Language in Macbeth by William Shakespeare

1658 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Macbeth literary vocabulary

Language in Macbeth by William Shakespeare

'The Scottish Play' 'Macbeth' was set in 11th century Scotland. The

main character in this play is Macbeth who will soon have a great

ambition to fulfil! Macbeth is a brave hero in King Duncan's army. The

play starts off when Macbeth and his close friend, and companion in

the army, General Banquo, were coming home from a victorious battle.

On their route home they are met by three witches or as Macbeth refers

to them 'three weird sisters.' These strangers bring surprising and

startling news to both men. They call Macbeth, 'Thane of Glamis.' This

title he is but they continue to call him, 'Thane of Cawdor' and 'King

Hereafter.' They don't give Banquo any titles but do say he will be

the father of a line of Kings.

Although Macbeth and Banquo are puzzled they do proceed to think about

and like the idea of the prophecies. Macbeth could not see how it was

possible for him to be King when they already have a good and loyal

King, and Malcolm, Duncan's son was to be the next in line. The only

way it was possible was if Duncan and Malcolm were to be done away

with. Even after that Banquo was still in the way for his own children

were to be kings, so he too had to die.

When Lady Macbeth found out this she knew that Macbeth was not man

enough to go through with it so she proceeded to help and scheme up

some plans! Both Lady Macbeth and Macbeth killed Duncan while he lay

in his bed and Malcolm fled so the blame was placed onto him. Macbeth

was then crowned King soon after. Macbeth is soon dragged into more

crime and wrong doing when he remembers the prophecy of the witches,

that Banquo will be ...

... middle of paper ...

...nt today, but I disagree because people to day

will do any thing to get what they want, just like Macbeth. Human

nature has not changed. The only real difference is the language. In

Shakespeare's time they used Old English, which is possibly harder to

understand in this time and age. We must remember this is how people

spoke in Shakespeare's time so for them it was normal, and I'm sure if

they were to hear some of to-day's slang used they certainly would not

understand it.

Throughout the study of 'Macbeth' I have learnt how position and power

have a great changing effect on certain people. Like alcohol or drugs

it becomes like an addiction and those involved, especially if they

are weak in character, e.g. Macbeth will sacrifice all principles and

scruples and will do anything to achieve what they want… even murder!

Show More
Related

  • The Roles of Greed and Pride in Shakespeare's Macbeth

    1287 Words  | 3 Pages

    Macbeth begins to defer from his original character when he learns of the witches’ prophecies, which leads him to believe he is fated to be king and to pursue that “destiny.” After the witches make the prophecies, he merely views the thought of himself becoming king as something that “Stands not within the prospect of belief” (I. iii. 77). Macbeth’s disbelief of their claim of him obtaining the crown reveals how Macbeth does not trust the witches’ words and has no true ambition to become king. However soon after Banquo’s and Macbeth’s encounter with the witches, a messenger of the King greets him with the title of Thane of Cawdor as well as the title of Thane of Glamis as the witches had also done. These two titles are seen from Macbeth as “Two truths [that] are told/ As happy prologues to the swelling act/ Of the imperial theme” (I. iii. 140-142). Having one of the two prophecies become reality validates the witches’ words and makes Macbeth take their words seriously to be the truth, sparking his desire for power to fulfill the last prophecy. He now believes that what the witches have made it his destiny to become king, and it is his duty to fulfill it. Through Duncan and Macbeth’s dialogue, Macbeth hears about Malcolm b...

    Read More

  • Macbeth in William Shakespeare's Play

    2416 Words  | 5 Pages

    us to believe that Macbeth is in no way a traitor and that he is brave

    Read More

  • Analysis of Macbeth by William Shakespeare

    1818 Words  | 4 Pages

    encouraged “To want to get on.” Most of us we would never go as far

    Read More

  • The Presence of Ambition within MacBeth by William Shakespeare

    1088 Words  | 3 Pages

    Over the entirety of the play the changes in morals, personality, and confidence within Macbeth and Lady Macbeth can clearly be seen as a result of their ambition for the crown of Scotland. Lady Macbeth, first presented as strong and able to commit murder, eventually went insane due to her guilty conscience and killed herself. Macbeth on the other hand, went from a sincere, conscientious person into a maniacal monster which no one could control. Thus they well deserve the title Malcolm appoints them at the end of the play: "the dead butcher and his fiend-like queen." (V, sc viii, 69)

