Analytical Essay On 'Macbeth'

727 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Impact of witches in macbeth

David Zhang

English G block

16/05/2016

Analytical Essay on Macbeth

In William Shakespeare's play-Macbeth, he introduces a loyal commander who meets with three witches is called Macbeth. Slowly he develops his ambition be become the king of Scotland under the manipulation of the witches, therefore turning him into a tragic figure throughout the …show more content…

As the Scottish win the battle, the brilliant efforts of Macbeth are commended by Malcolm. He describes the "brave”(I,ii,12) Macbeth  as smoked with “bloody execution”(I,ii14) as he slaughters Macdonwald and placed his head on the battlements. The “bloody execution” creates a vivid imagery which effectively describes Macbeth as a brave and honorable commander of the Scottish army. In addition, it introduces the idea that Macbeth is capable of causing bloody destruction during a battle.To futher extend, it is also quite ironic as King Duncan sings Macbeth's praises the day before Macbeth plans to kill him in order to fulfill the witches' prophecy. Right before the murder of King Duncan, Macbeth envisages a bloody dagger floating in the air, pointing towards Duncan's chamber. This imaginary blood on the daggar “Which was not so before. / It is the bloody business which informs” (II.i, 46-48) brings his conscience to justify the murder he is about to perform, and again the blood doesn’t take with a negative tone at this point. Here, the bloody dagger is encouraging him to commit the murder rather than show the destructive nature of murdering

Show More
Related

  • The Significance of Moral Ambiguity in Shakespeare's, Tragedy of MacBeth

    831 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Tragedy of Macbeth is a fictional play written by English poet William Shakespeare. The play is set in eleventh century Scotland, during the reign of King James the first. Shakespeare evidently writes in this time period to describe the link between leaders and their supreme or ultimate power. The play was first performed in the year 1606, at the world famous Globe Theatre, and is considered one of the most profound and compelling tragedies ever told. The Tragedy of Macbeth tells the tale of a brave Scottish general named Macbeth and his ambitious desire to become king of Scotland. While he and another commander named Banquo return home from war they stumble into three hagged looking witches. The witches offer the men an enticing prophecy that leads to a more pivotal role found later in the play. Throughout the play Macbeth is seen confronting his own moral ambiguity to the heinous acts he must perform to get the position he most desires. “My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical, [s]hakes so my single state of man” (Shakespeare 1.3.152-53). This uncertainty, present in the scenes of Duncan’s murder, the feast, and the witch’s final predictions each unfold the ambiguity needed to understand the basis of the work as a whole.

    Read More

  • A Comparison of Shakespeare's MacBeth With the Real MacBeth, King of Scotland.

    1142 Words  | 3 Pages

    Macbeth, a play written by William Shakespeare, portrays Macbeth as a kinsman, subject and trusted friend to King Duncan I of Scotland. A trusted friend, that is, until Macbeth has a chance encounter with the “three witches” (Shakespeare) or the “Weird Sisters”. The witches predict that Macbeth will become the next King and that his fellow companion, Banquo, will be the father of a line of kings. A change comes over Macbeth after his meeting; he is no longer content to be a follower of the King, he will “be” King at any cost. After killing the King and his friend Banquo, losing his wife to madness and ordering the execution of many, Macbeth is killed in much the same fashion as he has killed. But does this really reflect the real King MacBeth of Scotland? While examining the characteristics and actions of the two Macbeths and decide if Shakespeare’s writing was historically sound or was it just “double, double, toil and trouble” (4.1.22-26) playing with MacBeth’s character.

    Read More

  • Macbeth essay

    1269 Words  | 3 Pages

    This essay earned a 89/100. it was a lot of work considering the lines from macbeth for textual support.

    Read More

  • Macbeth Literary Critic Essay

    803 Words  | 2 Pages

    The definition of a tragic hero, as stated on dictionary.com, is a literary character that makes an error in judgment that, combined with fate and external forces, brings on a tragedy. It has been argued for years whether Macbeth from Shakespeare’s, The Tragedy of Macbeth, can truly be considered a tragic hero or whether he is solely a villainous tyrant. Although there are some valid arguments for the Macbeth is pure evil viewpoint, by looking at Macbeth in a holistic way you can see the tragic, the heroic, and the tragic hero within him. Macbeth is a tragic hero in every sense of the definition.

