In his legendary play Macbeth (1623), William Shakespeare, renowned actor and playwright attests that humans have the ability to make conscience decisions and be virtuous, but over-ambition piloted by thoughts and actions that fundamentally go against nature lead to the destruction of oneself and others. Through this play, Shakespeare uses the character of Macbeth, who starts off as a trustworthy, compassionate, valiant, brave, beloved, honorable and bold soldier, who then becomes a self-destructive tyrant who commits heinous crimes with a nonchalant attitude, which consequently results in his tragic downfall. As the play progresses, Macbeth, the once conscience individual is influenced by prophecies of the three witches, his wife Lady Macbeth and his own ambition and desire to become king and stay king.
After a victorious battle against Norway, Banquo and Macbeth, two generals of Scotland, are approached by three witches who prophesize that Macbeth, already the Thane of Glamis, will also become the Thane of Cawdor, and soon thereafter, be named the King of Scotland. Moments later, Macbeth receives news that the Norwegian King has been executed, and Macbeth now carries the title Thane of Cawdor. With two of the three prophecies true, it is evident that there is a slight change in the mindset of Macbeth, who then has horrible thoughts of murdering Duncan so he can convert the prophecy into reality, If good, why do I yield to that suggestion whose horrid image doth unfix my hair and make my seated heart knock at my ribs, against the use of nature? (Act 1, Scene 3, Lines 136-139). In addition, the witches prophesize that Banquo will not become King of Scotland, instead he will be the father of the future generations of Kings of Scotland. Such a prophecy not only leads Macbeth to question the loyalty of Banquo to himself, but also Scotland, which ultimately leads to Banquos death. However, the witches do not suggest the concept of murdering Duncan and Banquo or ever reveal how Macbeth should carry out his actions in order to gain the throne; they instead, plant the thoughts and desires of becoming the King of Scotland into Macbeths head. Macbeth will not only struggle within his inner conscience and emotions in order to make decisions so that he may become king, but he will also struggle mentally between chance and fate. Throughout the play, the witches serve as concrete evidence of the existence of evil, and how it influences humanity to actively pursue evil.
Soon after, Lady Macbeth hears of the prophecies the three witches have laid out through a letter written by Macbeth. Her obsession and desperation to become Queen of Scotland is a heavy influence on Macbeth. She already knows ahead of time that he is not the type of man who could easily betray the trust of his fellow kinsman:
Yet do I fear thy nature; it is too full othmilk of human kindness to catch the nearest way: thou wouldst be great, art not without ambition, but without the illness should attend it. (Act 1, Scene 5, Lines 15-19)
Lady Macbeth instead uses her sly instincts to intimidate and crush the dignity of Macbeth by insulting, taunting and questioning his manhood and will power, for example, What beast wast then, that made you break this enterprise to me? When you durst do it, then you were a man (Act 1, Scene 7, Lines 47-49). Her insults against Macbeth not only anger him, but also embarrass him. As a result, it causes him to prove his worth as a man as he half-heartedly commits to killing Duncan. She is successful in altering the goals of Macbeth and strengthens his desire to become King of Scotland; Macbeth realizes that once he murders Duncan, he, as well as Lady Macbeth will have reached the point of no return. Macbeths ambitions have created his nonchalant attitude towards death and life, which allows him to continue his crimes without concern. As the play continues, it becomes more and more evident that the corruptive influence of Lady Macbeth overrides and dominates the conscience and morals of Macbeth. Her own passion and ambition to rule over Scotland rush Macbeth to take things into his own hands, instead of waiting for the opportunity to arise; this decision exacerbates his tragic downfall.
