“Macbeth” Has All the Ingredients of a Compelling Drama

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Question: “Macbeth” has all the ingredients of a compelling drama. Write a response to this statement commenting on one or more of the ingredients, which, in your opinion make Macbeth compelling. The play Macbeth is indeed a compelling one, featuring many of the key ingredients which so often make Shakespeare’s plays the greats that they are known as today. It features many different themes, the theme of evil, the supernatural, of war and the ever corrupting nature of power. These components are further brought together by the overhanging sense of mystery in the play. What will become of Macbeth? Who will win out as the King of Scotland? Will all the prophecies come to fruition? It is the combination of these key ingredients and mysteries that make Macbeth so compelling. Indeed, one of the most compelling things in the play is Macbeth himself. As the plays titular character, one would expect him to play a large part but the ways in which he compels the plot and reader go above and beyond expectation. Throughout the course of the play, we see Macbeth’s journey from a highly regarded battle hero to a despised tyrant, from a level headed army captain to a cold impulsive King. We witness this through the comments of the other characters in the play. At the beginning of the play, we see Macbeth being referred to as “Brave Macbeth” and receiving praises such as “Bellona’s Bridegroom”, comparing him to the Roman God of War, Mars. He is clearly held in high esteem having a reputation for his ferocity and his prowess in battle. However, in the closing scenes of the play, we see him being referred to such things as “the tyrant” and “hell-hound”. We see that his reputation has been completely reversed, going from hero of many to universal enemy. The graduation of this descent compels the reader, noting the decline and only wanting more and more to learn of his fate.

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