The Macbeth Murder Mystery

Not surprisingly, Macbeth has received volumes of critical commentary over the years. Not only is the play an audience favorite, but its complex characterization, deeply woven themes, and characteristic Shakespearean style make it rich ground for scholarly inquiry. Critics such as Harold Bloom have remarked on the importance of Macbeth in the context of Shakespeare 's works. In Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human, Bloom writes, ' 'The rough magic in Macbeth is wholly Shakespeare 's; he indulges his own imagination as never before, seeking to find its moral limits (if any). ' ' Bloom also remarks, ' 'Macbeth is an uncanny unity of setting, plot, and characters, fused together beyond comparison with any other play of Shakespeare 's. '

“Macbeth” and “Macbeth retold” by Mark Brozel, share many comparisons yet have many vital differences.

There is ample speculation over the situation of the mysterious third murderer, in Macbeth. Tremendous arguments based solely on whether the murderer is, in fact, Macbeth himself. However, it is highly doubtful, that Shakespeare would have made this mystery as straightforward. Speculators often look past the idea that the murderer could have been someone other than Macbeth, like his servant. The servant, like Macbeth, would have his reasons to fulfill this deed.

Lady Macbeth also feels that Banquo was a threat to their rule. She asks, "Is Banquo gone from court?" (3.2.1). Lady Macbeth also thinks that it is necessary to kill Banquo and Fleance (3.2.38). Later on in this scene, she wants to know her role when she asks Macbeth, "What's to be done?" (3.2.44). Her intentions of joining the other two murderers are so that the plan is carried out and no mistake is made in the process. This explains why Lady Macbeth could be a possible candidate for being the third murderer.

Introduction: John’s domination over the Narrator is evident from the beginning of the short story. The Narrator remains unknown and takes the identity of John’s wife not an individual human being. This identity, further explored, becomes her personality because she obeys John’s every command.

Lady Macbeth Is arguing without or self almost as if she should decide whether or not she should or shouldn’t worry about all the murders and if she should feel guilty about them.

The narrator was very absurd in the way she wrote. She lost touch with the outer world. At this point, she was faced with relationships, objects and situations that seem innocent and natural, but in actuality, it was very bizarre. From the beginning, the readers sees that the narrator is imaginative and a highly expressive women. She remembered that she frightened

Some actresses see Lady Macbeth as sympathetic to her husband like Sarah Siddons and Kate Fleetwood, feeling sympathy for Macbeth is a decision both actresses made for Lady Macbeth to be relatable and more human, Siddons who portrayed her in the mid-1800s said that she approached her as, “keen to present the character in as attractive a light as possible, so sexually appealing – fair feminine, nay perhaps even fragile” (Sarah Siddons qtd. In Robert Miola, 94). Siddons saw the character of Macbeth as honorable and to have him as a husband only proves Lady Macbeth is very taken with him, having put all of her efforts into seducing such an honorable man. Kate Fleetwood’s own interpretation of Lady Macbeth was very domestic, the societal hostess. In an interview in 2011, Fleetwood who was directed by her husband Rupert Goold in the 2007 version of the play said that, “When Rupert suggested to me about the domestic side of her, that started to ring really big bells for me” (Fleetwood qtd. In Miola, 135). The argument about how Lady Macbeth truly loves her husband and tried to summons the spirits is because she knows that Macbeth is very ambitious, and she needs all the strength she can have to convince him to act out the three witches’ prophecy. This arguement and its solution is very valid, Lady Macbeth only acting out for the benefit of her husband, she wants her husband to be the king of Scotland but it does not mean she wants to queen herself. In an interview, Fleetwood also

In the beginning of the story the reader is introduced to the male dominant dynamics between the woman and her husband John. In fact, the woman is never given a name in the story, unlike John, signifying the denial of her importance. Furthermore, there is an immediate juxtaposition of characteristics, “John is practical…He has no patience…John laughs at me”

In Macbeth a tragedy by William Shakespeare a general named Macbeth is given a prediction from three witches that he will one day be King of Scotland. When Macbeth hears this he becomes fierce and filled with ambition to kill King Duncan and take the throne for himself. Numerous people push him into killing King Duncan so he could become king and rule Scotland. Shakespeare writes this play about power, ambition, and betrayal to guide the reader into identifying who is the most responsible for the murder of King Duncan. There are many “bad guys” in the play and I believe the most responsible is Lady Macbeth.

On a dark night Macbeth paced back and forth with the thought of murder going through his mind. It was this night Macbeth and his wife planned on murdering the King, Duncan. After committing the crime he confesses to his wife that it is done, “I have done the deed” (2.2. 14). Macbeth would be charged with first degree murder because of the following reasons. The murder of duncan was premeditated, he showed guilt, and continued to murder. Although he may be llusional now he was not at that state before he committed the murder, once he took action the mental torture began.

The use of question form sentences and contradictions show women's thought process during that time era. When the story is introduced her thoughts are being exposed and analyzed as an oppressed woman being controlled by her husband. For example, just in the very beginning of the story when she is introducing her husband she says "and what can one do?...But what is one to do?... What is one to do?" (Gilman). In contrast, whenever the narrator expresses her thoughts or opinion towards something, she questions herself at the end, or clears that she is incapable of doing something. Furthermore, the marriage ideology and the relationship between her and her husband also shows by her stating that she "had no intentions of telling him" and the constant use of "he said... he wants... he says..." (Gilman). This demonstrates women's inability to express themselves and imprisoning their thoughts and disallowing themselves to speak due to the husbands dominant

Ultimately, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth have polar opposite reactions to seeing innocent blood, dealing with guilt, and ridding themselves of the evidence from the crime. When comparing Macbeth and Lady Macbeth to religions Macbeth is like the Catholics who feel shame and guilt. Whereas Lady Macbeth is like the Atheists who can easily brush off tough situations without a guilty conscience. In every situation regarding the murder of King Duncan Macbeth acts like most people would, feeling panicked and awful about what they have done. Despite Macbeth, Lady Macbeth acts similar to how a serial murder would, feeling little shame and remorse. To conclude, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth act very differently when exposed to tough situations like murder.

There is interculturality in the passage “this is the tale of a man who delighted in the science of water and in word games and a woman with a penchant for numerals and a taste for silk pajamas”. Actually, it is a representation of man and woman as being two entities. The man is always related to good and serious things like in the passage, they are celebrating the man‟s success in science while woman is related to silly things like her love to silk pajamas etc.

As a virgin to The Shakespeare Theatre, I was pleasantly surprised when my recent encounter with Macbeth was a stimulating and enjoyable excursion. The two and a half hours I had predicted to be less than enchanting were filled with symbolism, and an overall attitude towards the Shakespeare classic that I had never contemplated before.