Lady Macbeth as the True Villain with Teacher Commentary

At the end of the play Macbeth is a broken man”.

Do you agree? How does the downfall of Macbeth maintain audience interest and

how is the ending essential to the tragedy of Macbeth?

At the end of the play Macbeth is a broken man because throughout the play he has continued to dig a hole of pity and self remorse, and his conscience comes to a point where there is no turning back. [[well put – in a sense you are defining “broken man” here]]After this comprehension, Macbeth breaks down and becomes a confused, irate, irrational man. The audience maintains interest in Macbeth, because through the evil a sense of innate nobility and loyalty still exists for the audience to feel a sense of waste and lost potential. [excellent idea]]This connection is what keeps the audience engrossed in the play until the finish.

Macbeth is like every other human being. He has the potential to do evil. He has a tragic flaw, or an Achilles Heel. [[ although I agree with you it’s worth keeping in mind the fact that many other people might not like to think of themselves like this – you may need to argue a little more to explain how we are all caught up in this web of evil]]Macbeth’s is Ambition and Greed. Anyone that spurs his intent and ambition will create a chain of deadly consequences. In this case, the witches triggered the evil and hatred that exists within.

“All hail Macbeth, Thane of Glamis”

“All hail Macbeth, Thane of Cawdor”

“All hail Macbeth, King of Scotland”

Evil is a drug that has poisoned Macbeth. Although Macbeth knows what the consequences of evil actions are, he carries out the murder of Duncan. But, what I have come to realise is that Macbeth did not have a choice. The witches told him of the future, so Macbeth understood the outcome and knew that his evil was an inevitable force that would throw him into a realm of a good or evil. [[THIS IS A REALLY INTERESTING IDEA – you could develop it further, perhaps also consider that the he really understand that the realm he will be thrown into is MUCH MORE evil than good]] So we have to ask, does Macbeth really have an evil conscience? Did he do his actions by choice or by a commandment of what the supernatural have told him to do? [[this is a wonderful line of argument - try to build on it]]