Character Analysis Of Macbeth

In the play “Macbeth” the author furthers the ideas of ambition, manhood and violence throughout the play using a gender lens, mainly for masculinity in men. In the play “Macbeth” ambition plays a big role in the man characters life; Macbeth. In Act 1 scene 3, lines 125-129, “And oftentimes, to win us to our harm; The instruments of darkness tell us truth.” (Shakespeare 1.3.125-129). This quote stated by Banquo foreshadows Macbeth further into the play. Macbeth ends up killing King Duncan because he wants to be in power over the kingdom. When Banquo questions Macbeth about the killing of King Duncan, Macbeth’s ambition to kill Banquo skyrocketed. Macbeth didn’t want anybody to think or know that he ended up killing King Duncan for power. This started a cycle of death for Macbeth’s ambition to kill to stay in power. This example of ambition from “Macbeth” has a very similar motif from the movie called “The Mask You Live In”. In the movie, George Orwell states, “He wears a mask and his face grows to fit it.” The idea of the mask he wear fits his face helps us further the reason for men’s ambitions. Men’s ambitions are driven by power and dominance over people and prized possessions. For men to be able to gain power, they need to prove how masculine they are to society. In doing so they are dehumanizing their biological thoughts and feelings and turning them into artificial ones in order to be seen more powerful or dominate to the public.

Maybe it's not so surprising, he was never a people person, but a computer person because computers aren't strangely passive-aggressive and don't give you cryptic answers and short words punctuated with drags of cigarettes-

As a thane of Scotland, Macbeth loves and serves King Duncan even if it means his own death. The king and his army recognize Macbeth’s bravery. After Macbeth has killed traitors, a captain reports to the King: ¨For brave Macbeth--well he deserves that name-- / Disdaining fortune, with his brandish’d steel, / Which smoked with bloody execution, / Like valour’s minion carved out his passage / Till he faced the slave¨ (1.2.16-20). Even though Macbeth and the other soldiers were surrounded by enemies, Macbeth does not stop fighting until he finds Macdonwald, the traitor, and kills him. However, shortly after, Macbeth changes from brave to cowardly because Macbeth has decided to hand over his everlasting soul to the devil that he fears which is Banquo. This quote from Act 3, Scene 1 shows how Macbeth has turned cowardly: ¨To make them kings, the seed of Banquo kings! / Rather than so, come fate into the list, / And champion me to th’ utterance. Who’s there? / Now go to the door and stay there till we call. / Was it not yesterday we spoke together? / It was, so please your highness. / Well then, now / Have you considered of my speeches? Know / That it was he, in the times past. Which held you / So under fortune, which you thought had been / Our innocent self. This I made good to you / In our last conference, passes in probation with you / How you were borne in hand, how crossed, the instruments, / Who wrought with them, and all things else that might / To half a soul and to a notion crazed / Say, ¨Thus did Banquo” (3.1.70-84). This quote shows that Macbeth turns cowardly because he says that he’s handed over his soul to the devil

Macbeth is a man facing an internal struggle between right and wrong, and whose reign started and ended with death. Throughout the play there are many places where imagery pertaining to clothing is used. I believe that these images are used to show the kind of character and man that Macbeth is. These images throughout the play show the transition from a good, honest, trustworthy Macbeth, into a corrupt, power hungry beast who murders anyone in his way. I believe that Macbeth is a good man turned bad through the witches and his wife which ultimately led to his rise to the throne by persuading him murder the king. Fear led to the end of his reign and to his death. Fear of people knowing that it was him that murdered king Duncan. It’s Lady Macbeth and the witches that guide him towards evil at the beginning of the play, but at the end of the play it’s his fear that leads him to murder anyone he sees as a threat.

A defining moment for Macbeth is when he hesitates to act on immoral deeds. After hearing the witches’ prophecy that declares “All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter!”, Macbeth initially does not intend to murder Duncan (1.3.50). He does wonder what the equivocal prophecy means, and Banquo warns him that they could be purposefully misleading him to his own demise, but other than writing a letter to his wife, Macbeth moves on from it as he figures the throne will fall to him as naturally as the title Thane of Cawdor did “without [his] stir” (1.3.144). Macbeth’s hesitation suggests multiple things about the character. For one, it shows he bares loyalty as a thane to his king as he was the one that bestowed the title upon him. This clearly indicates that Duncan holds Macbeth in high regard as he bestows both a new title and praise upon Macbeth. Likewise, Macbeth originally views Duncan fondly, as he does not want to betray a king that "Hath borne his faculties so meek, hath been/So clear in his great office, that his virtues/Will plead like angels, trumpet-tongued, against" (1.7.17-19). Macbeth sees that Duncan has been a good king, undeserving of assassination, and so he formerly refrains from murdering him. Moreover, his reluctance to murder the king is also linked to how Macbeth and Duncan are relatives, cousins to be exact, as Duncan expresses his glee with Macbeth in Act I with

Even the strongest people fall to the ubiquitous snare of evil. In William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the title character does so after fierce manipulation from others. Macbeth is King Duncan’s bravest warrior, who is loyal in a time of disloyalty. A prophecy from three witches causes Macbeth to murder his beloved King, because the torment caused by Macbeth’s need to commit the murder becomes too great of a burden for him to carry. At this point the anguish outweighs his conscience which held steadfast for so long. Killing Duncan is the start to a slow deterioration of Macbeth’s spirit. Throughout this process, Macbeth seeks consolation and believes that the only way to achieve it is to kill more. This creates a cycle leading to his inevitable fall. Throughout his killing spree, Macbeth’s conscience continues presenting itself. This begs the question whether or not Macbeth is a good man who is twisted, or an intrinsically bad man. The play shows that Macbeth is a good man who does evil only as a result of persistent influence from others.

