Macbeth Act 1 Scene 7 Essay

Focusing on Act 1 Scene 7 and its significance with Macbeth, explore the ways in which Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are presented in the text.
Macbeth is introduced as a hero who then turns his determination to his downfall and ends up losing everything he wanted to be. A man. Expressions such as "Valour's minion" (the servant of Courage) and "Bellona's bridegroom" (the husband of War) show us that Macbeth is an audacious man who is willing to fight for his country. Macbeth and Banquo are equalled to "eagles" and "lions". From this we know that Macbeth is a very valiant and strong character. We then see his fatal flaw, ambition. Macbeth is shown to be very ambitious, some examples are when he meets the witches who say he will become king i.e. he

Then in Act 1 Scene 7 we see him alone, Macbeth ponders the deed that he is about to perform. He is aware of the influential reasons for murdering the king, but is nagged by self-doubt arising from his fear by his likely loss of reputation both in heaven and on earth. In the end he ends up being killed and the rightful king takes the throne, and his doubt is cleared as he ends up losing everything, his reputation on earth and these were all unnatural acts i.e. his reputation in heaven is gone as well. I like Polanski’s end where Macbeth’s head which has been decapitated is being carried on a stick and we can see what we would see through the eyes of Macbeth, everyone was mocking and laughing at him, the "Valour's minion" and "Bellona's bridegroom"

At the first time we meet her in Act 1 Scene 5, Lady Macbeth reads a letter sent by Macbeth alone. Significantly, in his letter, Macbeth says nothing of their prophecy to Banquo; perhaps he is already afraid of its outcomes. I think it is interesting that he calls his wife “my dearest partner of greatness” which to me makes her look like his partner of crime he is about/ wants to do and we know that she does become his partner in crime but more than that. She immediately says He is "too full of the milk of human kindness" to commit murder; he would be great, he would have a high position, he would wrongly win that position, but in each case, some other aspect of his character would not permit him to do it. She is very manipulative and we can see that the way she says she will help him to get it. The next time she speaks, her second soliloquy her intentions are described in the most grotesque and frightening terms. She wants her sexuality to be changed she wants to be become someone else but a woman. It is no coincidence that these last words reflect those of Macbeth in the previous scene: Shakespeare is creating a strong verbal bond between husband and wife that will continue throughout the play. In Polanski’s version they are like innocent couples and very love like towards each other. Whereas in the play she is made to be an evil woman. Then in Act 1 Scene 7 she finds out his self-doubt and