Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
Macbeth character analysis
Symbolism in Macbeth
Symbolism in Macbeth
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Dishonest Power in Macbeth
In the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare the character Macbeth is not fit to have power. The throne belongs to the rightful king Duncan, but that is stolen from him by Macbeth. Macbeth does this because he wants the power that the witches said he would get. The used robes show that the power does not belong to him. Banquo on the throne shows that Macbeth does not have the right mindset to rule Scotland. The kings robes are too big for Macbeth therefore he is not fit to wear them. The robes and the throne highlight the fact that Macbeth is not meant to have power.
The Thane of Cawdor’s used robes given to Macbeth represent that Macbeth should not have power. The robes are significant because it shows how Macbeth
is not meant for the throne. He is unsure of why he is named the Thane of Cawdor when the title is already taken. “The Thane of Cawdor lives. Why do you dress me/ in borrow’d robes?” (Shakespeare 1.3.106-107). Macbeth knows that the robes do not fit him and therefore the title does not fit. Macbeth is trying to figure out whether or not what The Witches told him will come true. He knows the robes do not fit so he should not have the power of the Thane of Cawdor.n The ghost of Banquo sitting on Macbeth’s throne shows that Macbeth is not in the proper mindset to rule over Scotland. Macbeth is not in the right mindset because he feels guilty about killing Banquo and now his ghost is haunting his mind. Macbeth’s guilt takes over his rationality and clouds his judgment from being able to properly run Scotland. “MACBETH. The tables full. LENNOX. Here is a place reserv’d, sir. MACBETH. Where? LENNOX. Here, my good lord” (3.4.46-48). Banquo siting in Macbeths throne symbolizes that Macbeth does not belong in that throne and it belongs to Duncan or somebody more deserving of it. Banquo on the throne shows that Macbeth is both mentally and physically unable to rule Scotland. The robes of the king are too big for Macbeth and show that he is not right for the throne. Macbeth cannot run the kingdom properly as he is unprepared and unworthy of it. It is too big of a role for him to take. “Now does he feel his title/ Hang loose about him, like a giant’s robe/ upon a dwarfish thief” (5.2.20-30). The title hangs loosely on Macbeth. He is not meant to be the real king and everybody knows it. Macbeth came into power in the wrong way, he is supposed to let nature take its course but he interfered and ended up making things worse for himself. Macbeth is not helping anybody or ruling properly, the people just do what he says because he is king. The title does not fit Macbeth like the robes do not fit him and it shows why he should not have power. Macbeth is not meant to have power and this is shown through the symbols of the robes and the throne. The used robes demonstrate that he does not deserve the title. Banquo sitting on the throne represents that Macbeth does not have a clear conscience showing he is not mentally fit to be in power. The large robes of the king show that they are not meant for him to wear because they are too big. Macbeth should not be able to be in a position of power. He is unfit mentally and physically to rule.
Shakespeare's play "Macbeth" is considered one of his great tragedies. The play fully uses plot, character, setting, atmosphere, diction and imagery to create a compelling drama. The general setting of Macbeth is tenth and eleventh century Scotland. The play is about a once loyal and trusted noble of Scotland who, after a meeting with three witches, becomes ambitious and plans the murder of the king. After doing so and claiming the throne, he faces the other nobles of Scotland who try to stop him. In the play, Macbeth faces an internal conflict with his opposing decisions. On one hand, he has to decide of he is to assassinate the king in order to claim his throne. This would result in his death for treason if he is caught, and he would also have to kill his friend. On the other hand, if he is to not kill him, he may never realize his ambitious dreams of ruling Scotland. Another of his internal struggles is his decision of killing his friend Banquo. After hiring murderers to kill him, Macbeth begins to see Banquo's ghost which drives him crazy, possibly a result of his guilty conscience. Macbeth's external conflict is with Macduff and his forces trying to avenge the king and end Macbeth's reign over Scotland. One specific motif is considered the major theme, which represents the overall atmosphere throughout the play. This motif is "fair is foul and foul is fair."
While the name "Macbeth" means "son of life" in Gaelic, Shakespeare contradicts its meaning as he shows the gruesome consequences that Macbeth faces. Macbeth, a modern tragedy written by Shakespeare, cautions the audience of those consequences. He highlights the terrible choices driven by ambition that Macbeth makes, and in the process, warns the reader to stay away from those choices. Shakespeare's use of symbolism in Macbeth reveals greed's power to destroy one's mind and soul.
“In the past, those who foolishly sought power by riding on the back of the tiger ended up inside.”
Even after four hundred years, Shakespeare's plays still continue to resonate with modern audiences. This is because Shakespeare's plays explore universal themes which still remain relevant in today's society. In Macbeth, Shakespeare dramatically explores how one man's excessive ambition and greed for power led him to tyranny and absolute destruction. The ideas explored in Macbeth still remain relevant in the contemporary world where individuals can get tempted by wealth and power and forget all sense of moral direction.
As people go through life, they will be met with many partial truths and misleading pieces of evidence, but Shakespeare reminds us in Macbeth that we should be cautious of the words we believe and judge the speaker’s character before we accept anything spoken by them even if there is some truth in what they say. Set in eleventh century Great Britain, Macbeth begins with Macbeth killing the armies of the Irish and Norwegians for his king, Duncan. He then receives a prophecy from three witches that he will be the future king of Scotland which leads him down a dark and bloodied road. Deception is a key theme of this book for it is how the protagonist, Macbeth, is lead astray from loyalty to his king.
Since seeing the weird sisters my mind is filled with heedless fantasies in which I am king. I wonder whether it is a weakness or lack of manliness which denounces me to be such a coward.
