The Evolution of Macbeth’s Own Fate Everyone knows from history class that the Renaissance was a temperate and jovial time period yet it still sparked the Reformation, a time period of chaos, turmoil, and malice. Like the evolution from the Renaissance to the Reformation, Macbeth, the main character, appears to us as a loyal husband and subject but then alters into a avaricious king with questionable morals. Macbeth’s character experiences a major shift which impacts his ultimate fate. At first, Macbeth is originally a devoted person. Macbeth’s affectionate behavior is revealed when he addresses his wife in a missive as, “..my dearest partner of greatness…” (Act I, Scene V, 11) Macbeth adores and treats his wife very respectfully but …show more content…
Before the murder of king Duncan, he explains the situation as follows, “Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible to feeling as to sight? Or art thou but a dagger of the mind, a false creation, proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain?” (Act II, Scene I, 20) Macbeth undergoes haunting and dire thoughts of killing Duncan. He mentions after murdering the king, “Methought I heard a voice cry ‘Sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep…” (Act II, Scene II, 22) Macbeth begins to embark upon a path of absolute lunacy. To secure his throne, Macbeth sets out to vanquish the lives of Banquo and his sons. He states, “...better to be with the dead whom we, to gain our peace, have sent to peace.” (Act II, Scene II, 38) By killing Banquo and his sons, Macbeth thinks he will bring them peace. However, Macbeth is really seeking his own true piece of mind not the peace of Banquo. Macbeth’s ultimate insanity demonstrates itself during the dinner with Lady Macbeth, the lords and Lennox. After Macbeth kills Banquo, the ghost of Banquo appears in his banquet seat, terrorizing him. Lady Macbeth responds, “I pray you, speak not; he grows worse and worse; question enrages him: at once, good night…” (Act III, Scene IV, 45) Lady Macbeth requests the guests to leave because the visitors view him as a mad man. Overall, the lunatic side of Macbeth starts to completely …show more content…
Macbeth’s view of Macduff is clearly stated as follows, “...His wife. his babes, and all unfortunate souls that trace him in his line.” (Act IV, Scene II, 56) Macbeth indicates that he will do anything to secure the throne including killing Macduff and his family. Macbeth states, “Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player...signifying nothing.” (Act V, Scene V, 77) Macbeth concludes that life is worth nothing in the end, and he has nothing to lose. The suicide of Lady Macbeth kills his desire to live making him a hard and intensive person with no emotion. When Macduff and Macbeth meet each other for the final scene, Macduff reveals, “... tell thee, Macduff was from his mother’s womb untimely ripp’d.” (Act V, Scene VIII, 80) Macduff’s birth was actually a cesarean section, an option which Macbeth does not consider when he hears the witches’ prophecy, “...the power of man, for none of woman born shall harm Macbeth.” (Act IV, Scene I, 54) Due to this misinterpretation, Macbeth would rest in peace
This time due to a cowardly action committed out of selfish fear. It is no surprise to me that Banquo’s ghost haunts Macbeth at this table since Macbeth called for two murders to kill him and his son. Banquo’s ghost appearing shows that Macbeth felt guilt and that he was not the completely heartless monster that he appeared to become. When Banquo's bloody ghost sits at the table with the lords, Macbeth tries to believe that he did not kill banquo. “ Thou canst not say I did it. Never shake Thy gory locks at me.” (III,iv,53-54). Macbeth’s episode with Banquo’s ghost reveals how the quest for power had driven his mind into pure insanity. This powerful hallucination driven from the little heart left in Macbeth proved to all the lords that Macbeth’s mind was gone, and that he was not fit to
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.
