Shakespeare 's Macbeth : Importance Of Secondary Characters

If Shakespeare had not chosen to alter the not so palatable history he found in the Chronicles by adding sensational art and more dramatic effect, the play would not have conveyed the message in the very effective way it does now and with that emotional appeal, since “catching the conscience of Macbeth, and through him, of the audience was surely a major source of the play’s power and a source that helps immensely to explain why there is so much sensational art in the play.”

The witches manipulate Macbeth into becoming a murdering, power-hungry evil being, by telling him, “someday you’ll be king.” “I'll drain him dry as hay. Sleep shall neither night nor day Hang upon his penthouse lid. He shall live a man forbid. Weary sev'n nights, nine times nine, Shall he dwindle, peak, and pine.” (I,i) The witches use the two other prophecies to get in the mind of Macbeth. They say that Macbeth will be Thane of Cawdor, and Banquo will be the father of future generations of kings. Though his bark cannot be lost, Yet it shall be tempest-tossed.They give Macbeth a false sense of security with the visions they perceive. These influential women are the ones that instill the idea of murdering the king. Macbeth lets greed get the best of him. The witches sway Macbeth into killing Duncan for the throne. “Fair is foul, and foul is fair.” (I,i) The Witches intend to turn Macbeth from his good ways, into something evil. As the only character that understands their cruelty, the witches want Macbeth dead. The witches give Macbeth the temptation to kill the king by telling him their prophecies. In the end,

Macbeth and Banquo’s reaction to the prophecy told to them by the witch’s gave way for two opposing opinions on both the validity and manifesting of the prophecy. Although their opinions throughout the unveiling of the prophecy were opposing throughout, at all times they both rendered the prophecy in contrastive ways, whether they contemplated on its benefit or hindrance towards their gleaming future.

As Scene 1 opens, Banquo is fearful and suspicious of Macbeth. He suspects him of killing Duncan. Since the witches’ prophecy has come true, Banquo feels that Macbeth has been rotten in his pursuits to be king. The quote, “Thou hast it now---King, Cawdor, Glamis, all/As the Weird Women promised, and I fear/Thou played’st most foully for‘t’” (Shakespeare, 81) is said by Banquo. He comes to the realization that Macbeth is power hungry and his ambitions are unchecked. He is also suspicious that since Macbeth’s prophecy came true, Macbeth will want to make certain that his prophecy won’t be fulfilled.

Foreshadowing, irony and characterisation are used in William Shakespeare's play, Macbeth, to explore the ideas of violence, power, and gender. These stylistic techniques are presented through the start, middle and end of the play to highlight a diverse range of significant ideas consistently throughout the play.

Shakespeare’s Act IV of Macbeth is a short act, yet he manages to introduce suspense, a vivid turning point, and key character developments. Every line of this act is significant, adding another layer to the plot in some way, for example, the doctor’s one verse introduces King Edward’s ability to heal “wretched souls” (IV.III.161) in contrast to MacBeth. The succinctness of Shakespeare’s introduction to the foil of Macbeth and Edward’s kingship, the true evil that has gained control of Macbeth’s mind, and the foreshadowing that occurs, are what make this act critically stellar.

throughout the play, Macbeth was faced with many hard decisions but constantly made cruel ones which led him to his tragic downfall. In Act one Macbeth encounters the witches and learns the prophecies as he was to be Thane of Cawdor and to be King, Banquo by his side was also told he is to be a father to a king. After the first prophecy

In Macbeth, the witches use foreshadowing, characterization, and the characters in Macbeth use allusions. The witches play a large part in the play. They lead Macbeth to kill the king, and they lead to his demise. They are the main factor that moves the play along as well as help Macbeth use his tragic flaw of overconfidence. Macbeth believes everything that the witches tell him and he does not think for one moment that the witches might be telling him something else that would be hidden in the predictions. They were the reason that Macbeth decided to kill the king, and the reason why he was so paranoid with everyone. He killed his best friend all because the witches told him that Banquo will be father to a line of kings. Macbeth went on and

Soon after, Macbeth realizes one of the prophecies the witches say has come true and now he believes he will be thrown and is willing to murder anyone in the way. After the murder of King Duncan, Macbeth is starting to doubt who he really believes is on his side. He thinks, Banquo his friend from the start knows what he has done. As the witches said to both of them “ Banquo’s children will be king but he will not”. The second prophecy that is given by the witches makes Macbeth’s mind go spinning around on whether or not the murder of King Duncan should have been Banquo and if he knows he has killed the king.

Banquo was with Macbeth when the witches had told them of the prophecies that were to come true. Macbeth realizes that Banquo is a true noble man, and that he is likely to piece together what is going on and could tell people that Macbeth was the real murderer. “Our fears in Banquo stick deep, and in his royalty of nature reigns that which would be feared.” Here Macbeth speaks of the fear that he has of Banquo and the true manhood that he exhibits. Macbeth sinks as low as going to the deed of killing his own best friend out of fear and evilness.

As Lady Macbeth represents temptation, the three witches, Banquo’s ghost, the three apparitions, and many more represent the supernatural and the superstitious. Supernatural is the unusual, the unseen, and the unknown, and the subject is delved deeply in many parts of the play. Superstitions were often believed by many Elizabethans in Shakespeare's time and were used throughout Macbeth to entertain it’s audience. Today, we still read his books for a source of humour or for a sad tragedy. These superstitions are not often believed for the occurrences happening today,c

At the start of the play, Macbeth is viewed as a loyal and honest men by the public and even his allies. After Macbeth and Banquo receive their prophecies from the three witches, Banquo and Macbeth discussed about how they felt about what the witches told the both of

At the beginnig of the play Macbeth is shown as respected general, a devoted husband and a loyal subject to the king Duncan .The 3 witches make three prophecies, in act 1, scene 3 , the first 2 prophecies is rewarding Macbeth and the last one about Banquo, The first prophecy brings out his ambitous nature, but makes him struggles with killing his cousin king Duncan. Macbeth evil deed makes him suffer from fear and guilt , causing him to commit more evil crimes. Because of the witches prophecies Macbeth changes throughout the play from being a noble and loyal person to the king, to being a murder and people calling him the

Shakespeare explores the abuse of supernatural power through manipulation by witches on human nature. This considers how witches dominate through the complexity of control as an attempt to influence fate. In the Jacobean Era, King James was interested in the supernatural with the majority of people believing that witches held supernatural power and were evil representatives of the devil. Hecate informs the witches in relation to Macbeth that “he shall spurn fate, scorn death and bear his hopes ‘bove wisdom, grace and fear…security is mortal’s chiefest enemy”. Tragic foreshadowing emphasises “scorn death” presenting a dark upcoming event. This demonstrates how the witches manipulate Macbeth into thinking that he stands above wisdom, grace and fear, encouraging him to be overly confident. As a loyal friend, Banquo warns Macbeth “to win us to our harm the instruments of darkness tell us

will be not so happy because he will have an early death, but he will