    Read More

  • Macbeths Demise

    907 Words  | 2 Pages

    Macbeth negates his moral responsibility as a person as well as a king. He doesn’t take into consideration that he will pay for all the evil deeds that he executes. Killing Duncan is the worst crime that is possible to commit since the kings were the closest in hierarchy next to god. It is evident that Macbeth is aware that this is an evil sin when he states, “ I dare do all that may be come a man, who dares do more is none.” (Act I Scene VII, Line 46-47) The previous statement shows that Macbeth believes that killing Duncan will make him nothing more than a beast. Nevertheless he goes against his morals and kills King Duncan. Sin is a prevalent theme in this play, Macbeth shows that he knows he has lived a sinful life, “Seyton I am sick at hearth, when I behold Seyton I have live’d long enough.” (Act V Scene III, Lines 20-22) Ambition takes over Macbeth when he decides to hire assassinators to kill Macduffs wife and children, “The castle of Macduff I will surprise; seize upon Fife; give to the edge of the sword in this line.”

    Read More

  • Macbeth vs Scotland, PA

    2343 Words  | 5 Pages

    Macbeth takes place during eleventh century in England and mainly Scotland where horrendous and supernatural incidents occur. The appearance of three witches at the outset envelops the plot with an ominous atmosphere. Triumphing two battles for Scotland, Macbeth and Banquo, Macbeth’s righteous foil, on their victorious ...

    Read More

  • Mental Deterioration In Macbeth Essay

    1310 Words  | 3 Pages

    After a long and hard battle, the Sergeant says to King Duncan, “For brave Macbeth,-well he deserves that name,- disdaining fortune, with his brandish’d steel, which smok’d with bloody execution , like valour’s minion carv’d out his passage till he fac’d the slave;” (1.2.16) . This quote shows that Macbeth is viewed as a valiant soldier and a capable leader. However, it does not take long for the real Macbeth to be revealed- a blindly ambitious man, easily manipulated by the prospect of a higher status. His quest for power is what drives his insanity, and after having been deemed the Thane of Cawdor, Macbeth’s ambition can immediately be seen. In a soliloquy, Macbeth says, “Present fears are less than horrible imaginings; my thought, whose murder yet is but fantastica, shakes so my single state of man that function is smother’d in surmise, and nothing is but what is not” (1.3.140). Macbeth has just gained more power, and his immediate thought is of how to gain an even higher status as king. He imagines how to kill Duncan, and then is troubled by his thoughts, telling himself it is wrong. This inner struggle between Macbeth’s ambition and his hesitation to kill Duncan is the first sure sign of his mental deterioration. Although Macbeth does kill Duncan, he questions whether or not he should to do so, which is far different from how Macbeth feels about murder later in the play. Macbeth becomes king, and this power leads

    Read More

  • Macbeth's Corruption

    1293 Words  | 3 Pages

    Following this murder, Macbeth sees Banquo's ghost at the banquet. He is filled with feelings of regret and, as a result of his troubled mind, sees Banquo's ghost.

    Read More

  • The Emotions of Ambition, Remorse, and Fear in 'Macbeth' by William Shakespeare

    387 Words  | 1 Pages

    Macbeth is captured by his wild ambition at the opening of the play when he and Banqou meet the three witches. The witches tell Macbeth that he is the Thane of Cawdor, and later will be king. They tell Banquo that his sons will be kings. Instantly Macbeth started to fantasize how he is going to be king. He understood that in order for him to become king he has to kill Duncan. “My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical”(Act 1 Sc. 3, p.23). He was pondering about the assassination until the moment that he could no longer control his emotions. “To prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition, which overleaps itself and falls on the other-“(Act 1 Sc. 7, p.41). Because of his “vaulting ambition” he killed Duncan.

    Read More

  • William Shakespeare's Macbeth

    987 Words  | 2 Pages

    What if none of the evil decisions made in the play Macbeth, are actually Macbeth’s fault? There are also many other forces at work, meddling with Macbeth and influencing him to change into a cold and cruel man who kills without a second thought. Would characters such as Banquo and Duncan have been murdered if perhaps fate did not direct their destinies, or if Lady Macbeth had not manipulated Macbeth, or even if the three witches had not shown Macbeth their prophecies and apparitions? Macbeth is valiant, noble, and a truly decent person whose destiny is unfortunately set in stone and whose life is a tumultuous road with an impending doom. His cold and calculating wife controls Macbeth through manipulations and evil ideas. Additionally, Macbeth encounters three weird sisters who ambiguously give Macbeth false hopes and cloak the whole truth, leading to his over confidence and greed. In Shakespeare’s classic tragedy Macbeth, Macbeth is doomed by the influence and manipulation of external forces as opposed to internal forces, consequently leading him to make atrocious/dastardly decisions and causing his ultimate demise as seen through the inevitable forces of fate, Lady Macbeth, and the witches.

