from reality. For example, in his mind he can not wash the blood from his hands. Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood Clean from my hand?(Macbeth.II.ii.59-60). Another example of the theme of madness that is characterized by Macbeth is found in act three, scene four - the climax of the play. Immediately guilt ridden from ordering the murder of Ban-quo, Macbeth reaches his pinnacle of madness; exemplified by his delusion of Banquo's ghost. Showing that he can no longer differentiate between reality and his imagination Macbeth shouts, Avaunt! And quit my sight! Let the earth hide thee! Thy bones are marrowless, thy blood is cold; Thou hast no speculation in those eyes Which thou dost glare with (III.iv.93-97). Ross responds to him, What sights, my lord(III.iii.118). The Insanity of Macbeth is shown in these quotes. Shakespeare's description of Mac-beth's thoughts the reveals he theme of madness. Further development of Macbeth's character reveals the theme of betrayal. The actions controlled by his blind am-bition causes him to betray important people in his life.