Macbeth is considered the most evil character in Shakespeare’s play, “Macbeth”, having nefarious traits of over-ambition and selfishness. Following the events of Act 1 Scene 3, the three witch sisters foresee Macbeth’s prophecies; he will become the Thane of Cawdor, and eventually become King of Scotland. Although he finds such statements to be nonsensical, he is then proven wrong as he finds out King Duncan bestows him as Thane of Cawdor. Macbeth states, “Why hath it given me earnest of success, Commencing in a truth? I am thane of Cawdor. If good, why do I yield to that suggestion Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair And make my seated heart knock at my ribs” (Shakespeare, 1.3, 133-37). This quotation describes Macbeth’s newfound desire …show more content…
Nevertheless, to become king, Macbeth realizes that in order to attain the throne, he would have to murder King Duncan. This soliloquy further foreshadows Macbeth’s over-ambition and how his character develops into one more corrupt throughout the play. Moreover, Macbeth’s selfishness highlights him as a relatively evil character. The murders of King Duncan and Banquo have already transpired, yet Macbeth still believes that his position as king is being threatened by others. Macbeth states, “Blood will have blood. Stones have been known to move, and trees to speak. Augurs and understood relations have By magot pies and choughs and rooks brought forth The secret’st man of blood. —What is the night?” (Shakespeare, 3.4, 146-150). This quotation indicates Macbeth’s greed for power, insinuating that he will not stop murdering his enemies until he is reassured that his throne is solely his. Despite suffering from the guilt of it all, Macbeth recognizes that he must continue the murder cycle in order to sustain his …show more content…
Lady Macbeth exhibits stronger traits of an evil character, objectively making her eviler than Macbeth himself, as she is presented to be manipulative and brutal. Her manipulative tendencies in Act 1 Scene 7 truly acknowledge how corrupt she is in contrast to Macbeth. After receiving the news regarding Macbeth’s new title of Thane of Cawdor and the meeting with the witches, Lady Macbeth recognizes this as an opportunity for power. Due to her status as a woman in a Jacobean society, Lady Macbeth is socially constrained from pursuing any ambitions. With the information that is shared with her, Lady Macbeth’s persistent ambition leads her into manipulating Macbeth to murder King Duncan, overriding Macbeth’s morality. Lady Macbeth states, “What beast was ’t, then, That made you break this enterprise to me? When you durst do it, then you were
However he soon cracks under the pressure of the crown and makes everything not what it seems. In the cunning drama, Macbeth, Shakespeare illuminates the idea that desire and pressure left unchecked will lead to unnatural troubles and wicked endings. In the beginning of the play Macbeth is known as valiant, respectable, and truthful, but goes against his moral compass which further changes him. During act one Macbeth discovers that if king Duncan dies he will become king and is thinking about killing him when he says, “He's here in double trust: First, as I am his kinsman and his subject, strong both
When Macbeth killed Macdonwald, he was soon given Cawdors title by king Duncan. Later, the three witches made three predictions for macbeth. The predictions were that he would become king, Thane of Cawdor, and the Thane of Glamis. Macbeth doesn’t trust the witches so he reacts. Macbeth then speaks about a horrid image which about killing the king.
At the beginning of the play Marson stated that Macbeth is portrayed as “valiant, dutiful to his sovereign, mild, gentle, and ambitious” (68). However, soon Macbeth is welcomed by the three witches and they speak their prophecy and declare him Thane of Cawdor. Still, Macbeth’s mental state is not shaken up, however, he is in a delusional state of mind. Macbeth rejoices and sends a letter to Lady Macbeth knowing that the witches’ prophecies come true. At the time, Macbeth has no interest in killing King Duncan, but Lady Macbeth does.
Through Macbeth, Shakespeare conveys that the need to conform to gender roles can cause people to go against their moral code. Several times in the play, manhood is called to upon justify evil acts. The expectation of men to be ruthless and unmerciful in this society caused Macbeth to participate in acts he wouldn’t usually agree to because of morality. In the play, Macbeth receives a prophecy that tells him he will one day be the Thane of Cawdor and then the king. When the former comes true, Macbeth shares the prophecy with his wife, Lady Macbeth.
Macbeth exhibits a strong desire to rule, yet he also displays a noble side by debating his conscience. Macbeth initially had little interest in ascending to the positions of Thane of Cawdor and King of Scotland. Yet because of the witch's prophecies, Macbeth initially considers the possibility of being king, which eventually inspires him to wish to become king to carry out the predictions. Lady Macbeth has Macbeth in awe of the ingenuity and boldness of her scheme, and he consents to carry it out. He forgets his initial "noble" and "honest" characteristics and starts planning the murder plot.
