Analysis of Macbeth by William Shakespeare
analytical Essay
829 words
Analysis of Macbeth by William Shakespeare At the conclusion of the play, Malcolm refers to Macbeth as “this dead
butcher and his fiend like queen.” This is in direct contrast to the
audience’s introduction to Macbeth where he is described as a brave
courageous soldier, loyal to his king Duncan and devoted to his wife.
Aristotle said that the only “proper subject of tragedy, is the
spectacle of a man not absolutely or eminently good or wise that is
brought to disaster not by sheer depravity but by some error or
frailty.”
Critic A. Quiller-Couch states that “tragedy demands some sympathy
with the fortunes of the hero and however gross his error or grievous
his frailty, it must not exclude our feeling that he is a man like
ourselves.” He argues how Shakespeare could make the audience
sympathize with Macbeth, “a murderer and a murderer for his private
profit… a traitor to his king, ingrate, self seeker, false kinsman,
and perjured soldier.” The tragedy of Macbeth is that knowing the
murder of Duncan will change his life forever and he understands that
evil turns on the evil doer and that “bloody instruction… return to
plague th’ inventor,” he still goes ahead with the murder. Macbeth is
a flawed character, his frailty is greed and ambition and he becomes
the victim of circumstances beyond his control. A. Quiller. Couch’s
opinion Shakespeare has made Macbeth proceed to his crime “under some
fake hallucination.” The initial image of Macbeth as brave and
courageous is deceptive for it is his weakness, recognized by Lady
Macbeth “yet I do fear...
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determination. Secondly, she is shown as a powerless queen who is no
longer dominant of Macbeth. Thirdly Lady Macbeth is shown as an insane
sleepwalker constantly being shown the crimes of the past and
sufferings they have brought.
In conclusion Malcolm’s description of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth as
“this dead butcher and his fiend like queen” is seen as quite harsh.
Macbeth is tormented by his deeds and he never was to enjoy the crown
that he has taken. We see him as a man who tries to take fate into his
won hands and this action brings him nothing but grief and suffering.
Therefore Macbeth should not be referred to as a butcher. Lady Macbeth
does not deserve such a harsh title as she has committed no murder and
it can be questioned if Malcolm ever saw the confrontation of murder
from Lady Macbeth to Macbeth.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how malcolm refers to macbeth as "this dead" at the conclusion of the play.
- Opines that macbeth “yet i do fear thy nature/ it is too full o’ the milk of human
- Narrates how the man who was “a full o’ man” wanted or needed to confide in his wife.
- Analyzes how she is seen as a villain as soon as she enters the play as the audience is.
- Analyzes how we see him as a man who tries to take fate into his own.
Related
- analytical
- opinion
- Analysis of Macbeth by William Shakespeareanalytical essayAnalysis of Macbeth by William Shakespeare Macbeth is the central figure in the Shakespearean tragedy Macbeth,
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how macbeth is the central figure in the shakespearean tragedy, and opines that shakespeare's analysis of the tragedy is accurate.
- Analyzes how the play revolves around macbeth and the constant struggle between his conscience and his lust for power.
- Analyzes how initial perceptions become doubtful when we meet macbeth, despite his positive traits, as a brutal killing machine, completely devoid of emotions.
- Analyzes how macbeth's consuming ambition overpowers his loyalty to the king, even his valor in battle may have been an attempt to enhance his status.
- Analyzes how macbeth's fatal flaw is his blind ambition and inability to appreciate duncan as more than someone who can grant him titles and honors.
- Analyzes how the indecisive macbeth would not have killed duncan without the ambitious lady's steely sense of purpose that is the driving force behind her.
- Analyzes how macbeth invokes his desire for kingship by questioning his manhood. he hides nothing from his "dearest partner of greatness."
- Analyzes how macbeth awakens to a guilt that will remain with him until his death, and his desperation when he overreacts when duncan's corpse is discovered.
- Describes how macbeth changed scotland into a country 'almost afraid to know itself.' he trusts no one, sets spies on each of the thanes, and slaughters macduff's entire family for no reason.
