Macbeth

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Recommended: Elizabethian drama

During the Elizabethan Age, Shakespeare was the greatest author and drama writer. He wrote such masterpiece tragedies such as Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, and Othello. Perhaps the greatest of them all is the story of Macbeth. In the play, the first Thane of Cawdor, Duncan, Banquo, Lady Macbeth, and Macbeth all are considered to have flaws which to a greater or lesser degree is the cause of their downfall. In the second scene of the play you learn that Scotland is in war with Norway. King Duncan has learned that the First Thane of Cawdor was helping out the Norwegians. His assistance cost him his life. For treason, King Duncan ordered the first Thane of Cawdor to be executed and have Macbeth take his title. Though the first Thane of Cawdor was never actually in the play itself, the reader has to take the word of the Thane of Ross he was a traitor. “Assisted by that most disloyal traitor The Thane of Cawdor, began a dismal conflict.” (I ii 52-53) After Macbeth is given the title of the first Thane of Cawdor, King Duncan decides to visit the successful captain and be a guest at his house. Duncan doesn’t know that it is supposed to be Macbeth’s destiny to become king. Lady Macbeth and Macbeth decide to come up with this plan to kill Duncan in his sleep. Duncan was simply there congratulating Macbeth on his recent accomplishments. He had no idea of the trouble he was getting himself into during his stay at Macbeth’s. The only real flaw you can give to Duncan is that he should have had someone watching over him like a bodyguard, or that he should have been more suspicious about his hosts. The reason of Macbeth’s slaughter of King Duncan was the idea that he was the rightful King. The three witches had told him he would be the first Thane of Cawdor before he was given the rank. They also said that he would eventually reign as king. Besides Lady Macbeth who knew about the three witches, the only other person to know about them was Banquo. He automatically was considered a threat to Macbeth. “For Banquo’s issue have I filed my mind, for them the gracious Duncan I have murdered.” (III I 65-66) Macbeth is ordering the execution of Banquo. Banquo could have saved himself because he saw that the danger lies ahead for him.

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