Macbeth Representation Of Power Analysis

Macbeth, a classic tragedy, is perhaps one of the most recognised pieces in english literature by playwright, William Shakespeare. In Macbeth, Shakespeare successfully explores a diverse range of key themes within the play, however, Shakespeare precisely represents power as a divine right with which one should not tamper with, lest disaster ensue. The representation of power clearly reflects the socio-cultural views of the Elizabethan era, and hence, the audience can successfully foreshadow Macbeth’s usurp of the Scottish throne will ultimately lead to his destruction caused by his hubristic actions. Macbeth’s vaulting ambition has lead to his illegitimate power that epitomises additional representations of power as being transitory, easily

corrupted and ineffective.

By analysing the representation of power as a divine right, representation of Macbeth’s hubris and his illegitimate power will be clear that it will lead to his downfall caused by his hamartia which solidifies Macbeth as a tragic hero.

The representation of Macbeth most strongly revolves around the theme of power as Macbeth is shown to be overly ambitious and easily influenced, his hamartia that ultimately leads him to his demise. Macbeth, the protagonist and tragic hero in Shakespeare represents Macbeth to show the terrible effects that hamartia can have on a man who lacks strength of character. In the beginning, Macbeth is represented as a hero in the battle field and a brave and loyal soldier, with Duncan praising him by saying, “More is thy due than more than all can pay,” (1.4.21). However, after Macbeth has been named the new Thane of Cawdor, Macbeth’s insatiable ambition for power grows and tempts him to commit regicide showing his tyrannical nature. Macbeth experiences peripeteia after murdering King Duncan’s, causing him to fear anyone with noble bloodline as a threat. As a result, Macbeth decides to kill Macduff’s family, as he stated “Seize uponFife…/His wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls/That trace him in his line”(4.1.150-152), to send out a message of his power to macduff. Macbeth’s choice to slaughter the Macduff family particularly enforces the idea of the tragic hero; though forces of nature are set to work against him, it is ultimately his decision through hubris that creates his hamartia. The tragic hero positions the audience to see that Macbeth’s choice to draw Macduff into Scotland, will lead to his own death. The protagonist is robbed of his power, once again reinforcing the playwright’s representation of power as relatively transitory. Additionally, Shakespeare has also represented divine right with which one should not tamper with, lest disaster ensue.

Power is represented as a divine right in Macbeth in which 17th century Elizabethans believed this chain of being to be a rigid social hierarchy set out by God. The tragedy of Macbeth is perhaps one of the darkest play Shakespeare illustrates the Renaissance, belief that tragic consequences ensue when there is a breakdown in the divinely established hierarchy. In the play, Macbeth’s first line states, “So foul and fair a day I have not seen” (1.3.36) indicates that his entire journey will be about disrupting the natural order. Following King Duncan’s murder, it is revealed to the audience that the disturbance of the great chain is manifested in the natural world. Near the end, Macbeth’s last soliloquy states, “It is a tale/Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury/Signifying nothing”(5.5.25—27), meaning that his temptation of ambition robs him of the essence of his existence as a human being and leaves behind nothing but discontent and a worthless life. This positions the audience that Macbeth has now reached to the point of anagnorisis and have now lost the war with the natural order. In the finale of Macbeth, the audience experiences catharsis when the balance is restored to the natural order and when Macduff beheads the traitorous King and mounts his head upon a pike for all to see. Furthermore, Shakespeare has also represented illegitimate power as very easily corrupted.

Another facet to power within Macbeth is the illegitimate power that Macbeth himself possesses on account of his disturbance to the natural order which later reveals to have devastating repercussions.

Macbeth’s ambition blinds him from seeing the destructive path, ruling as a tyrant rather than a noble king. Also, his easily impressionable nature causes him to rather listen to the words of Lady Macbeth and the three witches. These hamartia go on to play a major role in Macbeth’s demise. The power and the influence of the Lady Macbeth has greatly led Macbeth to murder king Duncan by her questioning his manhood, saying “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” (1.7.49-51). Lady Macbeth then taunts and manipulates Macbeth to commit the murder and fails to acquiesce to his wishes showing reversed traditional gender roles, which is against the natural order. Shakespeare positions the audience to believe that her powers will only be fleeting, since she disrupted the natural order. Furthermore, the deceptive words of the witches stating “All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be King hereafter” (1.3.51), acts as a driving force for Macbeth to murder King Duncan with Lady Macbeth’s influence. This positions the audience to see Macbeth’s death as the epitome of ineffective as a ruler, as his own choices were ultimately the cause for his destructions. In true tragic hero manner, Macbeth is killed due to his hamartia - a

vicious lust for power.

In Macbeth, the playwright’s social representation of power is represented as a divine right where it is set out by God and should not be disrupted. In evidence, additional representation of Macbeth’s vaulting ambition (hubris) which leads him to his destruction through his hamartia and the representation of illegitimate power being transitory and easily influenced when the natural order is broken is all related to represent power. After analysing and evaluating the representation of power in Macbeth, the audience is positioned to consider power as wholly divine, and yet worthless unless gained legitimately.