Is Macbeth Weak

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“Appear weak when you are strong, and appear strong when you are weak”-. Sun Tzu, The Art of War. This quotation sums up Macbeth’s view on the way he should act. Macbeth deceives people into thinking he is weak when he is actually strong. He also attempts to appear strong when he is weak in stature. In the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare, Macbeth has a deep desire to be king but has to eliminate his competition and benefit Lady Macbeth. Macbeth starts off as an honourable and strong man, but soon falls into weakness. Macbeth is torn between his urge to become king and his wife. He lies to the king by hiding his desires from him, and he wants to keep his wife happy because he loves her very much. Being Macbeth’s love, Lady Macbeth instructs …show more content…

Banquo’s death was next because he is the only threat from there on out. In order to ensure his route to the throne is secured, Macbeth deceives Banquo and sends murderers on his path, “I wish your horses swift of foot,/And so I do commend you to their backs./Farewell. (III ,i , 39-41) Macbeth says this just before Banquo leaves for a horse ride. It is ironic that Macbeth is being respectful to Banquo before he sends his murderers after him.
Then, Macbeth says “Well then, now have you considered of my speeches?/Know, that it was he in the times past which held you so under/ fortune, which you thought had been our innocent self”.(III, i (77-79) When Macbeth says this, it reminds the murderers that it was Banquo who made their lives hell for so long.
He uses deception and manipulation so that the guards attack Banquo out of spite. He reminds them that it was not him after all, it was Banquo. Banquo deceives the murderers to thinking that it was Macbeth who was making their lives a living hell. At the end of scene three, When Macbeth says “It is concluded. Banquo, thy soul’s flight,/ If it find heaven, must find it out tonight” (III, i, 140-141) by stating this Macbeth means the deal is closed and tonight is the night Banquo will go to heaven. By saying “concluded” it means that Macbeth is bringing the deal to an end and this quote helps assure that Banquo, will die. In conclusion, by getting rid of Banquo, Macbeth’s route to become King is straightforward and he now has no competition in the

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