Macbeth Essay The play Macbeth revolves around the events that occur once Macbeth hears the witch’s predictions. These predictions were told to both Macbeth and his beloved cousin Banquo; this will play a major role in the future. Macbeth was told that he would be Thane of Cawdor as well as being Thane of Glamis and later on would be King, while Banquo was told that his children would be kings. Later on, when Banquo dies, Macbeth is told three new prophecies that would further influence him. These change Macbeth and start to make him do actions that would normally be out of the ordinary.
Macbeth killed the king and took the throne, so there is an apparent reason that it was Macbeth?s choice. Finally, the witches tell him that he will not fall until ?Birnam Woods meets Dunsinane Hill.? Well, Birnam Wood meets Dunsinane Hill and Macbeth is defeated. This again is partially Macbeth?s fault. If he hadn?t killed
However, in a chain of events that status is quickly removed. As the play progresses Macbeth goes from a loyal character to a dangerous on because of his rising ambition for power, and his wife’s influence on his actions. At the beginning of the play Macbeth is seen much differently than he is by the end of the play. His social status is high because he is the Thane of Glamis and Cowder, and people like him because he is trustworthy and proven in battle. The King of Scotland says, “What be hath lost, noble Macbeth hat won” (1.2.
It becomes apparent to the reader that the witches are a part of the present and the future. Hearing of his prophesized nobility, Macbeth is all too excited to get a jump start on his future. To do so, he must get rid of the present king though. It becomes known to the reader that this foreshadowing advances the plot of Duncan’s death. Upon reading her husbands letter, Lady Macbeth is too very ecstatic about their future.
However, our opinion of him quickly changes in Act I Scene III when his true ambitions are revealed after an encounter with three witches and he soon learns that he himself will become king one day. During this key scene we see a seed planted into Macbeth’s mind which leads him into taking a murderous path. Through analysis and evaluation of these key scenes and in particular the characterisation of Macbeth, I will show how our view of him significantly changes throughout the entire play. In Act I Scene II we are led to believe that Macbeth’s character is a noble and loyal servant to his king as we hear of his courageous action on the battlefield: “For brave Macbeth – well he deserves that name…” This is the first time we get a true in site into Macbeth’s character and we are told of his courageousness in battle. Shakespeare’s use of the word “brave” is used to give us a false impression of Macbeth’s true self.
The devil, or the evil spirits, take up many disguises, one of which is through Lady Macbeth. Our tragic hero does not realize that every murder will come back to haunt him. We begin to see the slippery slope Macbeth slides down as he promptly kills his best friend, Banquo, and attempts to murder Banquo’s only child, Fleance, without any outside influences. He was content killing his closest ally because he worries about the witches prophecy that “the seeds of Banquo’s kings, rather than so, come fate into the list, and champion me to the utterance…” (III.I.70-73). Even when you believe Macbeth cannot be any worse he slaughters Macduff’s entire family when he hears Macduff has fled to England; he said that he would “give to the edge o’the sword his wife, babes, and all unfortunate souls that trace him in his line”.
Once the witches show him his future, he becomes obsessed with speeding up the anticipated coming into power. He is told he will be King of Scotland, so Macbeth makes it happen by killing the King, which casts a shadow of doubt on his two sons, thereby allowing Macbeth to ascend to the throne. Once Macbeth seizes power through violence and murder, his life is darkened with the crime of regicide, he has killed a rightful, good and much loved king. His life begins to fall apart after this because he develops a serious case of paranoia over having the crown stolen from him. He becomes a slash and burn murderer and he loses sight of his humanity, he has no morality governing his actions.
Although unsuccessful (only Lady Macduff and her son were killed), it proved that Macbeth was willing to go as far as it took to keep himself on the throne. The witches however, did plant the seeds again that led to this murder and therefore should be considered at least semi-accountable. This theory is supported even more by the murder of Banquo. The witches prophesised that Banquo’s sons would succeed Macbeth’s rule. Macbeth, now seeing Banquo as a threat, hired more people to murder Banquo and eliminate all possibility that he or his sons could dethrone
This could possibly be the betrayl of a friendship for power. In the remainder of the scene the audience see Ross and Angus enter and tell Macbeth that due to his triumphant battle he is to be known forth as the Thane of Cawdor. This confuses Mabeth as it happens just after his encounter with the witches so much so he questions his fellow lords of the statement they made as up untill this point he belives that the late late Thane is alive. "Glamis, and Thane of Cawdor:" This makes the audience think about what is going to come if the first of the witches predictions comes ture, this is also pointed out by Macbeth himself which makes the audience feel even more uneasy about Macbeths future actions. Macbeth then turns to Banquo to ask his opiion and recive accpetance from him, this would see through MAcbeths excitment see a plot building and a worry for the king "Do you not hope your children shall be kings, When those that gave the Thane of Cawdor to
The vicious chain reaction of fear continues. After Macbeth kills Duncan, he is too scared to even carry the daggers back into the king’s chamber. He is completely surrounded by the immense fear which takes root in his mind and repeatedly reminds him of the fact that the regicide will eventually be discovered. In order to relieve this horror, Macbeth has no choices but to blame the murderous deed upon the two drunken chamberlains who are instigated by both Duncan’s sons. After he is successfully crowned as the king of Scotland, the prior fear fades away and begets another fear which forms images in Macbeth’ head with the previous scene of the day where him and Banquo listen to the prophecies of the three witches.