    Read More

  • Theme Essay: The Tragedy Of Macbeth

    1048 Words  | 3 Pages

    Macbeth, a tragedy, starts with a dying, bloody Captain talking about the valor with which Macbeth fought. How does this brave, devoted, valiant soldier become an insane, cold-blooded murderer, killing men, women, and children alike? The story of his downfall begins with his new-found ambition to become king after three witches tell him of his “imperial theme.” After fighting so courageously in battle, Macbeth, Thane of Glamis a title inherited from his late father, and fellow nobleman Banquo, encounter three witches. They greet Macbeth by his current title, by a title soon to be bestowed upon him, and last by the title of king. Immediately, Macbeth is intrigued by their prophecies, but unsure since the King and the

    Read More

  • The Symbolism of Blood in Macbeth

    893 Words  | 2 Pages

    The symbolism of blood prior to, and immediately following Duncan’s murder amplifies the magnitude of Macbeth’s treachery. Following the prophecy of the witches, Macbeth contemplates the possible effects of murdering Duncan in order to gain the crown. Macbeth believes the killing of Duncan will provide "bloody instruction" to Scotland and will in turn "plague th' inventor" (1.7.9-10). This quotation characterizes the murder of Duncan as a bloody deed, therefore amplifying the severity of the crime. Prior to the murder of Duncan, Macbeth hallucinated bloody splotches on his dagger.

    Read More

  • The Role of the Supernatural in Motivating Characters

    1274 Words  | 3 Pages

    Macbeth shifts from being loyal and courageous to a murderer executing a treacherous plan to kill the current king due to supernatural suggestions that he would be king himself. Macbeth is discussed as a man worthy of recognition by other characters in act one scene two. In this scene, the Captain states: “For brave Macbeth (well he deserves that name)” (1. 2. 18). Macbeth is being praised for his courage and loyalty to Scotland and the king. This first impression is hastily contrasted after hearing the prophecy of the witches stating he will be “king hereafter” (1. 3. 53). Immediately after hearing this, Macbet...

    Read More

  • Macbeth Essay

    850 Words  | 2 Pages

    “This tyrant whose sole name blisters our tongues, was once thought honest…” (77). This quote represents the change of Macbeth throughout the play. The use of blood imagery is used to represent the character development of Macbeth from a noble thane to a murdering tyrant. We first see blood imagery characterizing Macbeth when he is called noble for defeating Norway. Then, the idea of un-washable blood shows that Macbeth’s character will change. When Macbeth begins to experience the blood of others on his own hands, it leads him to ultimately become the “villain” or antagonist of the play. Finally, before the death of Macbeth, blood imagery has been used to characterize Macbeth so much that he is now over confident and seems to be fueled by the idea of it. By examining the use of blood imagery, one can determine that blood represents Macbeth’s character development from an honorable thane to a disrespected tyrant.

    Read More

  • Macbeth Essay

    1231 Words  | 3 Pages

    In everyday society, there are movie stars, celebrities, athletes and powerful figureheads that are looked up to. In every generation people experience downfalls due to individual choices, personal conflict, and family problems, . These people develop a tragic flaw that usually leads to their ruin. In William Shakespeare's, The Tragedy of Macbeth, Macbeth, the main character develops a tragic flaw, and ends up experiencing a downfall. In this play, there are people who can be blamed for his eventual demise, but in the long run, people are truly responsible for their own choices and actions. Macbeth is responsible for his own downfall. Macbeth is responsible because he abandoned his morals, he was easily persuaded, and he became too hungry for power.

