The play Macbeth opens to reveal the chaotic world of good and evil. the main character of Macbeth is a loyal soldier whose only motivation is his allegiance to his king and country. At the play's beginning Macbeth is an effective general, brave soldier and Thane of Glamis. Macbeth's choices as the play progresses cause a definite change in his character which becomes secretive and vengeful, his motivation shifts from serving his king to helping himself to more power. Macbeth's pride and this hunger for more power causes him to lose everything he values- his friendship with Banquo, his marriage and with his most violent deed he loses his sanity and eventually his life. Macbeths pride destroys his friendships. When Macbeth considered the witches …show more content…
Lady Macbeth plays a most vital role in the play giving Macbeth the spur when he "needs" one, before the murder of Duncan. Lady Macbeth included herself in the murder of duncan, but for them to have planned murder together, they would have needed to trust each other immensely. When Macbeth is plotting the murder of Banquo and the murder of Macduff, Lady Macbeth is completely excluded from it all. "Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck" (3.2.52). In this quote Macbeth is telling Lady Macbeth not to worry about what he has just done, and yet he calls her a term of endearment, "chuck" as though they are still in a trusting relationship and he hasn't planned murder behind her back. Throughout the play, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth have been equals and yet when he calls her "chuck" he seems to downgrade her character into the "wifey" character the audience knows she is not. The only time Macbeth disrespects Lady Macbeth is when he has become King and he is prideful and drunk off of power. Macbeths pride is a dangerous thing that causes Macbeth to lose his wife, as well as his …show more content…
When Macbeth meets the witches for the second time they give him three prophecies that he demands for. The first of which is a prophecy about Macduff. "Macbeth! Macbeth!Macbeth! Beware Macduff; beware the thane of Fife." (4.1 76-79). Later an apparition tells Macbeth to be bloody and resolut, to fear no one for none of woman born shall harm him. To which Macbeth responds with "then live Macduff: what need i fear thee? But yet i'll make assurance double sure. And take a bond of fate: thou shalt not live" (4.1.90-92) later on in the same scene Lenox approaches Macbeth and tells him that Macduff has fled to England, to this news Macbeth responds with "the castle of Macduff i will surprise; seize upon Fife; give to the edge o' sword his wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls that trace him in his line" (4.1.166-169). Now the audience knows that Macduff is not at his castle but in England, the audience also knows that Macbeth has absolutely no reason at all to kill Macduff's family, this is how the audience knows that Macbeth has lost his sanity, his actions now are violent and make no sense. The only possible outcome that comes from Macbeth killing Macduff's family is just adding fuel to the fire of Macduffs revenge. Why would Macbeth need to kill Macduff's children? The only reason he would feel the need to would be because he is still envious of those who have children and he does not. Macbeth's
Ironically, this only gives Macduff even more reason to kill him. Ambition compels the man who “was once thought honest” to become a “dead butcher”. Ph 4 Driven to paranoia, Macbeth not only kills those who oppose him, but also secludes himself from his wife. At the beginning of the play, Macbeth shares a close relationship his “dearest partner of greatness”, with the thoughts of one always known to the other.
Shakespeare’s play ‘Macbeth’ is about the leading male protagonist succumbing to his ambition and need for power. Though Macbeth is liable for his own actions, he is not solely responsible for the events that eventually result in his downfall. Macbeth is corrupted by his wife, Lady Macbeth, as well as the three weird sisters. Macbeth’s contribution towards his downfall is his strong ambitious nature. Lady Macbeth is the person who induces Macbeth to assassinate King Duncan. The three weird sisters (witches) play with Macbeth’s ambitious nature and sense of security. Macbeth’s downfall is due to himself and two external factors.
Towards the end of the play, once Macbeth’s wife has died and the battle is drawing closer, Macbeth shows the desire for some good that may have been. He wishes for a normal life in which he would have lived to an honorable age, but he recognizes that he has deprived himself of this. Even when Macbeth hears that the prophecy of Birnam Wood coming to Dunsinane has been fulfilled, he rejects this idea and fights on until he realizes that Macduff wasn’t born in a natural birth but instead was "untimely ripped"(V.viii.19-20) from his mother’s womb. When Macbeth hears of this, he realizes what dastardly deeds he has done and how he has underestimated the power of the witches. He fights on, knowing it is only a matter of time before he is slain.
Macduff heard about the death of his entire castle and became committed to revenge. “But gentle heavens, cut short al intermission: front to front bring thou this fiend of Scotland and myself; within my sword’s length set him; if he ‘scape, heaven forgive him too!” (Shakespeare IV.iii.66) Macbeth received a second set of prophecies that gave him a very large and false confidence. “What’s the boy Malcolm? Was he not born of woman? The spirits that know all mortal consequences have pronounced me thus: `fear not, Macbeth; no man that’s born of woman shall e’er have upon thee.’ Then fly, false thanes, and mingle with the
Macbeth has lost all touch with what’s right and what’s wrong and doesn’t use his logic. He is in fear of losing his crown that he will do anything to protect it. Macbeth says, “I’ll raid Macduff’s castle, seize the town of Fife, and kill his wife, his children, and anyone else unfortunate enough to stand in line for his inheritance”. (IV, I,148-154). When Macduff was not here from Macbeth’s feast, Macbeth grew suspicious of him and decided to make a point to others by murdering his family when he heard the news that Macduff has fled.
