Shakespeare’s Macbeth introduces numerous characters whom possess traits of genuine humility and righteousness and genuine insanity and greed. Taking a closer look at the characters Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, there is a noticeable difference in each of these characters’ analysis of being wicked. Although both characters originally act together as deceitful, murderous, and heartless individuals, Macbeth continues to be overcome by this dark persona. Thus concluding, that Macbeth displays a more wicked character than Lady Macbeth does because he lacks emotional suffering, he becomes that which he originally suppressed, and because he carries a paranoia around him that is distinctively malicious. Macbeth lacks emotional suffering. This particular trait, which makes him appear more wicked than Lady Macbeth, occurs throughout the play. In the occurrences of death of close ones, Macbeth illustrates no remorse or distress about the situation. Taking for example, his response as he is informed of his wife’s death, “She should have died hereafter.” (V.v.20). He continues to live and breathe as if the death never occurred or as if the death was that of some stranger. Particular scenes such as the death of his wife, death of Macduff’s family, death of everyone he has vowed to kill, further specify those times to which his response can be considered heartless and cold. Furthermore, his response to the hallucinations from the weird sisters continues to show that Macbeth lacks emotion. This being, because Macbeth witnesses and is made aware of those who will die because of his encounter with him, instead of initially having feelings of guilt and anger, he feels satisfaction and laughter at their tragic future. A response to the second appari... ... middle of paper ... ...eep walking incidents. She breaks down mentally and takes away her life because of it. She also does not decide to continue killing and is eventually left out of the loop of the later happenings of treasonous acts committed by Macbeth and company. In final analysis, Macbeth portrayed a more wicked character than Lady Macbeth did soon after Duncan’s death. It appears as if he needed that initial start from Lady Macbeth in order to exert his full malevolent potential amongst those around him. His later actions are not a response or means of a coping mechanism to the mental instability he suffered after Duncan’s death, they are more so representations and proof that evil did co-exist and was just lingering within him, waiting for the right moment to strike and stay alive. Macbeth definitely outshines Lady Macbeth on the wicked scale, and there is no argument there.
In the play of “Macbeth”, Shakespeare gradually and effectively deepens our understanding of the themes and most importantly the relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. The main theme of Macbeth is ambition, and how it compels the main characters to pursue it. The antagonists of the play are the three witches, who symbolise the theme appearance and reality. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s relation is an irony throughout the play, as most of their relation is based on greed and power. This is different from most of Shakespeare’s other plays, which are mostly based on romance and trust. There is also guilt that leads Macbeth and Lady Macbeth to the final consequences of the play. As the progresses, the constant changes in Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are exposed.
Macbeth, a play written by William Shakespeare, portrays Macbeth as a kinsman, subject and trusted friend to King Duncan I of Scotland. A trusted friend, that is, until Macbeth has a chance encounter with the “three witches” (Shakespeare) or the “Weird Sisters”. The witches predict that Macbeth will become the next King and that his fellow companion, Banquo, will be the father of a line of kings. A change comes over Macbeth after his meeting; he is no longer content to be a follower of the King, he will “be” King at any cost. After killing the King and his friend Banquo, losing his wife to madness and ordering the execution of many, Macbeth is killed in much the same fashion as he has killed. But does this really reflect the real King MacBeth of Scotland? While examining the characteristics and actions of the two Macbeths and decide if Shakespeare’s writing was historically sound or was it just “double, double, toil and trouble” (4.1.22-26) playing with MacBeth’s character.
In William Shakespeare's play, Macbeth, many characters moods change throughout. However, the one character whose mood changes most throughout the play is Lady Macbeth. In the beginning of the play, Lady Macbeth is the one that drives Macbeth into the killing of the king Duncan. She seems confident and determined in the beginning of the play until she is overwhelmed by guilt. Along with this, Lady Macbeth and Macbeth’s relationship change after the many murders they have performed. Finally, after all the deaths that Lady Macbeth and Macbeth performed, she finally can’t sleep knowing what she finished.
A very able article, published some years ago in the National Review, on the character of Lady Macbeth, insists much upon an opinion that she died of remorse, as some palliation of her crimes, and mitigation of our detestation of them. That she died of wickedness would be, I think, a juster verdict. Remorse is consciousness of guilt . . . and that I think Lady Macbeth never had; though the unrecognized pressure of her great guilt killed her. (116-17)
Macbeth is a brave general who fights for his country Scotland, defeating the King of Norway. He is loyal to his king Duncan, but Macbeth has ambition to take over the kingdom for himself. He has lots of doubts of if he is doing the right thing, but still murders Duncan and then Banquo who is another general who fought with Macbeth. These murders and guilt about his treason are leading Macbeth to become insane. This essay shows that although Macbeth’s strong desire for power is influenced by the three witches in the play and also the planning and ambition of his wife Lady Macbeth, in the end he is responsible for his self-destruction.
Lady Macbeth is of a finer and more delicate nature. Having fixed her eye upon the end - the attainment for her husband of Duncan's crown - she accepts the inevitable means; she nerves herself for the terrible night's work by artificial stimulants; yet she cannot strike the sleeping king who resembles her father. Having sustained her weaker husband, her own strength gives way; and in sleep, when her will cannot control her thoughts, she is piteously afflicted by the memory of one stain of blood upon her little hand.