    Read More

  • Macbeth’s Tragic Flaw

    826 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Tragedy of Macbeth written by William Shakespeare is a tale of a man and his un-bridled ambition, set in ancient Scotland. Macbeth is a nobleman of the king of Scotland, Duncan, who is in mid-war with Norway. Macbeth and his fellow general Banquo encounter three witches. The witches tell the pair that Macbeth will be king, and Banquo’s children will also be kings. Any person in their right mind would question information given to them by strangers, let alone witches, but for some reason these statements intrigue Macbeth. They temp Macbeth to do evil things such as treason, and worse, to kill. Although un-bridled ambition is his main tragic flaw, there is one more that plays a big role in his decisions and the outcome of the story; Macbeth is far too impressionable.

    Read More

  • Macbeth's Desire For Power

    1584 Words  | 4 Pages

    Macbeth is a brave general who fights for his country Scotland, defeating the King of Norway. He is loyal to his king Duncan, but Macbeth has ambition to take over the kingdom for himself. He has lots of doubts of if he is doing the right thing, but still murders Duncan and then Banquo who is another general who fought with Macbeth. These murders and guilt about his treason are leading Macbeth to become insane. This essay shows that although Macbeth’s strong desire for power is influenced by the three witches in the play and also the planning and ambition of his wife Lady Macbeth, in the end he is responsible for his self-destruction.

    Read More

  • Macbeth Literary Analysis

    822 Words  | 2 Pages

    Macbeth rejects conformation to traditional gender roles in its portrayal of Lady Macbeth’s relationship with her husband, her morals and their effect on her actions, and her hunger for power. Her regard for Macbeth is one of low respect and beratement, an uncommon and most likely socially unacceptable attitude for a wife to have towards her spouse at the time. She often ignores morality and acts for the benefit of her husband, and subsequently herself. She is also very power-hungry and lets nothing stand in the way of her success. Lady Macbeth was a character which challenged expectations of women and feminism when it was written in the seventeenth century.

    Read More

  • Macbeth Essay

    788 Words  | 2 Pages

    When anything in life first begins to grow, it begins as a seed. The seed of a plant, or of a thought, or of an idea. Once created, the seed can do one of two things. It can grow, or it can die. Shakespeare’s play Macbeth tells the story of an innocent man who is turned evil from the seeds planted by those around him, allowing readers to explore the repetition of growth and how it is implied through characters. Throughout the play, growth is used to display Macbeth and Banquo as foil characters, show Banquo’s “goodness” through positive imagery, and to show Macbeth’s “evilness” through negative growth imagery. By analyzing Shakespeare’s use of growth imagery, critical readers recognize that growth enforces the idea that growth triumphs evil, embodied in the actions and consequences of Macbeth and Banquo as they make one of two crucial choices? Good, or evil?

    Read More

  • Macbeth Character Analysis Essay

    1563 Words  | 4 Pages

    In Shakespeare’s tragic play Macbeth, Shakespeare creates the ruthless character Macbeth, who is willing to go beyond any measure in order to attain the power of being king, including murder, deceit, betrayal and overpowering the chain of being. Macbeth was first tempted by the idea of kingship when three witches presented him with their portent of Macbeth becoming the next King of Scotland. Ebullient, Macbeth, immediately informed his wife of the news and they both pondered the thought of having the power to rule all of Scotland. Lady Macbeth, a power seeker herself, promptly schemed a plan to kill King Duncan in order for her and her husband to rule, displaying her ready ambition for power. Macbeth’s thirst for power ate away at his conscience

    Read More

  • Macbeth Analytical Essay

    954 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the play Macbeth, William Shakespeare presents the story of the infamous Macbeth, the noble and courageous Thane of Glamis, and his self inflicted downfall as a tragic hero. Yet, critics have portrayed the view that Macbeth is simply not a tragic hero because he “is a weak man manipulated by others;” additionally, they claim that he does not become self-aware of his problems by the end. However, this belief is simply not true. The text reveals that Macbeth’s eventual downfall was a consequence of blind ambition and struggle, and not simply being a “weak” and “manipulated” man. When reading or viewing a piece of work such as Macbeth, one cannot simply take what they read as true.

    Read More

More about Analytical Essay On 'Macbeth'

Open Document