What is identity? How are different parts of our identities connected to each other? How much control do humans really have over their identities? Shakespeare’s Macbeth describes identity as a person’s actions, status, knowledge, thoughts, feelings, motivations, fate, how he or she sees himself or herself, and how others see him or her. Set in 16th-century Scotland, the play tells the story of the nobleman Macbeth and his wife Lady Macbeth. Macbeth is first portrayed as a war hero who, upon returning home, receives his prophecy from the witches. He learns that he will be the king of Scotland, but the only way this is possible is if he murders the king who was ruling at the time, Duncan. After Macbeth and Lady Macbeth commit this murder, guilt …show more content…
For example, when Lady Macbeth is sleepwalking, her deepest regrets and fears can be seen. When she is trying to wash her hands of the blood of all of the people she had killed or helped kill, she says, “The Thane of Fife had a wife. Where is she now? What, / will these hands ne’er be clean”(V.i 37-38)? In this quote, her hands represent her conscience. Lady Macbeth is afraid that after having murdered or been an accomplice in the murder of so many people, her conscience will never be clean again. These new actions transformed her thoughts and feelings from carefree to guilty. Additionally, Lady Macbeth shows pity and regret when she talks about the Thane of Fife’s, or Macduff’s, wife, whom Macbeth had sent murderers to kill. When she says “where is she now”, it becomes clear that she wishes that Lady Macduff was still alive. Lady Macbeth feels sympathy for Macduff’s wife because they are both wives and therefore in the same position. Lady Macbeth might also be afraid that she will be killed next. Like Macbeth, she has her own destiny, which predetermines her identity for her, as she has no power over her actions and therefore her thoughts and feelings. She first sold herself to the witches, and then acted in the rush of the moment and convinced her husband to kill Duncan. Now we see a pathetic Lady Macbeth begging her own conscience for forgiveness. The fact that Macbeth is a play allows readers to see Lady Macbeth’s deepest thoughts and feelings, and a performance of the play can show the true pathos of the unfortunate woman. Additionally, when Macbeth receives the knowledge that he is to become the king, his soliloquy shows how unnerved he is: “My thought, whose murder is yet but fantastical, / Shakes so my single state of man” (I.iii
Family kills family for power; people abandon their country out of fear and hatred. Loyalty, In the play it is something that is mentioned but never shown. Starting with the original Thane betraying Scotland. Macbeth is full of disloyalty and betrayal towards those seen as family. Lady Macbeth's relationship with Macbeth, Banquo to Macbeth, and Macbeth to the country. STUFF
In the play, Macbeth by William Shakespeare has a strong theme of power. Macbeth is a king who is given three predictions from three witches, one of which is that he will become king. The one problem is he doesn’t know what he has to do in order to become king. His wife then decides that in order for him to become king, he must kill the current king. This one murder then leads to others in order to cover the original murder up. Once Macbeth becomes king, he doesn’t want anything to change, he wants to stay king until he dies. He then begins to kill again, but instead of killing to cover something, he is killing anyone who stands in his way of staying king. Macbeth’s fate is affected by the personality trait of bravery, his ability to be manipulated, and his determination.
“Besides, this Duncan Hath borne his faculties so meek, hath been / So clear in his great office, that his virtues /Will plead like angels, trumpet-tongued, against / The deep damnation of his taking-off; (1.7.16-20)” The powerful values of being a good king in Macbeth, all the king's learn to manage throughout the book. William Shakespeare's ideas towards kingship can be seen throughout the play Macbeth, and shows that a king should be chosen by a divine right. Throughout the play Macbeth the most important topic is kingship. Followed by knowing the difference of kingship and tyranny. Shakespeare closed it out with cruelty and masculinity along with staying true to principles.
Macbeth’s character gradually changes from an assured man to an uncertain one who was easily manipulated by his ambitions. When Macbeth receives his prophecy from the witches we can immediately identify his impulsiveness to want more , “Speak, I charge you!” (I.iii. 79). The quote portrays a confused Macbeth who wanted answers to what could have been his future. He was easily manipulated by the thought of power to ask more of the false prophecy. Throughout the play we can observe Macbeth constantly letting the witches prophecy linger in his mind. The witches weren’t the only one to manipulate Macbeth to their likings lady Macbeth was also guilty. Lady Macbeth’s simple words, “Are you a man?” (III.iv. 62) manipulated Macbeth’s thoughts to change
After the slaughter of his former comrade, Macbeth explains to his wife, “Strange things I have in head that will to hand/Which must be acted ere they may be scanned” (3.4.137-140). This assertion from Macbeth paves the path for his future misdeeds. Lady Macbeth is concerned by her husband’s announcement and responds with, “You lack the season of all natures, sleep” (3.4.141). Lady Macbeth believes that her husband has lost his sanity. She no longer supports Macbeth’s murderous plans, and resents his new impulsivity. Following this conversation, Macbeth continues to kill harmless people, such as Macduff’s wife and children. He implies that he will no longer think about his actions before completing them, which is a deranged approach to life. The change in Macbeth’s behavior reshapes Lady Macbeth’s personality. She realizes that “what’s done cannot be undone” (5.1.57). Lady Macbeth now recognizes the lasting impact of the murders on herself and her husband. Initially Lady Macbeth approves Duncan’s murder, as it leads to her queenship. Her sadism and zeal for power declines after Macbeth’s killing spree. Lady Macbeth’s newfound heart is the outcome of her husband’s wicked
A lot like Macbeth, the character Banquo was also a highly skilled soldier, and very much trusted by their king, even though Macbeth respects Banquo’s bravery he also fears his wisdom. While Macbeth is quick to action and has little to no time for thought Banquo chooses not to turn his thoughts into action, Banquo is however a lot more cautious as shown when he and Macbeth met the three witches. Banquo actually considers the reasons for what the witches are offering and later realizes they are telling him his future and thinks that the witches are attempting to make him greedy for power. Macbeth however reacts oppositely. Banquo actually considers the reasons for what the witches are offering and rather than thinking about the outcomes of his
Throughout the play of Macbeth,it is shown how different female characters manipulate their spouse,or other male characters. Some of the men in this play are met with the struggle to kill, or not to kill. To have your manhood or to not have it at all. How will Macbeth handle falling under the embarrassment of his Lady,and what will he do? In Macbeth, Shakespeare displays how women manipulate men.