"Unlimited power is apt to corrupt the minds of those who possess it" [Lord Acton, British Historian]. It is human nature that the more power one desires the more corrupt actions they have to commit to attain power. Power is the ability to have control over people and/or things. People who are powerful can and in most cases will create an illusion of anything they want you to see about them. This illusion can make people blind to their true intentions. For instance police officers are looked at as good, we looked to them for our safety because they are here to "protect" us. Yet there are many reports of police brutality on innocent citizens. Even if a crime were to be committed there is no need for police to use violence of any sort unless action was taken on them. If no attempt of action was taken on an officer then the officer is abusing its power. Leading people to believe that police officers are corrupt meaning dishonorable, immoral, or not pure. In which case this idea of power leading to corruption is not only true but happens to those least expected to. In William Shakespeares' tragedy, Macbeth, the character Macbeth gains power by killing people and lying, he kills king Duncan out of greed, he kills his "best friends" Banquo out of fear, and then fails to realize that he is not invincible.
The play Macbeth, written by William Shakespeare, entails a tragic hero who cannot control his lustful nature. Malcolm used the theme “appearances can be deceiving” to challenge Macduff’s allegiance. Although Macbeth killed in a slyly manner, he was not the only one. This leads him to silently kill a plethora of people. Lady Macbeth applied deception to beguile others of the killings of King Duncan and Banquo. Therefore, the theme “appearances can be deceiving” is developed utilizing the characters of Malcolm, Macbeth, and Lady Macbeth.
It is in human nature that the more power one desires the more corrupt actions one must do to attain it. In Shakespeare’s tragedy of Macbeth, a Scottish noble's craving for power leads him to do terrible deeds that leads to his demise. Shakespeare shows that power corrupts by using Macbeth who corrupts under the thought of have power over others. Macbeth becomes corrupt under the thought of becoming king and gaining almost complete control over the people that he rules. Macbeth wants the power badly enough to do horrible deeds such as commit regicide. Lady Macbeth becomes very ambitious and allows herself to become seduced to the idea of becoming Queen. Her ruthlessness urges Macbeth to commit regicide by questioning his love for her and his own manhood.
In the beginning of the play, Duncan rewards Macbeth for his victories by making him Thane of Cawdor.
Although garments, such as robes, are used mainly to depict themes of status and power, the motif of clothing additionally provokes attitudes and thoughts via the characters. For example, in the first act when Lady Macbeth mocks Macbeth’s fear of committing murder she utilizes Macbeth’s clothing to degrade him, “Was the hope drunk/ Wherein you dressed yourself?”(1.7.39-40). In the play, clothing also is representative of protection in relation to status; Banquo refers to wearing nightclothes as, “. when we have our naked frailties hid” (2.3.148).
Macbeth also finds himself dubious to their intentions, but the witches´ prophesies mesmerizes him. Not until Ross calls him by his new title can he grasp the significance of their foretelling. Still, he has questions: “The Thane of Cawdor lives: why do you dress me In borrowed robes?” (1.3.105). Macbeth´s head has yet to be engulfed by the thought of power and he can still reasonably query the accuracy of his new title. The metaphorical use of garments confirms his doubts, as borrowed robes indicate a borrowed title.
Using clothing imagery, Shakespeare develops Macbeth's character. This is evident, as, imagery of clothing shows us Macbeth's ambition and the consequences thereof. We see this ambition, through Banquo, when he says, "New honours come upon him, / Like our strange garments, cleave not to their / mould but with the aid of use." (Shakespeare, Macbeth I, III, 144-146), meaning that new clothes do not fit our bodies, until we are accustomed to them. Throughout the entire play, Macbeth is constantly wearing new clothes (titles), that are not his, and do not fit. Hence, his ambition. This ambition, as we see, is what leads to his demise. When Macbeth first hears the prophecy that he will be King, he does not see how it can be so, "to be king / Stands not within the prospect of belief" (I, III, 73-74). However, Macbeth's ambitious nature becomes visible when he considers murdering King Duncan to claim the throne, "If it were done, when 'tis done, then 'twere well / It were done quickly" (I, VII, 1-2). His ambition is encouraged by Lady Macbeth, of whom attempts to convince him to commit this crime, and lay claim to the throne. He is reluctant however, as Macbeth states, "I have bought / Golden opinions from all sorts of people, / Which would be worn now in their newest gloss, / Not cast aside so soon" (I, VII, 32-35). Macbeth compares being recently named the Thane of Cawdor to a new set of clothes. He believes that he his not ready to be king, and thus not ready for a new set of clothes. He states that the clothes that they have should be worn for a little while longer. However, Lady Macbeth convinces Macbeth otherwise, and he proceeds, and murders King Duncan.
Macbeth himself uses the tailoring image in saying "The Thane of Cawdor lives: why do you dress me in borrow'd robes?" (I (ii) L109) when told by Ross that Duncan has given him the title Thane of Cawdor. This gives the impression that his newly acquired title does not fit him -- much like a garment belonging to another person. Angus states. Now does he feel his title.
The story of Macbeth is a tragedy describing the consequences of Macbeth’s betrayal of King Duncan and Banquo. Out of the many tragedies that incurs upon Macbeth such as, -the death of his wife, the loss of his friends Macduff and Malcolm, and even at the cost of his own life, there is an undeniable evidence on what was going on. Macbeth was most severely punished by the guilt of previous actions. Despite the fact that he always vied for success and power, Macbeth’s disintegration throughout the play undoubtedly proved otherwise. Macbeth’s greed for power and desire to become king leads him straight to the road of treachery as he abandons all of his friends and leads his life in absolute villainy.