- Analyzes how macbeth confronts the witches and their answers give him confidence, then alarm, as they predict banquo's heirs as future kings.
- Analyzes how seyton's confidence falters as he curses the witches. he is cynically wise, regretful that his old age needs no friends, respect, love, or support.
- Analyzes how macbeth chooses to die in battle, 'with harness on our back', and this decision revives a spark of our former respect for the mighty warrior.
671 wordsRead More - Analysis of Macbeth by William Shakespeareopinion essayAnalysis of Macbeth by William Shakespeare William Shakespeare wrote Macbeth between 1605 and1606 in what we call his dark period; it became one of his finest tragedies. Shakespeare loosely based his play on the historical chronicles of Ralph Holinshed. Macbeth, has everything one could wish from a tragic play: we have temptation, intrigue, murder, insanity, pathos and finally, retribution. Macbeth, highly esteemed by his monarch and peers, seems a highly moral man and happy with his lot.
In this essay, the author
- Opines that the eye fears, when it is done, to see. he is already there.
- Explains that he has to be sure the deed can be carried out without being caught out.
- Narrates how he says, “or art thou a dagger of the
- Opines that duncan is dead and by the end of scene1 act 2 the deed is done.
- Opines that they are afraid of thinking what they have done. look on’t again.
- Narrates how lady has unsettled him, and he thinks that she is about to find out.
- Opines that most of us would never go as far.
1818 wordsRead More - Analysis of Macbeth by William Shakespeareanalytical essayAnalysis of Macbeth by William Shakespeare To a Shakespearean audience the natural order, obedience to those above you in the hierarchy, would have been a familiar and accepted ideal. At this time when England was under constant threat of Catholic insurrection, it was in Shakespeare’s interest to write a play which would please the King, James 1. ‘Macbeth’ raises the issue of a crime which the state would regard as a crime even against God, as the monarch was thought to be a ruler appointed by God and acting in his name. To murder a monarch therefore would have been considered to have been completely against the natural order, an evil action. As part of my English GCSE I have been asked to evaluate the 1st and 2nd acts of Macbeth and show how Shakespeare makes us aware that Duncan’s murder is evil and against the natural order.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that as part of their english gcse, they have been asked to evaluate the 1st and 2nd grades.
- Narrates how thane of cawdor is hailed by the crowd as a 'thene'.
- Analyzes the sense of evil that has been reflected in act 1, scene 5.
- Describes the pros and cons of being a direst man.
- Opines that every image is now dark and foul as she has just called for the evil spirits to give her the strength of a man to help in the murder of
692 wordsRead More - Discussion of William Shakespeare's Macbethopinion essayDiscussion of William Shakespeare's Macbeth Written around 1606, 'Macbeth' is regarded as a generous tribute to the current monarch at the time, King James I. In 1603, the first year of his reign , King James privileged Shakespeare's theatre company, above all others, to be the King's Men. Shakespeare's theatre company was extremely honoured by the title and 'Macbeth' was written in an attempt at expressing Shakespeare's gratitude. Before he was King James I of England, he was King James VI of Scotland.
In this essay, the author
- Opines that macbeth is tragic if he is driven into a fate.
- Opines that if there were no consequences to his act, he would do it.
- Opines that one flaw is that he never took control of his own life.
- Narrates how he has been talked into the crime by his wife.
- Analyzes how macbeth uses the word "deed" when he says "i have done the deed".
- Opines that if a man loses, he will die. he has no qualms about that.
- Analyzes how he utters "my way of life has fallen'n into the sere".
- Opines that macbeth doesn't care if he gets hung.
- Opines that we now know this has come true; he has had no sleep because his own.
3396 wordsRead More - Analysis of Major Characters in William Shakespeare's Macbethanalytical essayAnalysis of Major Characters in William Shakespeare's Macbeth Macbeth = == == == Because we first hear of Macbeth in the wounded captain's account of his battlefield valor, our initial impression is of a brave and capable warrior.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes the major characters in william shakespeare's macbeth. their initial impression of a brave and capable warrior is complicated when they see him interact with the three witches
- Analyzes how shakespeare uses macbeth to show the terrible effects that ambition and guilt can have on a man who lacks strength of character.