In Macbeth, Shakespeare proves the motif of “Fair is foul, and foul is fair” (Shakespeare 1.1.11) through the characterization of Macbeth. Macbeth was seen as a selfless, brave soldier to the readers but, with the contrast of his current characterization, readers have a sense of Macbeth’s darker characteristics. Because of his thirst for power and his ambition, Macbeth begins to tread along a wicked road. Readers are able to compare this change to Lady Macbeth as Shakespeare depicts her as a dark, ambitious woman. Macbeth’s darkness inspires the idea of killing Banquo as he fears that Banquo will dethrone him. As Macbeth attempts to fight fate, he believes the death of Duncan is in vain, while his jealousy and fear of Banquo robs him of

Humankind lives then dies because of two things, wants and needs. We live by fulfilling natural needs and surviving with what we have, but some want more and go beyond what is needed turning a desire into something that is absolutely necessary. These people become obsessed with a concept that’s pointless in the sum of their lives, they let wants control them which results in an untimely death. But this isn't a singular case, numerous men find themselves being lead into a deep and dark pit filled with evil intentions. Some are fortunate enough to find a way out but others aren't as lucky. Macbeth showcases this thought with Shakespeare's main character the Thane of Glamis.

A white room stained with royal blood. On the night of July 17th of 1918 in Yekaterinburg, Russia, Yakov Yurovsky and his troops stabbed and shot to death the Russian Romanov family. He did this because he desired recognition and power. Power corrupts people’s minds. It makes people stop seeing what it is and only see what they want. A character who draws attention to this topic is Macbeth. In the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare, Macbeth is a well recognized war fighter. Macbeth is also Thane of Glamis. He and his close friend, Banquo, stumble upon three witches who reveal their destinies. Macbeth accomplishes malevolent actions to make his prophecy true. The vicious actions Macbeth has effectuated are the cause of his death. Macbeth is the most ambitious character out of anyone in the play.

Stereotypically men play the lead role and take charge in relationships. Throughout a long period of time; men have had higher employment rates than females due to the belief of men being more intelligent, stronger, superior, capable and independent. However, in Macbeth the tables are turned; Lady Macbeth takes on the male role in the relationship and has the qualities of a typical man. She is superior to Macbeth since he lacks power and relies on her for success as he goes to her for advice and depends on her to make final decisions. Although, Macbeth may have taken some inconsiderate actions on his own; Lady Macbeth is responsible for his downfall. Instead of being supportive and genuine with her guidance; she lets her ambition take control resulting in Macbeth going down a hopeless path and becoming a violent murderer. She is the instigator behind his actions as she contradicts his masculinity, convinces him that foul is fair and uses him to achieve her ambitions.

Shakespeare wrote Macbeth in 1606, during the reign of James I, who was James IV of Scotland before he became the King of England. James I was a sponsor of Shakespeare’s theatre, so it is clear that Shakespeare’s work was affected by James I’s sensitivities. Murder and intrigue was a part of the Scottish Reign when James was growing, and in fact James’s father was murdered when he was just a baby.

Macbeth was a true Shakespearean tragic hero. He had many noble qualities as well as several tragic flaws. He was a courageous, brave and good nobleman who was haunted, moral cowardice and an overwhelming ambition. The three points which contribute greatly to Macbeth’s downfall are the prophecy that was told to him by witches, Lady Macbeth influenced and manipulated Macbeth’s judgment on everything, and finally Macbeth’s long time ambition which drove him to want to become king. Although he was so far courageous and brave and he is seen as the hero at the beginning of the play, his sky high ambition is what ultimately cause his downfall. And ultimately he becomes a tragic hero. He and Banquo were leaders of King Duncan's army. His personal powers and strength as a general won him the battle as described by the captain Macbeth could be brave when it came to action but when he started thinking he would hesitate on almost everything and would have to be forced into action by his wife. He changed his mind five times before murdering Duncan. The witches' prophecy that he would be king made him decide to leave it to chance, but Duncan's announcement that Malcolm was to be his heir made Macbeth realize that he would have to take a course of action for the prophecies to come true. He changed his mind again before he reached. Then he changed his mind again before finally being forced by Lady Macbeth to make up his mind to kill Duncan. Macbeth also did not fear what would happen if

Q1. Analyse how the experiences of one or more characters were used for a particular purpose.

In the play Macbeth written by William Shakespeare, many characters possess internal traits that affect their decisions and actions. Macbeth, the main character of the play possesses three traits that significantly affect him and those around him. First of all, Macbeth’s ambitious personality leads him to engage in harmful actions. Furthermore, Macbeth’s unstable beliefs and his tendency to be easily manipulated also plays a notable role in the play. Additionally, Macbeth’s impulse to prioritize illusions over logic contributes to his decisions and actions. Macbeth possesses internal traits that ultimately have a negative impact on his decisions and cause him to commit evil actions which lead Macbeth towards his downfall.

While it might not seem obvious at first, Macbeth fits perfectly into the model of an Aristotelian tragedy, as he starts of as one of the most powerful men in the kingdom, only to be consumed by his hunger for power and lose everything.