Murder in Macbeth by William Shakespeare

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Recommended: Macbeth as a moral play

In Shakespeare's play, Macbeth murders his king, Duncan. He is strongly against committing the sin but power takes the better of him. The reader begins to pity Macbeth despite his flaws of greed and corruption. Shakespeare manipulates the audience to react with empathy towards Macbeth through the utilization of Macbeth's, dialogue, and passion.
Throughout the story, there is a feeling of hostility toward Macbeth in response to his harmful actions. However, scenes revealing Macbeth's more admirable side balance that negative feeling.

One particular instance where the reader has the potential to feel pity for Macbeth appears in the dialogue immediately before Macbeth decides whether or not to kill King Duncan. Macbeth is unsure of the morality of the murder. As it can be seen from
"I am his kinsman and his subject, strong both against the deed" (A1, S1, L 13-14). Macbeth states two things: “his kinsman” and “subject”. Firstly a kinsman is a blood relative, and in this context shows a very close bond between the Thane and the king. A kinsman is meant to love and protect the person not cause any harm. As a “subject” he has to host Duncan giving him a safe place to stay. This shows that Macbeth has a clean conscience as he says he is “against the deed” but is being pulled by his greediness for more power.

While Macbeth considers whether murdering Duncan is feasible, Lady Macbeth convinces Macbeth that he would murder Duncan if he were truly brave and masculine. Lady Macbeth goes on to remark that if he murders Duncan, Macbeth "would be so much more the man" (A1, S7, L50-51). 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...

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...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. At the end of the play, Macbeth tries to regain some dignity by dying with courage. Also as Macbeth had a clean conscience, he was very easily pulled to evil by his mentally overpowering wife. Macbeth was constantly driven by power to commit more harmful actions, as when he got more power, the greedier he became for it. Throughout the play the tragic hero is sympathised even though he committed wrong acts.

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