Macbeth (Shakespeare)

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The main character in William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Macbeth shows dramatic changes throughout the course of the play. He starts off as a valiant General in the Scottish army praised by King Duncan for his bravery, loyalty and heroism. As the play progresses however, he demonstrates more unethical characteristics which eventually lead to his ultimate demise.

1 Scottish General (The Reputation vs. The Man)
2 Husband
3 King of Scotland
4 Additional Note

[edit] Scottish General (The Reputation vs. The Man)

The play begins amid a bloody civil war where the first introduction to the Scottish General Macbeth is given by a wounded soldier. A colourful and extensive exaltation of Macbeth’s prowess and valour in battle is illustrated. When the battle is won, largely due to the skillful leadership of Macbeth and Banquo, King Duncan honours his Generals with high praise and awards Macbeth with the title of a traitor awaiting execution, the Thane of Cawdor. Although Macbeth has not yet made his initial appearance, the audience is given a clear indication of his righteous reputation on the battlefield and with the King.

After the first meeting with the witches in Act 1 Scene III, it soon becomes apparent that Macbeth the man may not be analogous to the alleged General. His immediate thoughts of regicide after the witches’ prophecy that he will become King of Scotland demonstrate that he is not as loyal to the King as his reputation contends. (In medieval times and in the Elizabethan era, thoughts of murdering royalty were punishable by death). When thinking of this evil thought Macbeth claims to himself it “…doth unfix my hair and make my seated heart knock at my ribs against the use of nature” this shows that he is quite shaken by his own idea. Also, in an aside at the end of Act I Scene III he states “If chance may have me king, why chance may crown me without my stir” and “Come what come may, time and the hour runs through the roughest day” this demonstrates that he is not entirely won over by his murderous thoughts. He is considering the possibility that the kingship will fall into his lap by luck alone and that he will not have to take any action in order to fulfill the last prophecy. The witches have undoubtedly proven their credibility to Macbeth since they “have more in them than mortal knowledge”. Macbeth continues thinking about the prophecies; ignoring Banquo’s sound advice that “oftentimes to win us to our harm these instruments of darkness tell us truths…to betray us in deepest consequence”.

Macbeth’s next meeting with Duncan is filled with dramatic irony. He shows the King gratitude and claims the utmost loyalty and service to Scotland. When Duncan names his son Malcolm heir to his throne Macbeth realizes that if he wants the kingship he has to take action. He asks the heavens to conceal his evil thoughts when he says “Stars hide your fires, let not light see my black and deep desires.” The idea of kingship is clearly within Macbeth’s ambition.

[edit] Husband

At home with his wife Macbeth displays another dimension to his character. Lady Macbeth’s plan is to convince Macbeth to kill Duncan. This is apparent when she says “…I may pour my spirits in thine ear; and chastise with the valour of my tongue all that impedes thee from the golden round”. She feels that Macbeth “art not without ambition” but is “too full o’ the milk of human kindness to catch the nearest way”. Lady Macbeth plans to be the brains behind the assassination of Duncan. She clearly shares her husband’s ambition.

In Act 1 Scene VII, while alone on stage, Macbeth considers the pros and cons of killing Duncan. He sees Duncan as a fair and gracious leader for whom Scotland will weep. He sees himself as his friend and also his host “who should against his murderer shut the door”. Macbeth ponders the idea of karma and the affect his actions will have in the afterlife. The only reason he has for committing this deed is his “vaulting ambition”. At this point in the play Macbeth has concluded not to kill Duncan. The decision however, is short lived. Macbeth says nothing to his wife to substantiate his claim. He fails to communicate the ethical arguments he made against murder. Instead he merely says, “He (Duncan) hath honoured me of late”. When Lady Macbeth pulls out all the stops with a vivid analogy of killing her own baby while nursing and by insulting Macbeth’s manhood, she convinces him to carry out the deed. Here Macbeth shows a very different side to his character. The cut-throat, strong, confident General has no retort for his wife’s degrading accusations. He allows Lady Macbeth to head the plan for Duncan’s murder. Macbeth simply follows her lead. Could this mean that Macbeth was manipulated by both the witches and his wife? Or did he act on his own free will intending to kill Duncan all along? The driving forces behind Macbeth’s decision remain an ongoing debate.

The murder of Duncan clearly changes Macbeth. After committing the deed he returns to his chamber, looks down at his hands and says “Will all Great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood clean from my hand? No, this my hand will rather the multitudinous seas incarnadine, making the green one red”. Macbeth recognizes that he will never be able to cleanse his hands or clear his conscience of this deed. He also hears voices that say “Macbeth shall sleep no more. Macbeth does murder sleep”. He acknowledges that only the innocent sleep and that sleep is “the balm of hurt minds”. His innocence is forever lost and his actions hereafter will be eternally tainted. Despite his many murders on the battlefield, Macbeth is too afraid to go back to Duncan’s chamber and frame the guards as per the plan. It is Lady Macbeth who must complete the crime. The psychological effect the assassination will have on the Macbeths is foreshadowed in this scene. Despite Lady Macbeth’s attempt to “stop up the access and passage to remorse” it is impossible for her and her husband to simply ignore the affects of pre-meditated, cold blooded murder.

When the castle is awakened with the news of Duncan’s death there is a dramatic change in Macbeth’s attitude toward the murder. Surprisingly he is now able to take his wife’s advice and “look like the innocent flower but be the serpent under’t”. Macbeth’s indecision becomes a thing of the past. He is able to show false remorse for the death of Duncan and in an outburst of rage and loyalty to the King, he slays the alleged murderers “who are steeped in the colours of their trade”. Macbeth now shows aggressive manipulation and clear cut deceit.

[edit] King of Scotland

The country of Scotland suffers under Macbeth’s tyrannical rule. Macbeth cannot trust anyone, not even his wife who was once his “dearest partner of greatness”. He has spies in the houses of all the Scottish nobles, his mind is playing tricks on him, he is overcome by guilt and, as foreshadowed earlier, his sleep is troubled by nightmares. The ends have not justified the means. Macbeth sinks deeper and deeper into an abyss of ongoing, callous slaughter. Despite Lady Macbeth’s practical advice to move on, stop the killing and enjoy his new role, Macbeth becomes “stepped in blood so far that he can wade no more.” He is obsessed with the witches and their prophecies. Macbeth is at an all time low when he ruthlessly has the innocent Lady Macduff, her young son and their entire castle brutally murdered. This is also a fatal mistake as Macduff will now seek revenge. In Act V, after Lady Macbeth commits suicide, Macbeth begins “to be aweary of the sun, and wish th’ estate o’ the world were now undone”. He has no fear and no real reason to live. In his famous “Tomorrow, Tomorrow and Tomorrow” soliloquy he contemplates the meaning of life with vivid metaphorical imagery. He also claims that he has lost all his friends, family and honour. By the end of the play Macbeth is duped by the witches second set of prophecies when “great Birnam Wood move to High Dunsinane” and finally when Macbeth is killed in battle by Macduff.