A lust for power already existed in Macbeth, but it was his encounter with the three witches on his return from battle that triggered his thirst for the throne, and subsequently the deaths of many, Macbeth among the deceased. The witches told Macbeth that he would become the Thane of Cawdor, and when he did, he became obsessed with the idea that he will become the King of Scotland; “prophecy” said so. With the encouragement of his wife, Macbeth murdered King Duncan, and Banquo, who was a comrade of Macbeth. Macbeth then orders the deaths of Macduff’s wife and children, because he fears that they stand a chance of taking the throne. Upon hearing of his families’ death, Macduff returns to Scotland to confront Macbeth, who is slain.
Consumed with ambitious thoughts and spurred to action by his wife, Macbeth murders King Duncan and seizes the throne for himself. He begins his reign racked with guilt and fear and soon becomes a tyrannical ruler, as he is forced to commit more and more murders to protect himself from enmity and suspicion. The bloodbath swiftly propels Macbeth and Lady Macbeth to arrogance, madness, and death. There are a few themes had been portrayed by the writer. One of the major themes being portrayed by the writer is about tyranny.
There are an abundant amount of accounts in Shakespeare’s poem, Macbeth, which depict Macbeth as being morally ambiguous. Throughout the story, Macbeth is seen as heroic, evil, and misfortunate. Ultimately, Macbeth is tragic hero insofar as he was once a hero; however, he allowed for his ambition to get the best of him and lead him to his downfall. First of all, the beginning of the poem, the Sergeant glorifies Macbeth by notifying King Duncan of his heroic actions in battle. “For brave Macbeth (well he deserves that name) disdaining fortune, with his brandished steel, which smoked with bloody execution, like Valour’s minion carved out his passage, till he faced the slave, which never shook hands, nor bade farewell to him, till he unseamed
Shakespeare depicts Macbeth as a heroic figure, proudly serving his country through his courageous actions. However, after an encounter among three witches concerning his fortunes, Macbeth evolves into an obsessive character with a goal to obtain more power. In the beginning of the play, the King of Scotland, King Duncan encounters a bleeding sergeant that his noblemen, Macbeth and Banquo, had attacked. Duncan had exclaimed “What bloody man is that? He can report,/ As seemeth by his plight, of the revolt/ The newest state.” (1.2.1-3), to which blood indicates the open wounds Macbeth had caused to him.
They are very mischievous and play upon the weaknesses and ambitions of Macbeth. The witches prophecies spark Macbeth’s ambitions, just as the witches knew they would. They make Macbeth question Banquo when they prophesies that Banquo’s offspring will be king. “Lesser than Macbeth, and greater./ Not so happy, yet much happier./Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none:/So all hail, Macbeth and Banquo!.” This leads Macbeth into ordering the murders of Banquo and Fleance. The witches then manipulate him to believe he is immortal by telling him “laugh to scorn the power of man, for none of woman born shall harm Macbeth.” (Act 4, scene 1 lines 86-88).
Macbeth! beware of Macduff, Beware of the thane of Fife. Dismiss me. Enough.” (IV. i.
In the opening of the play, a loyal Macbeth is approached by three witches who entice him with their claim that “[he] shalt be king thereafter.” (1-3-50). This information stimulates his hidden thirst for power and willingness to keep the throne for himself. He plots to murder the king and takes the liberty of killing Banquo, and anyone else who poses a threat to his reign to aid his own insecurity. Macbeth begins to lose trust in those around him and becomes unstable. Shakespeare shows through Duncan, who carries a legitimate power, that only direct threats to the kingdom are punished accordingly.
One of the main messages he is trying to deliver to us is to always weigh what you achieve to what the consequences will be. This especially holds true for Macbeth, as when first contemplating if he should kill Duncan, not once did he think of how he could be punished. Also, when Macbeth first hears the witch’s prophecy of him being a king, he jumps directly to the idea of murder. This kind of thinking is exhibited in Macbeth’s monologue in scene 5 act 5, where he discus’s the uselessness of living, and this attitude towards life made him go mad. This also points to how unintelligent Macbeth really was.
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
There is none but he whose being I do fear. From this soliloquy, it’s obvious that Macbeth is once again encompassed by the extreme terror that Banquo, his best friend may know about the truth of the deed. The fear of unsecured throne terrifies Macbeth and causes him to send murderers to perform the assassination of Banquo. Later on, the unexpected escape of Fleance triggers the ideas of visiting witches once more to seek his fate. After Macbeth knows the fact that he should be aware of Mcduff, he sends orders immediately to commence a full murder of Mcduff’s family.