Audience's Sympathy for Macbeth in William Shakespeare's Play

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Audience's Sympathy for Macbeth in William Shakespeare's Play

Macbeth was written during the reign of Queen Elizabeth the First, a

period in history when people’s beliefs in their world were changing.

People believed strongly in the Divine Right of Kings and that

Regicide was an act against God’s will, making it an unforgivable sin.

The worship of God was also incredibly important and people would be

fined for not attending church on a Sunday and the priest would be the

most important person in the village. Witchcraft was believed in and

anything remotely evil would be pinned upon curses being made and

spells cast. Those condemned, as witches would be punished by

execution. People of those days led short brutal lives and disease was

much more prevalent.

The play is based in 11th century Scotland and although it is set in

medieval Britain, it explores ideas that are relevant to a society of

any time. We see the ambition of one man alone whose lust for power

drives him to despair and murder! He represents a figure whose craving

for dominance makes him exclude all reason and pushes him to a point

from which he cannot escape.

At the beginning of the play we hear that Macbeth is a good, strong

and honest Scottish nobleman who is greatly respected and admired in

his homeland. He is seen as the keen warrior who would risk life and

limb to save his country and king. He is the co-leader of the Scottish

armies alongside his best friend Banquo. His reputation is increased

with further victories and we learn from the start of the play that

had it not been for Macbeth’s spectacular leadership and fighting that

the Norwegian invade...

... middle of paper ...

...elt at this point for Macbeth for

he doesn’t kill Macduff, even after the witches ‘prophecies’, showing

that he dies an honourable and mildly sympathetic death and is rid of

the evil conscience he once had.

The goriness of Polanski’s film helps express the brutality of

Scotland during the Macbeth reign and there is an interesting scene at

the end which proves that the circle of evil is still at work when

Duncan’s younger son, Donalbain is drawn towards the witches cavern

upon the heath to be engrossed by so called visions and prophecies

that will bring doom and destruction to the new Scotland. Of course we

don’t know whether his tragic flaw alike Macbeth’s is the lust for

power; something that brought Macbeth plummeting down to death after

committing the greatest sin a person could in those

days-regicide.

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