Lady Macbeth verbally attacks him by making him feel less of a man. This leads Macbeth to change and do things that go against who he
The tragedy Macbeth, written by William Shakespeare, follows the rise and fall of a loyal Scottish warrior. Macbeth is portrayed as a man of multiple sides, presenting three main traits – bravery, ambition, and self-doubt – throughout the play. The character is an example of how ambition and guilt can have terrible effects on an individual lacking in strength of character. Although some people may perceive Macbeth as malicious, his weak character shows that he is incapable of conquering guilt and self-doubt. The prime themes of the play are: ambition, loyalty and betrayal, good and evil, appearance versus reality, supernatural and fate. Shakespeare presents these themes through the actions of Macbeth and their results: the corrupting effects
The three apparitions which appear to Macbeth are, "Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! Beware Macduff, Beware the Thane of Fife. / Be bloody, bold, and resolute; laugh to scorn the power of man; for none of woman born shall harm Macbeth. / Be lion-mettled, proud, and take no care who chafes, who frets, or where conspirers are. Macbeth shall never vanquished be until Great Birnam wood to high Dunsinane hill shall come against him." Macbeth translates these prophecies as a meaning that he will reign as king until the day he dies of natural causes and will no longer have to fear Macduff for he can do no harm to him. Although he is assured by the equivocate predictions, his uncertainty gets the better of him. This can be seen in his actions; he kills Macduff 's family but leaves the man himself alive, he enters into battles screaming that no man of woman born shall ever harm him, not knowing that Macduff was born of Caesarian section, and eventually his foolish actions lead to his death at the hands of Macduff.
“Macbeth” a tragedy written by William Shakespeare, portrays, how the main character Macbeth, transforms from a war hero, to a murdering villain. Macbeth starts out as the thane of Glamis and steadily rises to become King of Scotland. The higher Macbeth rose on his road of power the more corrupt and evil he became. The character change of Macbeth ignites the whole theme of the play.
In the play Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, the characters Macbeth and Lady Macbeth decide, in a great fit of ambition, to kill King Duncan. Later in the play we see the same two characters undergo a transformation in their personalities after murdering the King. Macbeth begins the play as a noble soldier and gradually changes into an ambitious and murdering tyrant. Lady Macbeth begins as a strong, ambitious woman who dominates her husband and gradually changes into a weak and guilt-ridden woman. This essay will explore the characters of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth before and after the murder of King Duncan.
Before Macbeth meets with Macduff, he thinks of ways to handle Macduff so he would no longer be a problem. Macduff was considered to be a problem because he left the kingdom in order to assist an opposing force. Macbeth states “Then live, Macduff: what need I fear of thee? But yet I’ll make assurance double sure, and take a bond of fate.” (Act IV scn i, ln 82-84) He wants to make sure Macduff will not be a problem; he wants to keep Macduff out of his way. In this scene Macbeth is attempting to discover ways to inforce his superiority through the phrase “The castle of Macduff I will surprise; seize upon Fife; give to th’ edge o’ th’ sword his wife, his babies, and all unfortunate souls.” (Act IV scn i, ln 150-152) He hired men to kill Macduff’s family, so he will be depressed and will grieve; he wants to keep Macduff out of the way of him still being King. The main reason he did this, however, was to exert his leadership over Macduff and send a message. This paragraph explains how Macbeth was disloyal to Macduff and how he did anything to keep Macduff out of his way, but things did not turn out as he
That caused Macbeth to react in a rather quick manner to decide on killing Macduff’s family. He did not want to waste anytime on waiting around, because he knew Macduff was a threat for him in the future now. In this problem he is face with, he has to deal with it face on, because there is no way to go around
On page 121, Macbeth declares he will kill everyone in Macduff’s household by saying, “The castle of Macduff I will surprise,/Seize upon Fife, give to th’edge o’th’ sword/His wife, his babies, and all unfortunate souls/That trace him in his line. No boasting like a fool;/This deed I'll do before this purpose cool./But no more sights!- Where are these gentlemen?/Come, bring me where they are.” (4.1.150-156) In this quote, Macbeth is telling the reader/audience he is going to send someone to kill Macduff’s household in order to bring him back to Scotland. Macbeth has no hesitation about committing this murder, unlike the other two. He is doing this so he won’t seem weak and so he’ll have a better chance at remaining in power.
Throughout reading the play, Macbeth changes a lot from being a man of loyalty and honesty, to a man of whom is power hungry and greedy. This shows how the more power you receive the more power you want; which in many cases, such as this one leads to destruction. Many of the choices that Macbeth made were influenced by the power that he had, and this power began to take over him. This then lead to greed and destruction of not only others, but himself as well.
After this Macbeth kills Macduff whole family and servants to send Macduff a message for being disloyal and he thinks that Macduff suspects him of something as well. This is shown when Macbeth says “The castle of Macduff I will surprise, Seize upon Fife, give to th' edge o' th' sword His wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls That trace him in his