Macbeth Character Analysis

Personal power has the capability to be essential to greatness, and is also able to destroy a person nature. In William Shakespeare’s play Macbeth, ambition takes a toll on destruction of power that goes unchecked. It is mostly displayed in the one of the main characters, Macbeth. Macbeth is a prime example throughout this play of the horrible effects that ambition can have on someone who lacks a strong character. However, some people feel that Macbeth is an evil person, but he is badly qualified for the consequences of time mentally. Throughout this play ambition is displayed as a dangerous quality and triggers a series of deaths.

Macbeth is not a villain in whom there is little to admire; he in fact, contains many characteristics that responders would look up to and to some extent, respect. Bravery and courage is shown with Macbeth throughout the play which causes us to admire him. What ultimately had caused Macbeth's rise and downfall is what the witches had dishonesty masqueraded, and thus Macbeth's character flaw had provoked the events happening. Moreover, although Macbeth had committed many awful and unforgivable deeds, within him, is the guilt and remorse for those people who were his victims. Many times he have had questioned himself whether what he was doing was right, showing how there is compassion within him. Ambition and determination is the major

Macbeth’s character has developed significantly up to the second act. We are first introduced to Macbeth character in a way that we view him as powerful and Nobel. We get this idea from the quote “oh valiant cousin, worthy gentleman” which is what he is described as by Duncan, who at the time is the king. From this quote Macbeth is portrayed as a loyal and heroic figure who has done much for many, however as we know this was not a smart move for Duncan to make as it makes him come across and weak and seems like Duncan should be giving Macbeth a higher title, which is what the witches had told him before. In addition, this idea of the king complementing Macbeth about all the good that he has done seems to trigger the belief that Macbeth has the ability to be king, even in the eyes of Duncan who is so ecstatic what he has done for the county.

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.

Whilst the character of Macbeth is initially portrayed as a noble kinsman, his ambition and motivation, directly influenced by the witches and Lady Macbeth, ultimately transforms him into a corrupt and ruthless tyrant. William Shakespeare’s most famous tragedy “Macbeth” clearly depicts this notion of change, illustrated through Shakespeare's utilisation of literary techniques. The tragic downfall of Macbeth is mainly attributed to Macbeth’s own greed and hubris.

Throughout the book, as Macbeth continues to progress in power, it seems as though his morals fade away while dark and destructive ideas spread through him quickly. While Macbeth contemplates his first evil deed of killing Duncan, he often talk’s himself into doing it, or gets outside persuasion to gain the courage that he is lacking. After talking to Lady Macbeth about how he has to murder Duncan, he exclaims, “I am settled and bend up / Each corporal agent to this terrible feat. / Away and mock the time with the fairest show. / False face must hide what the false heart doth / know” (1.7.92-96). Later in the novel we learn that Macbeth thinks that Banquo has become a threat to his power. Macbeth then takes this problem into his own hands and assigns murderers to kill Banquo. Macbeth then says, “So is he mine; and in such bloody distance / That every minute of his being thrusts/ Against my nearest of life. And though I could / With barefaced power sweep him from my sight/ And bid my will avouch it, yet I must not, / For certain friends that are both his and mine, / Whose loves I may not drop, but wail his fall who I myself struck down. And thence it is, that I to your assistance do make love, masking the business from the common eye for sundry weighty reasons” (3.1.132-142). Macbeth is saying that if he absolutely has to do this terrible deed he will, it doesn’t mean he wants to, but he is going to do it anyways. Macbeth uses the motif of appearance versus reality when he

Making poor choices and treating others with disrespect can affect you in the long run and can easily contribute to a downfall. Macbeth was fully aware of the choices he made with the inhumane torture and disrespect he had on the citizens of Scotland. Being a tragic hero is when one experiences an immense tragedy which leads to a downfall, but Macbeth never had a tragedy because his death originated from the choices he made and reactions he had while he had authority as king. Macbeth being selfish and only caring about himself creates an undeserving and improper image as king which brought chaos into the land of Scotland. In Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, Macbeth does not fit the formula for a tragic hero because he is not a moral

In the beginning of the play, before we are formally introduced to Macbeth, Macbeth is portrayed by King Duncan, as a loyal, brave and a heroic fighter. The King praises him, setting up Macbeth's initial character as an over all well rounded, strong person, leading the audience to belief Macbeth is a sane, honest person. However, through the next few acts to the finale, we witness Macbeth's portrayal shift to one with blind ambition and crude desire. We see his mental status deteriorate as well as the actions that illustrate this continuous decline; until inevitably, his sanity, or lack thereof, catches up with him.

Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, is a tragedy concerning Macbeth, a general in 11th century Scotland, and his ambition to become king which ultimately leads to his demise. Shakespeare denounces Macbeth as a character with numerous weaknesses throughout the tragedy, but Macbeth is also revealed as a character with distinct strengths in particular parts of the play. As Shakespeare exposes these strengths and weaknesses, the credibility of Macbeth’s actions is affected and Macbeth is seen as character incapable of overcoming difficult moral situations and as a character who is easily influenced by others. One way that Shakespeare causes Macbeth’s character to affect his credibility is through Macbeth’s numerous flaws.

Some people allow avarice and power to take over their life. Even if you think of yourself and others think of you as good, power can change that. Before the murder, Macbeth showed bravery, kindness, ambition and imagination. He also didn’t really fear anything or anyone. Throughout the story his state of mind changes and he thinks of himself as invincible. He shows his lack of care for his family and friends as well. Macbeth puts his mind to the test and decides to turn his caring heart into a crazy disaster.

Over the course of the play, the reader can see Macbeth gradually decline in his mental and emotional state. From the beginning, he is portrayed as a traditional hero, with his courage on the battlefield and his honor at all times, not to mention his natural mercy and loyalty. Toward the end, however, he is a cruel and treacherous-as well as overly ambitious-tyrant. Throughout the play, we see challenges occur to make him this way, beginning from the point at which the witches spoke to him, and prophesied for him his rise to power.

   From the beginning of the play, Macbeth undergoes a complete change in character--from a virtuous nobleman into a monster. He has a tragic weakness--ambition--which, when released, draws him into a web of evil and corruption that finally leaves him with none of the noble human qualities he possessed at the beginning of the play.

In the play, the character of Macbeth may have wielded the knife, but I do not believe that Shakespeare presents him as acting alone and of his free will. I believe that Shakespeare shows him as being manipulated into killing Duncan by the witches. This is because they are guilty of planting the idea of becoming king in Macbeth's head, they cause Macbeth to be confident in their abilities to predict his kingdom, they allow the idea of becoming King to take over Macbeth and they use their supernatural powers to interfere with the natural world.

Famous literary writer Shakespeare has written many works. The works of Shakespeare can be considered part of the literary canon. All of which are considered timeless because of their innovative use of characterisation and aesthetic elements. One such play is Macbeth written by written by Shakespeare in 1604.

In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, malicious characters are portrayed as obviously evil and influential. Macbeth, however, is one character that is not represented in this way, in fact he is quite the opposite. The new king is seen as a victim of his foul wife’s influences and the witches prophecies but is really only supported by them and these ideas, leading him to make decisions based on evil ambition and a wicked desire for power. Readers are pushed to believe that Macbeth deserves sympathy, but as all humans do, Macbeth has free will allowing him to make his own decisions which means that if he were a victim, he would only be this due to his depraved actions.