At the end of Act 1 Scene 3 Macbeth tries to open out to Banquo. Since
Macbeth’s sense of self seems to diminish as he comes to reality with what he has done and who he has hurt. This leads to him to not being able to sleep because he has “murdered and therefore/Cawdor/Shall sleep no more. Macbeth shall sleep no more” (2.2.55-57). By him not sleeping it shows that he is going crazy, and is not ok with what has happened. Losing his sense of self is also slowly killing his mental state. His conscience is guilty which makes him think less of himself. When Banquo’s ghost appears it makes Macbeth feel as if he were dead. Wanting Banquo to “Take any shape but that,” because he wants him to “be alive again/And dare [him] to the desert with thy sword” (3.4.124-126). When Macbeth’s fears are confirmed about the line of kings all in the image of Banquo his future is shaken. Once being trusted friends this also helps to twist his mental state; and not for the good. Also by him not being stable Macbeth starts hallucinating and feels tempted to grasp what he sees and use it. These visions are a
After the meeting with the witches, Macbeth start to think killing Duncan and taking the throne by force. This is his first step on the journey to his demise, as the witches has planned. The three witches' plan succeeded, they provoke the greed in Macbeth. After committing Duncan’s murder, Macbeth loses his innocence. It has become easier for the witches to manipulate Macbeth by making him to think that he is unbeatable. Witches add turmoil by talking about Banquo’s and telling him that his sons will become kings. This also affects Macbeth’s life, and it includes to his miserable worries. After becoming a king, and thinking about killing Banquo, and killing his offspring “let not light see my black and deep desires” (Shakespeare I.IV.51) because
Macbeth is confused as he is arguing with himself on what he should do. He states reasons not to kill Duncan, because Macbeth is his noble kinsmen and the act would bring dishonor. However, he also states reason why he should kill him, because Macbeth will then become king and fulfill the witches ' fortune. Lady Macbeth, who appears in the beginning as the driving force for the murder of King Duncan, also develops internal conflict. At first, Lady Macbeth seems to be a woman of extreme confidence and will. But, as situations become more and more unstable in the play, guilt develops inside her. For instance, she exclaims; "Wash your hands. Put on your nightgown. / Look not so pale. I tell you again, Banquo 's / Burried; he cannot come out on 's grave" (Shakespeare V, ii, 65-67). Lady Macbeth sleepwalks and frets about her evil wrongdoings because she is extremely guilty of her influence on Macbeth to commit the murder. Lady Macbeth reacts emotionally and dwells on her actions as guilt eats at her soul.
Macbeth is feeling paranoid after the witches tell a prophecy that Banquo’s son will inherit the throne, after he has passed away. Macbeth wants his descendants to inherit the throne not Banquo’s. So, Macbeth then hires three murderers to kill Banquo. At his dinner, after he is crowned the king, Macbeth sees Banquo’s ghost because of his guilty conscience. Macbeth starts to yell at the ghost saying he can not prove it is him who did it, “Thou canst not say I did it./ Never shake/ Thy gory locks at me” (3.4.61-62) When Macbeth freaks out and has a panic attack at the table, Lady Macbeth covers for him and tells the guests that he acts like this at times. Even though Macbeth hires men to kill Banquo, the blood is still on his hands. It is his idea to kill Banquo, and now he can feel even guiltier about what he has done. Macbeth is going insane feeling all this guilt and it is making him see ghosts. Macbeth is thinking that Banquo would become suspicious of Duncan’s murder. He did not want Banquo getting in his
After he is crowned King of Scotland, Macbeth begins to suspect that Banquo knows that Macbeth killed the king as both of them were present when the witches foretold their future. So, out of protection of the crown and his royal line, Macbeth has Banquo killed. Shortly after Banquo’s death, Macbeth sees the bloody ghost of his dead friend sitting in his spot while at a feast. Macbeth speaks to the ghost as if it were real and says, “Thou canst say I did it. Never shake thy gory locks at me,” (III.iv.
As well as seeing the ghost of his murdered friend Banquo at the diner table, he also develops insomnia, and goes so far on as to suggest that he is jealous of Duncan because he can sleep forever whereas he cannot sleep at all. He also loses his appetite and can no longer eat well; this shows that his insides are turning with the memory that he himself had killed a King who had been so good to him and to Scotland. After getting Banquo killed, Macbeth sees his ghost at the banquet with twelve bloody gashes in his head; this makes Macbeth completely insane in an instant. He is not only scared by seeing the ghost of Banquo, but also by the thought that he had done these horrible things, and that his soul would be haunted by his murdered friends ghost for ever. It is through the main characters of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth that this theme of guilt and conscience is so vividly portrayed.
