The Greatest Villain In William Shakespeare's Macbeth

The Greatest Villain In William Shakespeare's Macbeth

The word villain can be used today as both serious and comical. For

example there are mad villains in cartoons and theatre for example the

wicked step mother in the play Cinderella are not particularly

serious.

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Then you go to serious and sinister acts of crime like paid murders

(Assassins and Hit men). These people benefit in payment for their

acts of crime. The definition of villain seems to influence the idea

they have to be main characters and have to be "wicked" and seeing

that the dominant force in Macbeth is darkness and evil it should

automatically give you the impression that many people could be "the

greatest villain".

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In Macbeth there is a strong female influence of magical forces with

the witches and lady Macbeth as instruments of these malevolent

forces. Their wickedness is either conniving or vindictive as they are

with the sailor because of their dislike for his wife. Lady Macbeth is

obsessed with power throughout the play and is constantly striving for

her husbands glory and also for her own gain. She seems to have an

overall motto of " do what you have to do at what ever expense". She

proclaims in the play that she would kill her own son or daughter if

need be. Her favourite way of getting her own way is by exploiting her

femininity and every means possible like sex and even resorting to

calling her husband names.

"…then you were a man. And to be more than what you were, you would be

so much more the man."

Lady Macbeth's tongue is evil and vicious she taunts and provokes him

continually. She belittles and dominates Macbeth's masculinity

"And live a coward in thine own esteem"

All the way through the play she renounces her femininity and is

constantly trying to call upon evil spirits to turn her into a man.

" Unsex me here and fill me from the crown to the topfull of direst