When she learns Macbeth has been given a fortune of been given thane of cawdor then king and half the prophecy has become true, she knows if Macbeth is king she will be queen. She is willing to do anything to get it. On the night that Macbeth and lady macbeth have planned to kill Duncan. Macbeth is having second thoughts but Lady Macbeth is not letting him back down by saying he is a coward and she would do it if she was in his place by saying ”When you durst do it, then you are a man. And to be more than what you were you would be so much more than a man”. Macbeth is a hearty warrior and feels as though he has to prove to Lady Macbeth he is a man and he is not a coward. Therefore due to Lady Macbeths manipulation Macbeth murders Duncan. On Macbeths return Lady Macbeth is happy but Macbeth is Filled with regret Lady Macbeth tells Macbeth to forget what happened “ A little water clears us of this deed”. Which is Ironique as At the end of the play Lady Macbeth has been in the anxiety and it has finally eaten away at her and she has gone mad and keeps seeing blood on her hands. “Out damned spot out, I say !” which in turn leads to her own suicide and portrays Lady Macbeth as taking her fate into her own hands in an evil manner, However the guilt from doing the evil task highlighted Lady Macbeth was not as manly as she wanted to be and she still had feelings, showing the audience by her suicide as an act showing she was unable to withstand the guilt of being queen knowing the great evil she had to do to get
In Macbeth by William Shakespeare, Macbeth hears a prophecy which makes him believe murdering the king is the only way to fulfil said prophecy, shortly after another prophecy causes him to think he is invincible, this inevitably leads to many bad choices that lead to his death. Shakespeare uses symbols such as a dagger, blood, and hallucinations to show that guilt can haunt a person forever when one abandons their morals.(TH) Shakespeare first shows this with the use of a dagger. Before actually going through with the murder of King Duncan, Macbeth sees, “...A dagger of the mind, a false creation...” (Shakespeare 2.1.38), because he already feels guilty for abandoning his morals and plotting to murder Duncan, who he used to be loyal to.(TS) Although Macbeth has killed many people in battle, this would be the first time he murders someone that is innocent, which is why he feels such overwhelming guilt.
Lady Macbeth starts off in the play as a heartless creature, not completely aware of her deeds and actions. She gets carried away and commits an awful crime, one that comes back with revenge. They are errors, ones she ends up deeply regretting. As the story progresses, we soon learn that she is not capable of controlling her emotions. Lady Macbeth is a lady whose excess of ambition leads her to something she wasn’t strong enough to deal with: remorse.
My dearest love Banquo, Although I am honored to have been able to go to our King’s feast when you did not show up, the dinner did not go as expected. The night started out lovely- the King greeted us with kindness and we all sat down to appetizers of pottage and bread. It was when I was wondering off the find the bathroom that King Macbeth got up to answer the door. I of course, thought nothing of it, just assuming the person at the door was another guest.
Macbeth's wife, Lady Macbeth, is one of the most frightening and powerful female character in the play. Both of them are trying to seek the throne and become king and queen.
Lady Macbeth was “choked with ambition”. Her infatuation to be queen is the single feature that Shakespeare developed far beyond that of her counterpart in the historical story he used as his source. Lady Macbeth persistently taunts her husband for his lack of courage, even though we know of his bloody deeds on the battlefield. At this point in time, with all her will converging towards seizing the throne, she has shown no signs of remorse or hesitance in her actions and hence preventing the events in the narrative from digressing away from imperative themes and climaxes of the play.
“The play is about identity, not good and evil. Macbeth is a character developed far more than any other, and his destruction is truly tragic.” Can you describe the play in these terms?
In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the theme of guilt and conscience is one of many explored throughout the play. Macbeth, is a well respected Scottish noble who in the beginning of the play is a man everyone looks up to; however as the play progresses he makes a number of bad decisions. Eventually, as a result of his actions he suffers guilt and this plays heavily upon his character until his personality is completely destroyed. Shakespeare uses a range of techniques in order to develop this theme such as, characters, imagery.