- Analyzes how lady macbeth's steely sense of purpose pushes him to kill duncan.
- Analyzes how macbeth's powerful personality begins to disintegrate after the murder, leaving him increasingly alone. he fluctuates between fits of fevered action, in which he plots murders to secure his throne, and moments of terrible guilt
- Analyzes how macbeth is too ambitious to allow his conscience to stop him from murdering his way to the top and too conscientious to be happy with himself as a murderer.
- Analyzes how macbeth's confidence in the witches' prophecies stems from his return to the arena where he has been most successful and where his internal turmoil doesn't affect him.
- Analyzes how lady macbeth is one of shakespeare's most famous and frightening female characters.
- Analyzes how lady macbeth's relationship between gender and power is key to her character.
- Analyzes how shakespeare, and the witches, undercut macbeth's idea that "undaunted mettle should compose / nothing but males." crafty women use female methods of achieving power to further their supposedly male ambitions.
- Analyzes how lady macbeth manipulates her husband with remarkable effectiveness, overriding all his objections, and repeatedly questioning his manhood until he feels compelled to commit murder.
- Analyzes how lady macbeth begins a slow slide into madness after the crime. she is reduced to sleepwalking through the castle, desperately trying to wash away an invisible bloodstain.
- Analyzes how the witches, referred to as the "weird sisters," lurk like dark thoughts and unconscious temptations to evil throughout the play.
- Analyzes how the witches' beards, bizarre potions, and rhymed speech make them seem ridiculous, like caricatures of the supernatural. shakespeare has them speak in rhyming couplets throughout.
- Analyzes how the witches' words seem comical, like malevolent nursery rhymes, despite the absurdity of their "eye of newt and toe of frog" recipes.
- Analyzes how the witches bear a striking and obviously intentional resemblance to the fates, female characters in both norse and greek mythology who weave the fabric of human lives.
- Analyzes how shakespeare keeps the witches well outside the play. macbeth wouldn't have murdered his king without the prophecies, but birnam wood's coming to dunsinane is self-fulfilling.
891 wordsRead More - Analyzing the Character of Macbeth in William Shakespeare's Play This Essay will focus on the tragic tale of 'Macbeth', and by doing this I should be able to come up with both his villainous and redeeming qualities, which are shown from the very start of this play. He is a strong warrior along with the fact that people think highly of him, but in addition he is associated with the witches, as in one of the first lines a witch proclaims, "There to meet with Macbeth", which to the reader gives a sign of potential evil with Macbeth.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how macbeth is acting as if he has known the witch's words.
- Opines that both duncan and duncan go to see duncan. duncan has to make a very important decision.
- Analyzes how duncan has used his powers as a king so humbly.
- Narrates how the fish doesn't want to get its feet wet.
- Opines that he wants to be come king but in order to do so.
- Analyzes how macbeth tries to lie to himself, which is an evil quality.
- Narrates how they used their magic to put a spell on macbeth so that he could slay him.
- Opines that macbeth is kind at this stage or even has a bit of goodness.
- Opines that he has lived a good life until now, but has come to an end.
- Opines that he is doing what lady macbeth did to try and make her feel like a
- Describes the characters in the play.
1841 wordsRead More - Macbeth And Of Mice And Men Analysisanalytical essayIn the Shakespearean play Macbeth and the novella Of Mice and Men, both have characters who reflect on who they are. The authors are very successful in their depictions of such characters. Shakespeare does this by creating a character who appears from the outside bold and courageous, but in reality has self-doubt and a conflict in his mind when he is subjected to praise in things he deems impossible. Steinbeck does the same thing with 2 characters, one who is like a father-like and leading figure and has serious concerns regarding his actions and reasons for doing so and another who has a mental disability and constantly reflects on his actions.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how shakespeare's macbeth and the novella of mice and men depict characters who reflect on who they are. shakespeare creates a character who appears bold and courageous, but in reality has self-doubt and conflict in his mind when he is subjected to praise
- Analyzes how shakespeare portrays macbeth as a bold, courageous, and defiant hero who has undying loyalty. he is reflective of himself and can go into deep thought where he doubts what is possible.
