Betrayal can be caused by trivial matters or simply because of someone feeling inferior to someone else. In betraying someone, a person may abandon his or her values which they thought could never falter. A play that involves acts of betrayal is Shakespeare’s Macbeth. The role of betrayal in the story becomes a repeated event, but portrays itself in multiple ways. Through his use of soliloquies, Shakespeare portrays that through influence, one can betray values, others, and themselves.
Macbeth’s soliloquy in Act One Scene Seven marks a pivotal part in Act 1 because he struggles to uphold his values and develops awareness that the only reasoning to kill Duncan sprouts from his simple aspiration to do so. In the first segment of the soliloquy, Macbeth reflects on gaining the throne by killing Duncan, but also establishes his relationship with Duncan as “his kinsman and his subject”(I.vii.13). This acknowledgment leads Macbeth to the conclusion that by attempting to steal the throne from Duncan can result in “even-handed justice” (I.vii.10); in other words, someone could backlash and attempt to plot the same scheme against him. Betrayal could not be escaped no matter how Macbeth perceived the situation. He notices his “spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition” (I.vii.25-28). Duncan had been “so clear in his great office” (I.vii.18) and upheld virtues that a king would be expected to acquire. The soliloquy terminates with a mood of uncertainty because he still did not reach a conclusion of whether or not to murder Duncan. Macbeth recognizes the results of betraying Duncan, and knows that his reason to kill Duncan does not justify doing so, and would be caused solely by a personal craving to betray.
Lady Ma...
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...for him transformed to something virtually worthless because of what his acts of betrayal led him to become. Macbeth originally thought that his virtues and values could never crumble despite the influence of someone else. Macbeth abandons his values, and pursues a journey of deceiving and betraying acts. Macbeth embraces a transformation of character that leads him to a state of depression by the end of the play. The irony of Macbeth presents itself through the motif of betrayal. Macbeth thought through acts of betrayal he would find greater significance, but ultimately directed him down a path that only involved the betrayal of himself.
Works Cited
http://nfs.sparknotes.com/macbeth/page_202.html
http://shakespeare-online.com/plays/macbeth/soliloquies/ifitweredoneanalysis.html
http://shakespeare-online.com/plays/macbeth/soliloquies/diedhereafteranalysis.html
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symbol is used in Act I, Scene III when Macbeth mentions Ross in line 108: “The
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Ambition is an underlying theme throughout Macbeth, it is the tragic flaw in human kind, bound to lead to disaster. In Act 1 scene 7 this is one of the most interesting scenes of the play. This is the last time as we see Macbeth a freeman, he can still make the decision whether he wants to be good or evil. The choices that are preventing Macbeth are committing the murder, fear of the consequences on this earth, variety of feelings of kinship, loyalty, and hospitality he admires Duncan’s goodness as he is not the most moral character but hes power is what urges him on that are motives of good A soliloquy, which is found in Act 1, scene 7, in the lines 1-28, Macbeth debates whether he should kill Duncan. The imagery that is in this speech can be dark and moody for most people. Some examples we hear of imagery are “bloody instructions,” “deep damnation,” and a “poisoned chalice”—and suggests that Macbeth is aware of how the murder would open the door to a dark and sinful world. When the soliloquy ends, Macbeth goes to resolve to not kill Duncan but this only...
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