Many examples of characterization are evident throughout the dramatic tragedy of Macbeth. Characterization is the authors means of conveying a characters personality through their writing. The main character Macbeth goes through tremendous transformations throughout the play in the areas of actions, personal speech and thoughts, speech and thoughts of others, and the effects on others. These types of characterizations cause many changes to Macbeth as the story progresses, and eventually lead to his downfall as a tragic hero.
In the beginning of the play, Macbeth is portrayed as a glorified warrior and hero. He runs fearlessly through the battlefields, brutally killing everyone in his path. he unseamed him from the nave to th chops (Act I, Scene ii, Ln. 22-23). All respected Macbeth and viewed him as a loyal person who fights for the King. Then Macbeth meet three witches whom prophesized that he would become Thane of Glamis, Thane of Cawdor, and "King hereafter." Starting at this point Macbeth started to have a complete turnaround in his personality.
After talking to the witches, Macbeth began to think about what they had told him. He imagined the great life that he would have as King and then realized that he could not let anyone take his dream and opportunity away from him. Macbeth then proceeded in telling his wife, Lady Macbeth, about the whole situation. Lady Macbeth also saw the opportunity, but also realized that King Duncan could be an obstacle to their ambitions. She tells Macbeth Duncan must be murdered, and he must follow through with his plans to do whatever it takes to be King.
Later on King Duncan comes to visit Macbeth, and the plan of murder begins to unwind. Macbeth is completely against the idea of killing Duncan, as he is a friend and a well-liked King. When Macbeth begins to back out on the idea of the murder, Lady Macbeth calls him a coward and questions his manhood. When you durst do it, she says, then you were a man (Act I, Scene vii, Ln. 49). Macbeth finally agrees to follow through even though he does not want to. They plan to wait until The King is sleeping at night. At nighttime Macbeth prepares to commit the murder, but something strange occurs. He imagines a floating dagger with a bloody blade, but just thinks of it as a hallucination due to nervousness to kill Duncan. Dagger of the mind, a false creation / Proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain (Act II , Scene i, Ln. 38-39). When Duncan is finally sleeping, Macbeth enters his room and kills him. After this murder Macbeth is shaken up, but he is glad its all over and tries to erase it out of his mind. Will all great Neptunes ocean wash this blood / Clean from my hand? (Act II, Scene ii, Ln. 39-39).
The murder of Duncan brings all kinds of ciaos, but Macbeth and his Lady avoid trouble. They are still extremely distressed about what they did, but Macbeth continues to look for any new threats that could get in his way. He remembers that earlier the witches had also prophesized that Banquos children would take the throne, so he hires two murderers to kill Banquo and his son Fleance. The idea of murder no longer brings fear to Macbeth, as he has already ruthlessly murders King Duncan, and Macbeth begins to believe he should just continue murdering whoever gets in his way. I am in blood / Stepped in so far that, should I wade no more, / Returning were as tedious as go oer (Act III, Scene iv, Ln. 135-137). The murderers kill Banquo, but Fleance escapes into the night. It seems now that the only way the tyrant Macbeth can be stopped is from his own death.
By now Macbeth has began to turn on everyone, and his loyalty and respect is replaced by distrust and suspicion. Having eliminated some of his competitors, Macbeth now has gained more power. He is still unsatisfied though, but more concerning is how disturbed the murders have made him. While sitting at the table, he sees Banquos ghost. And push us from our stools: this is more strange than such a murder is. (Act III, Scene iv, Ln. 77). Macbeth decides to go back to the witches for more advice on what to do.
He goes to the witches and is presented with three apparitions. The first one is a floating head that tells him to beware of Macduff. Next a bloody child appears and tells him none of woman born / shall harm Macbeth (Act iv, Scene I, Ln. 9697). Then a crowned child holding a tree tells him he will be safe until Birnam Wood moves. Finally a bunch of kings appear that all resemble Banquo. Macbeth does not know the meaning of the last sign, but nonetheless decides to send murderers to kill Macduff, and his family. [Macduff] and all unfortunate souls / That trace him in his line (Act iv, Scene I, Ln.168-69).
Macduffs family is killed, and upon hearing about it he is crushed with grief, vowing to take revenge against Macbeth. The witches prophecies still have Macbeth is belief that all is well for him. Meanwhile, Macbeth has been dealing with Lady Macbeth, as she has been imagining blood stained on her hands. He orders that she be taken care of, but soon after she commits suicide from the weight of all of the guilt. Whats done cannot be undone (Act V, Scene I, Ln. 65). At the same time a messenger announces that the trees of Birnam are moving towards Dunsinane. Macduff and Malcom have come to attack Macbeths castle. Macbeth and Macduff begin fighting, with Macbeth confident that he will win because the witches said no one born of women could harm him. Macbeth finds out that Macduff was actually Untimely ripped from his mothers womb (Act V, Scene x, Ln. 1516). Macduff then beheads Macbeth, ending his reign of terror.
Macbeth went from being a loyal, trustworthy person, to being completely evil and self centered at the end of the book. Shakespeares characterization of Macbeth allowed the development of Macbeths personality throughout the story, and caused many changes to him throughout the story. It was actually characterization development that ultimately led to the end of Macbeths life and power.
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