Can One Feel Pity for Shakespeare's Macbeth?

Macbeth is a man of loyalty for his King, and for his country, until distractions came along in his life. The two major distractions were the three witches and his wife, Lady Macbeth. The three witches told him about his potential position as King, and that made Macbeth want to seek it, even if he had to kill. Lady Macbeth manipulated her husband, Macbeth, to kill off King Duncan, and if he did not, he was not a man. Overall, Macbeth is a tragic hero in some eyes of the readers.

Similarly, in Macbeth, Macbeth was too late to discover that he was tricked by the witches, and is killed by Macduff. Their flaws also cause them to lose touch with reality: Othello believes that his wife – who was always faithful and loving towards him – is cheating on him, and Macbeth becomes suspicious of and killed anyone who he believed posed a threat to his throne. In both cases, the characters’ tragic flaw is what leads to their downfall and causes them to see things that are not necessarily there. Shakespeare’s Othello and Macbeth portray how easy it is to manipulate someone by playing on their weakness. Othello and Macbeth both started out as brave and honourable people who were admired by their acquaintances, but are slowly lead to their downfall thorough the wrong people knowing their weaknesses and playing on them.

But after three witches give him a prophecy, he starts to betray other characters and becomes an evil malicious man. Therefore, by betraying others he is being scurrilous to his sense of humanity and how others view him. Macbeth’s betrayal of Duncan is the first major form of betrayal portrayed in the play. In short, Duncan trusts Macbeth full-heartedly, and Macbeth stabs him in the back. He does this because he is too malcontent with how he is currently living and is allured by the thought of what Duncan has: power.

Prior to Act 3 everything has gone as planned for Macbeth, the turning point or reversal of fortune is Fleance’ escape since it is his first failure. Macbeth fears Banquo will have more sons (strengthen his bloodline), continue to raise suspicion and he will lose his kingship to Banquo’s bloodline as the witches foretold, therefore, he orders their murder. His ambitious nature and fear of losing power provoke the decision made to kill them. The audience is again reminded of the witch’s prophecy, Fleance does not die therefore the possibility of him acquiring the throne in the future is still a possibility. Despite his greatest efforts, Macbeth’s ambition does not trump destiny.

The presence of supernatural forces in William Shakespeare’s, “Macbeth,” provides for much of the play’s dramatic tension and the mounting suspense. Several supernatural apparitions throughout the play profoundly affect Macbeth and the evil forces eventually claim Macbeth and destroy his morals. Macbeth’s ambition was driven by the prophecies of the three witches and unlike Banquo, he was willing to do anything to assure that they actually transpire. Macbeth is horrified at the notion of killing Duncan, his King and kinsman, but he eventually succumbs to the evil forces and this leads to his downfall. Macbeth further compromises his honor by arranging the murder of his best friend, Banquo.

This, as with many things in the play, see-saws back and forth: his fair winnings and heightened position turn foul again by the end of the play. Possibly the most notable switch occurs between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. When Lady Macbeth learns of the witches' prophecy, she is absolute in her decision to kill the King. Macbeth, while he clearly likes the idea, and even shares her desire, falters on holding his promise to her until she threatens his manhood directly. After he kills the King and Banquo (separately) he is distraught with shame and guilt, while Lady Macbeth holds herself together and covers for his strange behavior.

This shows Lady Macbeth’s superiority over her husband. “would be” indirectly indicates that he is a wimp and a coward and that if he does not kill the kin... ... middle of paper ... ...To conclude it can be said that Shakespeare has crafted Macbeth into attracting sympathy. If all the sins that Macbeth committed were just told to a person then it leaves the reader no choice but to consider him evil and immoral; yet when the book is fully read the audience understands his mental anguish, a feeling of sympathy is aroused. Macbeth was a victim of his own power and ambition. He breaks down mentally losing power of himself, becoming very paranoid.

A tragic hero should at some point reach the top of Fortune’s Wheel, but land up at the bottom by the end of the tragedy due to the continual change of fate. Macbeth fits the description of being a tragic hero, displaying his strengths, his weaknesses, his tragic flaw, and how influential outside influences are on him. Lady Macbeth is delineated as the villain in Macbeth because of her evil, mischievous, formidable temperament. Lady Macbeth is in a position to simply manipulate her husband whereas Macbeth solely thinks he's doing the heroic factor to become king. Macbeth is a tragic hero who causes suffering by committing murder and distress, exemplifying the negative effects of a bloodthirsty desire for power.

The Kings ancestry was traced back to Banquo, a character from the play. At the beginning, Macbeth is spoken about by the three witches and we can tell that Macbeth must have had a reputation for being popular. He is called ‘brave Macbeth’; and is involved in bloody conflicts. Described as the hero, we learn that Macbeth himself killed Macdonwald in a battle that could have gone either way without the help of Macbeth’s talent on the battlefield. He is also portrayed as a heartfelt and caring man, when he himself decides that it is the wrong thing to do to murder the country’s own king – Duncan so that he can be king like the witches said.

Another instance of Macbeth's bravery is when Macbeth fights... ... middle of paper ... ...l him. Just because three witches tell Macbeth of his future, does not mean it is a true prophesy (Scott 281). All in all, Macbeth is a good man who is too easily persuaded by his wife to commit several awful deeds. Macbeth's ambition and disobedience gets him killed. It is true that Macbeth is given a prophesy to be King, and it is true that pressure is applied by his wife, but his ambition is what kills him in the end.