How Does Shakespeare Present Human Belief In Macbeth

Shakespeare’s ‘The Tragedy of Macbeth’, now more commonly known as ‘Macbeth’, demonstrates a variety of different human beliefs. This is communicated to the audience using a number of different literary techniques. Topics such as the supernatural and its effects on the characters, psychology in relation to different mental states, religious beliefs and culture differences are all present in the play. This shows the variety of human belief in Elizabethan times. Although not all are personally held by Shakespeare, all the topics presented, are cleverly woven in with a purpose.

In the play ‘The Tragedy of Macbeth’, the belief in the supernatural is the basis for a lot of superstition. In the first scene, witches appear, and are later used as a symbol of evil,

this is due to what James the 1st and the audience were interested in. Additionally, people relating to the paranormal in ‘Macbeth’ include Banquo’s ghost appearing as one of Macbeth’s hallucinations. In Act 2 Scene 1, Macbeth is about to murder King Duncan when he hallucinates the dagger that he kills King Duncan with. It is demonstrated that he is torn when he says,
“Is this a dagger which I see before me,
The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee.
I have thee not, and yet I see thee still.
Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible
To feeling as to sight? Or art thou but
A dagger of the mind, a false creation,
Proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain?” Act 2 Scene 1 Line 33-40
It is similar to the effect that Lady Macbeth caused by her guilt, which demonstrates a key part of the scientific beliefs that were demonstrated in the play.
‘Macbeth’ demonstrates scientific concepts relating to psychology. The aspects of psychology that are represented are namely those that are centred on a mental illness. These include conditions such as Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, delusions of the mind and also a guilty conscience. These illnesses are all tied together with the character Lady Macbeth, this is due to the fact that her guilty conscience has caused her to delude herself into believing that there is a spot of blood still lingering on her hands. She is then seen sleep walking throughout the night, whilst scrubbing her hands continuously. Her mental state is represented in this excerpt,
“The thane of Fife had a wife. Where is she now?—
What, will these hands ne'er be clean?—
No more o' that, my lord, no more o' that.” Act 5 Scene 1 Line 30-33
Furthermore, the theme that guilty consciences can be destructive is present when the protagonist, Macbeth, begins to hallucinate Banquo, a person that Macbeth had organised to be killed, causing Macbeth’s guests to believe his mind is ill. Macbeth believes that someone found out that he had committed this crime, and was torturing him for it. This is present in this scene,
“MACBETH
Where?
LENNOX
Here, my good lord. What is ’t that moves your highness?
MACBETH
Which of you have done this?
LORDS
What, my good lord?
MACBETH
(To GHOST) Thou canst not say I did it. Never shake
Thy gory locks at me.” Act 3 Scene 4 Line 50-58
These topics regarding science and the supernatural, provides grounds for the beliefs about religion.
Religion is another main topic that links to the other topics present in ‘Macbeth’. “The Chain of Being” is something that was used in Elizabethan times to represent the ranking in society. It started off with angels and godly forms, noblemen, popes and pastors, merchants and then on the bottom, peasants. It was believed that when the chain of being was broken, chaos would erupt. Consequently, when Macbeth murdered King Duncan, the chain of being was broken, as the natural course was being disrupted. This is shown in the excerpt below,
“And Duncan’s horses—a thing most strange and certain—
Beauteous and swift, the minions of their race,
Turned wild in nature, broke their stalls, flung out,
Contending 'gainst obedience, as they would
Make war with mankind.” Act 2 Scene 4 Line 14-19
Therefore, this demonstrates how when the chain of being is broken, all things that were once orderly become disorderly.

The different culture of this time is also linked to this topic as the culture came into play when Lady Macbeth wanted Macbeth to murder King Duncan.

In order to be a man you must be brave, is a strong theme that was represented in ‘Macbeth’. The bravery aspect is a large area in which Macbeth struggled with. He believed he was a man, but was too honourable to do what his wife wished. In Act 1 Lady Macbeth is trying to convince Macbeth to murder King Duncan to become king, Macbeth is unsure about this, but once Lady Macbeth starts to call him a coward, Macbeth succumbing to this is shown in the below extract.

“What beast was’t then,

That made you break this enterprise to me?

When you durst do it, then you were a man;

And to be more than what you were, you would

Be so much more the man. Nor time nor place

Did then adhere, and yet you would make

both…”
Act 1 Scene 7 Line 47- 52
This scene shows how it was cowardly for a man to run away from the problem instead of doing the tough thing and committing a crime.
In conclusion, the themes that are present although they can be subtle, have a purpose. Shakespeare intentionally placed them strategically in the play with them all interconnecting in some way to demonstrate the diversity of human belief in this time, which is also similar to the human beliefs of today. These topics are involved in the downfall of the protagonist, Macbeth, due to excessive ambition being his fatal flaw. Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’ clearly represents a variety of different ideas, showing just how diverse human belief really is.