He first slaughters Duncan, wondering aloud whether all the water in the world could “wash this blood clean from my hand (2.2.61-62).” But he soon forgets his terror, and even finds it within him to assassinate his lifelong friend, Banquo, and Banquo’s son, Fleance, because he believes they are a threat to his kingship. At first seeming thoroughly competent and clear of mind (even though Fleance escapes), the new king is driven to madness not long after he learns the deed is done. MacBeth envisions the dead Banquo so vividly at his dinner table that he begins talking to the nonexistent apparition, murmuring that “the time has been that when the brains were out, the man would die (3.4.81-83),” but that Banquo has not left his mind so easily, so present in his consciousness that he is practically alive. After all, according to MacBeth, “blood will have blood (3.4.128).”
Desperate, Macduff “ is gone to pray the holy (English)king upon his aid”. Not only is Macduff putting his own life in danger, but he is also leaving his wife and kids very vulnerable. Macduff, however being the patriotic man, chooses to do what is his best for his country and follow his conscience in extension. Although his wife and kids do perished under Macbeth’s reign, Macduff is ultimately awarded by the new title he earns from Malcolm when Macbeth is finally overthrown. This might not cover the loss of his family, but Shakespeare is implying that he and his family will be reunited in heaven. Macduff did in fact follow his conscience in making decisions that are hard costing even the lives of his family, but he is able to continue to lead a peaceful life and be reunited with his family once in heaven while Lady Macbeth, most likely, soul is forever tormented by the scorching flames.
First off, Macbeth’s ambition leads him to fall into paranoia. It drives him mad, and makes him hallucinate. Macbeth kills so many men seamlessly but after the murder of Banquo he begins to go crazy. “Macbeth does murder sleep…Macbeth shall sleep no more.”(II.II). When he sleeps he sees Banquo and he cannot deal with the guilt. He even began to have visions of Banquo’s ghost “If thou canst nod, speak too. /if charnel-houses and our graves must send/those that we bury back, our monuments/shall be the maws of kites.”(III.IV) Not only does he ask the murderers twice if Banquo is dead but he also becomes paranoid because Fleance got away. In Act 3 scene 4, Macbeth as king holds a feast with all his friends. During this feast he begins to hallucinate, he sees Banquo’s ghost. Lady
After killing King Duncan , Macbeth is starting to realize what it is that he has done, and becomes suspicious and paranoid of everyone around him by puting spy's in every castle and killing those who are any treat to him what so ever. Banquo is the only other person who knows of the meeting with the witches and he would assume that it was Macbeth who killed the King. The witches also said that Banquo would beget kings but he himself would never be king after Macbeth, and so Macbeth decides that Banquo is a threat to him. To get rid of the treat with banquo he decides to kill him and his son Fleance.
So he kills many more people who he believes suspect him of murder. He becomes suspicious and insecure. He is scared of what he has done and fearful of deeds to follow. One of the main pieces of evidence that portrays a breakdown within the person is Macbeth's inability to sleep. This comes forward in Act two Scene 2 "I heard a voice cry `Sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep'" (lines 33-34). Sleep was seen as the natural end to the day and it was unnatural to not be able to sleep. Macbeth lost the ability to restore himself within his mind and his body, therefore becoming abnormal. The fact that Banquo's ghost appeared to him at the banquet shows his troubled conscience - his murderous deeds are playing on his mind. The vision of the ghost also represents the fact that after Macbeth killed Banquo, he entered into the world of the supernatural at a level that he had never stooped to before. All the evidence above portrays a steadily growing breakdown within the person - within Macbeth.
Lady Macbeth comes off as one of the most oblique, yet determined characters in the play. She had her mind set on helping her husband conciliate the throne and encourages him to pursue his dreams of being crowned as the king. When his weaknesses appeared she remained firm and made Macbeth’s goals her own ambitions. Things do seem a bit outrageous at that particular moment where Lady Macbeth explains to Macbeth how they should kill King Duncan but it shows not only the true love and devotion for her husband, but how she would stop at nothing until he gets what he wants.