Now so long as these mutable goods are at allcommensurate with his inordinate desires - and such is thecase, up until he covets the kingship - Macbeth remains anhonorable gentleman. He is not a criminal; he has no criminaltendencies. But once permit his self-love to demand asatisfaction which cannot be honorably attained, and he islikely to grasp any dishonorable means to that end which maybe safely employed. In other words, Macbeth has much ofnatural good in him unimpaired; environment has conspiredwith his nature to make him upright in all his dealings withthose about him. But moral goodness in him is undeveloped andindeed still rudimentary, for his voluntary acts are scarcelybrought into harmony with ultimate end. As he returns from victorious battle, puffed up withself-love which demands ever-increasing recognition of hisgreatness, the demonic forces of evil-symbolized by the WeirdSisters-suggest to his inordinate imagination the splendidprospect of attaining now the greatest mutable good he hasever desired.
Among the greatest gifts that the renaissance produced was the eloquent and incredible Shakespearean plays. Written mostly in the 1590s these plays have been performed and admired countless times; entertaining mass audiences by providing interesting tales that explore the depth of human insights and the different universal themes. Among the many Shakespearean plays Macbeth, written in 1606, stands out with its short composition but multiple themes. This tragedy narrates the tale of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s quest to grasp ultimate power by ignoring their morals and succumbing to their dark desires, which ultimately leads to their downfall. This tragic play portrays the desires, needs, and temptations that accompany ambition in men and women. However the ambition in Macbeth is blind, it does not abide to the morals, but it allows space for dark actions as means necessary for accomplishment. Blind ambition serves as the main driving force that drives Macbeth to subdue to his dark desires, defy his noble behavior, and ultimately his downfall.
A.C. Bradley’s interpretation of Macbeth finds him human, conflicted, and comparable to his wife, Lady Macbeth, in many respects. They share a common ambition and a common conscience sensitive enough to feel the effects of their ambition. But the story, Bradley contends, is built upon the traits that set them apart. He focuses mainly on Macbeth. Macbeth is a character of two battling halves: his reason, or ambition, and his “imagination.” Bradley attributes the hysterical nature of Macbeth’s visions, the dagger, the specter of Banquo, and other ghosts, to his wild imagination. He “acts badly” (Bradley, 136) and loses his composure whenever his imagination triumphs over his practical side; however, Bradley also asserts that Macbeth’s imagination is “the best of him, something usually deeper and higher than his conscious thoughts” (133). Macbeth is therefore unable to make use of the “better” imagination with which he was endowed and instead only appears “firm, self-controlled and practical” when he is “hateful” (136). A product of these clashing sides, Macbeth’s murder of Duncan is borne of his inability to properly acknowledge the conclusions drawn by his imagination. In his soliloquies and in...
Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” explores a fundamental struggle of the human conscience. The reader is transported into the journey of a man who recognizes and acknowledges evil but still succumbs to its destructive powers. The character of Macbeth is shrouded in ambiguity that scholars have claimed as both being a tyrant and tragic hero. Macbeth’s inner turmoil and anxieties that burden him throughout the entire play evoke sympathy and pity in the reader. Though he has the characteristics of an irredeemable tyrant, Macbeth realizes his mistakes and knows there is no redemption for his sins. And that is indeed tragic.
In the play, Macbeth by William Shakespeare, the primary character, Macbeth, commits several immoral acts to consolidate his power and maintain his authority. Although others may view his actions as explanatory for his evil and condescending personality, it is more accurate that Macbeth has been influenced greatly by those around him and should not receive all the blame for his actions. Through Lady Macbeth’s ruthlessness and connections to Macbeth, the original prophecy’s fate, and the apparitions obscure auguries, Macbeth’s actions and mentality were negatively impacted.
The horrific and detestable acts perpetrated by Macbeth mirror the crimes of Shakespeare’s great villains. Yet, despite his villainous deeds, Macbeth is not among the list of Shakespeare’s most base evildoers (Deighton). “What, can the devil speak true?” (All Speeches). What sets Macbeth apart is his penchant for self-reflection. Although ultimately he cannot resist his dark desires in
This specific action consequently resulted in Macbeth’s level of morality to continually decline as he is acutely aware of his own tyranny. Therefore Macbeth attempts to forget the horrific deed he has committed and be the figure that orders and disorders. Our perception of Macbeth being a wise and loyal soldier is now eroded, as we start to view Macbeth constantly questioning his own actions, and is also impelled to perpetrate further atrocities with the intention of covering up his previous wrong-doings.
Throughout the whole book, Macbeth is struggling with himself, and this is why this book has a tragic flow. He has his own struggle between good and evil .When the time comes to kill Duncan, he has a spilt change of heart but chooses to entertain his evil side. Having killing more people to cover up his sins, his heart is practically gone and he is just a monster now. When his wife dies, he has no remorse.
In the Scottish tragedy Macbeth, Shakespeare explores the fluid nature of good and evil. Macbeth starts out as a heroic soldier, but ends as an evil murderer. When the weird sisters proclaim that one day Macbeth will become King, Macbeth’s ability to understand clearly, becomes completely clouded over. Macbeth’s blind ambition and his wife’s ruthlessness, effectively overtake Macbeth’s moral compass. His altered perception of reality leads not only to Macbeth’s self-destruction, but causes the destruction of Lady Macbeth, as well. Thus, the ambiguous nature of good and evil first conveyed by the witches, lays the groundwork for the future transformation of Macbeth.