Macbeth is portrayed as a "good being" because he fought for his country and for his king. Shakespeare also describes Macbeth in such quotes as "for brave Macbeth-well he deserves that name" (pg. 38, line 16), and "What he hath lost, noble Macbeth hath won."(pg. 40 line 67). However As the play progresses, Macbeth's personality and actions become more deceitful leading to his destruction.
This shows Macbeth ambition gave him the desire to maintain his power by any means necessary if even that meant killing a loyal friend , which he did in getting Banquo killed. Macbeth vaulting ambition also has a strain on his relationship with his wife. Lady Macbeth is no longer the more ambitious person in the play. Macbeth ambition has now led to him making decesions on his own , no longer consulting Lady Macbeth. Meanwhile Lady Macbeth nows feel neglected by Macbeth causing her to suffer from depression.
It was his fatal flaw, ambition, that ultimately led to his downfall. Macbeth was a man who could want for nothing. He was happily married, and an owner of lands, titles and respect. However, even that was not enough when a prophetic greeting from a trio of witches ignited something inside him, his fatal flaw: ambition. When the witches greet him as “...Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter.” [Act 1, Scene 3, Line 48] he begins to strive toward a larger goal: the throne.
Macbeth being hesitant and indecisive allows Lady Macbeth to overcome and influence him to do any wicked deed. Lady Macbeth feels her husband lacks the drive and courage to go through with the assassination of King Duncan. She explains, “Glamis thou art, an Cawdor; and shalt be what thou art promis’d. –Yet do I fear thy nature: it is too full o’ th’ milk of human kindness, to catch the nearest way. Thou wouldst be great; Art not without ambition, but without the illness should attend it” (I.v.15-20) With this, she realizes that Macbeth is to laid back or nonchalant when he is not on the battle field.
The Macbeth we first encounter is an important and valued member of his society and the favorite of his king. His bravery and loyalty are celebrated and, though fierce in battle, we are led to believe that his is a fundamentally good and virtuous nature. By the plays end, however, he has 'supped full of horrors' and is regarded as a 'hell-hound' by his peers. In my opinion, key to this tragic downfall is Macbeth's relationship with his wife, Lady Macbeth, and the influence they exert upon each other. Within this relationship there is rarely true equality - one partner almost always has undue power or influence over the other.
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.
In the Elizabethan era, the would be the dominant figure in a traditional relationship, but in Lady Macbeth and Macbeths relationship, lady Macbeth is seen as the dominant figure and would bully, tease and mock Macbeth into committing things he didn’t wanted to do, but she thought was the best way to go. During the exposition of the play Macbeth is described as being a “heroic leader” and “a worthy thane” this made him feel proud and honoured; however when it comes to killing the Duncan to fulfil the prophecies, Lady Macbeth has to try to encourage him to do so by saying “you were a man...more the man.” Lady Macbeth constantly asks Macbeth this to question his masculinity and his authority as a man. We first see Lady Macbeth when she appears in i: v in this scene we see her reading Macbeth's letter telling her about the witches’ prophecies for his rise to power. This report pleases her, which encourages her to take pride in her husband’s
She is loving to her husband but at the same time very ambitious, as shown by her immediate determination for Macbeth to be king. This outcome will benefit her and her husband equally. She immediately concludes that "the fastest way" for Macbeth to become king is by murdering King Duncan. Lady Macbeth's immediate thoughts may make her appear as thoroughly irreligiously cold and ambitious, but this is not so. To prepare for what she feels must be done she calls on evil spirits to "stop up th' access and passage to remorse" in order to be relentless.
Lady Macbeth doubts Macbeth’s ambition which ultimately leads her to manipulate him into assassinating King Duncan. She exclaims her doubt in Macbeth’s ambition due to his morals in saying they “. . . are too full of the milk of human kindness/ To catch the nearest way.” [1.5.13] Her masculinity overshadows Macbeth’s when she asserts her power without contemplation and plans King Duncan’s murder.
More than these, I think Lear is motivated by his idea that he is a good man. One thing that supports is when Kent says “I’ll tell thee thou dost evil,” (Act I, Scene I, Line 175) and Shakespeare writes the king as reacting in a frenzy, going so far as to say “This moment is thy death,” (Act I, Scene I, Line 190). By portraying the king in this way, Shakespeare causes us to judge him as unstable and mental. While his actions thus far have been rash, him reacting in this way, and him banishing his daughter saying, “Here I disclaim all my paternal care, Propinquity and property of blood,” (Act I, Scene I, Lines 117-118). From these thing, it is made clear that Lear is not only rash and insecure but also thoughtless and stupid.