After being given the witches’ prophecies, Macbeth feels a sudden urge to murder Duncan, whereas before seeing them, he was completely loyal to his king. In his soliloquy, Macbeth exclaims, “I am thane of Cawdor. / If good, why do I yield to that suggestion / Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair / And make my seated heart knock at my ribs, /
When Macbeth learns he becomes Thane of Cawdor, he seemed satisfied with the idea of small power. It was later when his wife, Lady Macbeth, mocks and demeans his manliness when he plots series of murders to secure his throne. Although, Lady Macbeth does seem like a stronger more ambitious character than her husband, Macbeth does go through with the murder of Duncan. Ambition and power become the most important aspects of Macbeth’s life, without analyzing any of the consequences brought upon his actions. Macbeth’s guilt does lead him to mental anguish and hallucinations.
At the beginning of the play, he is hailed as the brave warrior who fought with his friend Banquo and, due to his act of bravery, was given the title “thane of Cawdor!” (1.2.65-67). However, it does not take him long to show his most noticeable character trait, ambition, which leads him to murder King Duncan. His insatiable desire for power and a fierce determination to be king drives Macbeth to continue to deceptively plot against his friend and commit terrible acts of violence and betrayal. It causes him to spiral out of control quickly, and he goes from a reluctant murderer to a sinister and brutal killer.
The Downfall of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth “It is a man’s own mind, not his enemy or foe that lures him to evil ways” -Buddha (BrainyQuote). Evil is already within man, and he does not need help to provoke it, but himself. In the tragedy Macbeth by William Shakespeare, the protagonist and antagonist, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, both confront challenges that lead them to their downfall; this is shown in Acts I, II, IV, and V. In Macbeth, Macbeth undergoes a dramatic change that ultimately leads to his downfall. The witches tell him that he is the Thane of Cawdor and would later become the next king, “All hail, Macbeth!
Lady Macbeth is portrayed as the antithesis of the typical Shakespearean heroine in the play "Macbeth." She is characterized by her ambition, manipulation, and lack of empathy. This is evident when she contacts the evil spirits in an ultra-religious time, asking them to "unsex" her and fill her with "direst cruelty" in order to aid her in her quest for power. (Act 1, Scene 5) Her ambition to become queen is made clear when she receives a letter from Macbeth announcing his new position as thane of Cawdor.
Fate and ambition drive Macbeth to carry out a variety of actions that end up hurting his propriety and leading to his own downfall while he knows of his fate already. Macbeth encounters three witches who give him three prophecies: he will be the thane of Cawdor, he will be king, and Banquo’s kin will become king. He gets very excited at the thought of being king, but he doesn’t believe it until he gets back from the meeting where he is then told he is the new Thane of Cawdor. His ambition is starting to come alive as he hears this wonderful news and is pondering about how, “two truths are told as happy prologues to the swelling act of the imperial theme” (I.iii.140-142). Once Macbeth finds out his prophecies are real, he starts to wonder how he will become the
Shakespeare's "Macbeth" is a tragic play that explores the corruption of a once-noble character. Macbeth, the titular character, begins as a loyal and valiant soldier, but he is manipulated and coerced by others, ultimately succumbing to his ambitions and turning towards evil. Lady Macbeth plays a significant role in driving Macbeth toward his downfall, but as the play progresses, Macbeth becomes increasingly responsible for his actions, ultimately transforming from a victim into a villain. This transformation is marked by a shift in Macbeth's character, as he becomes more ruthless and bloodthirsty, no longer controlled solely by outside forces. Through Macbeth's descent into darkness, Shakespeare explores the dangers of unchecked ambition
Macbeths guilty conscience makes him unable to play the ‘true’ role of a villain of the play. Macbeth begins to see ‘false creations’ before murdering Duncan; the image of a floating dagger taunts Macbeth’s senses. Macbeth is devoured in his anxiety he starts to hallucinate the crime before going through with it. Macbeth is unable to dispose thoughts of his guilt and doubt, which prevents him from being stuck at the point where it is too late to turn back, yet the fear of his nature prevents him from turning completely into a ruthless coldblooded
After Macbeth told his wife about the prophecy of the three witches that he will become the thane of Glamis and the thane of Cawdor, then will become the king of Scotland, one of the prophecy, that he will be the thane, has come true. So Lady Macbeth began to manipulate him and influence him to do some horrible thing. “Glamis thou art, and Cawdor; and shalt be/ What thou art promised. Yet do I fear thy nature;/ It is too full o’ the milk of human kindness/ To catch the nearest way.”
At the beginning, he was a military hero, which eventually earned him the title of "Thane of Cawdor" in return. Prior to meeting the witches, Macbeth had no ambitions for the throne; however, after meeting them and becoming thane, he becomes power-hungry. This is depicted in both Coen's film and the original, heightening the drama and impact of his eventual fall. It shows how his previous honourable actions contrast with his corruption and gutlessness as he falls into the cycle of "murdering and terrorising others to hold on to his power." (BBC)