    Read More

  • Witches: The Catalyst of Doom in Shakespeare's Macbeth

    950 Words  | 2 Pages

    It all began when “three strange figures” who later turned out to be three witches “told [Macbeth] he would become king (Nuttall 1). Macbeth at this time was a loyal kinsman to Duncan, the current king. While it was a thought in the back of his mind that Macbeth would eventually like to take the throne, it never occurred to him that he would have the murder Duncan in order to do so. The witches added turmoil to this idea by talking about Banquo as well and stating that Banquo’s sons will become king as well. This prophecy made it inevitable that murder would eventually take place. Although hesitant at first, Macbeth, with the persistent help of Lady Macbeth, followed through with the murder and took the throne as King. Had the witches not told Macbeth his prophecy, Macbeth would more than likely not have resorted to the tactics and actions it took for him to in due course become king. At this point in the story, Macbeth is not a cold-blooded murderer who he is destined to become later. Duncan’s murder was Macbeth’s first time to kill another man; however, this wouldn’t be his last as a cover-up would be needed. “[Macbeth] require[ed] a clearness” so t...

    Read More

  • Murder in Shakespeare's Macbeth

    588 Words  | 2 Pages

    Macbeth is a true Shakespearian tragedy, in which mast murders take place, in order for one man and women to take the throne and become king and queen. It starts with Duncan’s murder, which is done because Macbeth did not want to see Duncan’s son next in line for the throne and the only way to prevent that was by eliminating Duncan. The nest murder was that of Banquo. Banquo is a friend of Macbeth and his murder is un-predictable. Macbeth may have feared that if he did not kill Banquo, Banquo would kill him in order to gain a position power seeing that the witch’s just informed both Macbeth and Banquo that Macbeth will be the next King of Scotland and Banquo will never have the chance to hold the throne. Once Banquo is out of the way, Macbeth turns his attention to his real target, King MaCduff. Although at first hesitant about killing MaCduff, Macbeth chooses to murder MaCduff, a man who Macbeth himself said was a good man and a fine leader. The last murder is of MaCduff’s family. Macbeth can not take any chances and must kill any associated with the former king (King MaCduff). The murder of MaCduff’s wife and son is the most vicious crime of them all because for one we see the killing on stage and number two a child is murdered, the most vicious and horrific thing one can show. Macbeth murders for personal gain and has no regrets or else he would not have continued his mass slaughtering. Macbeth is responsible for these murders because he commits them himself, without any assistance, he kills everyone out of necessity, and because all these acts were done out of free will.

    Read More

  • Essay On The Use Of Power In Macbeth

    788 Words  | 2 Pages

    When Macbeth is trying to gain power, one would notice that he uses violence to get what he wants. Though he felt guilt leading up to the decision of killing King Duncan, he was able to overcome his fear with a bit of encouragement from his gluttonous wife Lady Macbeth. From than on Macbeth realized what he was capable of and no longer needed the guidance from his wife. He took the power into his own hands and went over the deep end. The reader could see this as a prime example of when the influence of others (Lady Macbeth) and power change Macbeth for the worse. “There is no peace in the play. Lurking behind every scene, every dialogue, every fantastic appearance or event, is the spectre of violence with death following.” (Cohen 56). Cohen makes a point that William Shakespeare constantly mentions the subject of violence throughout the play, it begins to be an ongoing theme in almost every event and conversation. The reader begins to notice the use of violence turns into a normal routine for Macbeth, in any case Cohen stated violence was a part of most dialogue and events in...

    Read More

  • Macbeth Act 1: Plot

    376 Words  | 1 Pages

    Before Duncan had the time to reach Macbeth with the good news, the three witches approach him and Banquo. The greet Macbeth with three different titles: Thane of Glamis, Thane of Cawdor and King Hereafter, but this confuses Macbeth. Not only do the witches tell Macbeth his future, they also tell Banquo that although he will never be King, his children will be… and then they vanish once again.

    Read More

  • William Shakespeare's Macbeth

    1040 Words  | 3 Pages

    William Shakespeare's Macbeth In the Shakespeare play "Macbeth" the main character, Macbeth who begins as a proud soldier to his country, becomes a villainous tyrant, hell-bent on turning his previously beloved Scotland in to a bloodbath full of murder and misery. Without realising, the once loyal Macbeth is turned into a killing machine by the supernatural, his scheming wife Lady Macbeth and his own ambition. At the start of the play Macbeth is a highly praised soldier to king and country and a well respected honourable man. King Duncan, in act 1 scene ii, calls Macbeth, "O valiant cousin!

    Read More

More about Language in Macbeth by William Shakespeare

Open Document