- Analyzes how macbeth's noble conscience conflicts with his temptations and desires. when his manipulative wife convinces him to kill king duncan, he sees a bloody dagger leading the way to duncan
- Analyzes how macbeth has a soliloquy in which he reflects on the murder and realises that being king isn't sufficient. he fears banquo on general grounds.
- Analyzes how steinbeck created characters who reflect on themselves. george milton is a man who is looking for work with his friend lenny small during the great depression.
- Analyzes how steinbeck conjures an image of a person going through extreme emotional pain and reflecting on himself.
724 wordsRead More - Macbeth Ll. 17-28 Analysisanalytical essayMacbeth's speech in Act V, Scene 5, ll. 17-28 captures the major theme of betrayal because of how powerful an impact this has on the story. This theme is prevalent throughout the story, but this scene shows the cold hearted true betrayal from a husband directed to a wife.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how macbeth's speech in act v, scene 5, ll. 17-28 captures the major theme of betrayal because of how powerful an impact this has on the story.
- Analyzes how macbeth is uninterested and unsurprised in his wife's death. this is a harsh impact on the reader because it shows how much he cares about himself and gaining power.
- Analyzes how this well-written scene sums up macbeth's intentions and persona up to this point, and this theme of betrayal fuels this scene with the impact it has.
400 wordsRead More - Detailed Analysis Of Macbeth In William Shakespeare's Macbethanalytical essayMACBETH. Speak, if you can. What are you? FIRST WITCH. All hail, Macbeth, hail to thee, Thane of Glamis!
In this essay, the author
- Describes macbeth's 'first witch', which is a less happy, but much happier version of the phrase.
- Analyzes how macbeth and banquo's witches talk in rhyming couplets in the text and video, which recognizes them from every other character. their facial hair makes them hard to recognize as either gender.
- Analyzes how the "weird sisters" allude macbeth to the going ahead of time, but don't determine when he will have his spot on the position of authority. the impact of this infringement, could propose that the witches' forecasts are conundrums to be comprehended.
- Analyzes how the witches include a feeling of equivocalness and vulnerability in macbeth's character and his temperamental perspective of which falls apart throughout the play.
- Analyzes how the witches are emblematic of the insidious that exists inside macbeth and eventually mankind, yet shakespeare delineates that it is one's mortal decision that decides if humankind complies with everybody'
- Analyzes how the barbaric depiction of the witches demonstrates that they are neither men nor women. the "weird sisters" are extraordinary, obscure and all-powerful creatures.
- Analyzes how the first witch-the-nurse injects the injured man with poison, and the second, when the hurly-burly's done.
- Analyzes how shakespeare conveyed in his text that the three witches were "weird", and the two men could barely recognize their gender.
860 wordsRead More - Analysis Of The Human Condition In Shakespeare's Macbethanalytical essayA convincing and tempting argument can be made that characters in Shakespeare’s MacBeth suffer from psychological ailments such as post-traumatic stress disorder or delusional schizophrenia. The appeal of such arguments is likely due to the resulting simplicity; when MacBeth, the main character, can be diagnosed with PTSD, his actions throughout the story can be explained and justified with the diagnosis, along with some convenient paradigm-shifting. However, when viewed through a psychoanalytic perspective of criticism, MacBeth, the main character of Shakespeare’s tragedy MacBeth, can be shown to be free of mental illness or affliction; MacBeth suffers only from critical facets of the human condition and conflicts between his id and superego.
In this essay, the author
- Argues that macbeth is mentally ill because he meets three witches in his war camp at forres, scotland, and receives a prophecy as an internal premonition after victory in battle.
- Analyzes how macbeth's "dagger speech" is an easy target for supporters of the mental illness theory. it is flawed in that it does not account for the guilt after the murder.
- Compares the human condition's effect on macbeth with any diagnosis of mental illness, and explains that macbeth suffers from critical facets of his id and superego.
- Analyzes how macbeth suffers from the convulsions of his contradicted superego, which allowed him to commit the murder.
1289 wordsRead More