Having established himself as King, Macbeth grows impatient and insecure. He is not satisified with only being king; he fears that only he will be King, not his children. He wants to produce a line of kings and prove the prophecy of Banquo false. In order to do so, Macbeth orders that his best friend Banquo and his eldest son, Fleance, be murdered. Macbeth is now a wicked man and his evil disposition allows him to order two innocent men to be killed; this not only feeds his own ambition but also suppresses his insecure nature. Unfortunately for Macbeth, Fleance escapes and Macbeth vows to eliminate all those who oppose or stand in his way:
Then comes my fit again. I had else been perfect, whole as marble, founded as the rock, as broad and general as the casing air. But now I am cabined, cribbed, confined, bound in to saucy doubts and fears (Act 3, Scene 4, Lines 20-25)
Growing fearful, Macbeth visits the three witches who then warn him of Macduff. They state additional prophecies; the first states that Macbeth must beware Macduff, for he will be the cause of his downfall, the second states that no one, woman born, will harm Macbeth, and the third states that Macbeth will never be vanquished until Birnam Wood marches to fight him at Dunsinane Hill. Macbeth takes comfort in these visions; he knows that it is impossible for a forest to move, and for anyone not to be born of a woman. Macbeth takes these visions as an indication that he is invincible. This false sense of security Macbeth is currently experiencing will be the very factor in his downfall.
In order to dispose of all threats against him, Macbeth resolves to kill the Macduff family, and stoops to an ultimate low as he kills innocent women and children. With each crime he commits, his conscience slowly diminishes and his evil disposition takes over. Macbeth is now looked upon as a malicious tyrant. At the play progresses, Macbeth realizes that the prophecies are coming true. From a certain perspective, a moving forest is coming to Dunsinane. Macbeth knows he has played with fate from the moment he commits to murdering Duncan. He knows he is sick at the heart and no longer deserves to enjoy the joyous things in life and is ready to die, My way of life is falln into the sere, the yellow leaf, and that which should accompany old age, as honor, love obedience, troops of friends, I must not look to have (Act 5, Scene 3, Lines 24-28). Macbeth is not the same person that he was in the beginning of the play; instead he does not value life, but rather sees it as a candle, which brings happiness and joy for a moments time until it soon withers away into death;
Out, out brief candle! Lifes but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then it heard no more. It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing (Act 5, Scene 5, Lines 23-28)
His life is full of sorrow, agony and hatred; it no longer has a purpose. Macbeth then goes into battle against Macduff proclaiming that Macduff will lose because no one born of a woman can harm him, but Macduff responds, stating that he was not born of a woman, but rather a corpse. Macbeth, for the very last time, since the beginning of the play, accepts the challenge and fights bravely and does not yield nor accept defeat:
I will not yield, to kiss the ground before young Malcolms feet, and to be baited with the rabbles curse. Through Birnam Wood be come to Dunsinane, and thou opposed, being of no woman born, yet I will try the last. Before my body I throw my warlike shield (Act 5, Scene 8, Lines 27-32)
The last moment before his death, Macbeth portrays bravery, valiance and honor. He dies like the hero he once was.
In conclusion, Shakespeare skillfully points out that humans have the capacity and knowledge to choose between good and evil and uses the character of Macbeth to portray the consequences that come with over-ambitious thoughts and desires. Macbeth is a character of valiance, bravery, compassion, kindness and honor, but soon, under the influence of the three witches prophecies, Lady Macbeths undermining of his morals, and his own desire and ambition to become King of Scotland, Macbeth is able to commit to various crimes that go against nature. Although throughout most of the play, Macbeth is a vicious tyrant, there is still evidence, specifically when Macbeth fights valiantly against Macduff, that Macbeth is not a solely a malicious tyrant, but rather a tragic hero. Macbeth not only struggles within himself and his conscience, but he also struggles with his own ambition, and between fate and chance.
Works Cited
Resources for Shakespeare's Macbeth - Macbeth Explanatory Notes, Study Quiz, Character Analysis and More." Shakespeare Online. Web. 04 Dec. 2011.
Shakespeare, William, and A. R. Braunmuller. Macbeth. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1997. Print.
Shakespeare, William. "Macbeth by William Shakespeare CliffsNotes - Study Guide and Help." Get Homework Help with CliffsNotes Study Guides. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Web. 04 Dec. 2011.
Shakespeare, William. No Fear Shakespeare: Macbeth. New York, NY: Spark Notes, 2007
Print.
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