macbeth

The idea of a corrupt ruler and a need to overthrow him in order to restore democracy has, and always will be significant to any audience. Also, it portrays man’s weakness and inability to resist temptation and how he will even betray his closest friends when it comes to power or money. At the beginning of the play, before we have even met the character, Macbeth is portrayed as a noble and brave captain who is admired by his men and king alike. Macbeth is especially praised by King Duncan who, when hearing of his loyalty to him during the battle against Macdonwald’s army says, O valiant cousin! worthy gentleman!

He is not totally cold and solely ambitious as shown by his terror of the murder image, which thoroughly defies his loyalty. There is love in Macbeth as shown by his letter to Lady Macbeth in which he calls her his "dearest partner of greatness." Macbeth is already thinking about being king but he is undecided about whether it is better to succumb to the temptation presented by the witches or to wait for Fate to crown him. Banquo warns him that at times evil forces "tell us truths . .

William Shakespeare draws Macbeth as an ambitious usurper who nevertheless has certain virtues: courage, righteousness, and a devoted love for his wife. In doing so, Shakespeare shows he understands the dual nature of human beings. In the beginning of the play, Macbeth is portrayed as a courageous and noble warrior, who valiantly fought for his King, until he finally meets the witches. “For brave Macbeth—well he deserves that name”, (Act 1, Scene 2, Line 16). Dramatic irony is tied in as only the audience know that Macbeth will soon betray the king – displaying his duplicity.

“O valiant cousin, worthy gentleman”, (I, ii) When we first hear about Macbeth, we learn the descriptions of him are positive towards King Duncan. But, they are also gory. They tell of Macbeth being a fierce warrior and not being afraid to kill in war. “Till he unseamed him from the nave to th’ chops”, (I, ii). After Macbeth meets the witches, he fully supports the evil they tell of to get what he wants.

In the beginning of the play, Macbeth is called honorable and brave because his fearless fighting in the opening battle. Indeed, Macbeth seems to be a worthy man. Yet, when faced with the opportunity to seize more power for himself through the use of wicked tactics, a war is kindled within him. Although he is pulled strongly towards the evil inside by his personal ambition and by the influence of his wife, Lady Macbeth, Macbeth's conscience and human kindness does not let him give in easily. In the heat of the battle, Macbeth's ambition is victorious when he chooses to commit the murder of Duncan.

Macbeth was a true tragic hero. He had many noble qualities as well as several tragic flaws. He was a courageous, brave and good nobleman who was haunted by superstition, moral cowardice and an overwhelming ambition. (Boyce) Macbeth’s ambition to be king starts off as just a desire and progressively as the play goes on it becomes his tragic flaws. Lady Macbeth convinces her husband to murder king Duncan by putting his manhood and courage at stake.

In William Shakespeare's Macbeth, the prophecy of three witches drives the noble Thane's ambition beyond that of morality. His relationships with others, his dignity, and his sense of self-worth are all sacrificed for the title of King. The witches' prophecy inflates Macbeth's ambition and ego, causing him to take destiny into his own hands. Happiness, however, did not foresee his gain and eventually ruin was all that found him. At the beginning of the play Macbeth was a dedicated soldier for Scotland and its King, Duncan.

"What he hath lost, noble Macbeth hath won," Macbeth is a very ambitious man, and his main ambition is to become the King of Scotland. Macbeth's reaction to the witches' prediction is one of shock because it has touched upon his secret ambi... ... middle of paper ... ... affect Scotland, and the population turn against Macbeth. "Those he commands, move only command." This shows the Scottish people are no longer loyal to their king. At the end of the play, I don't feel any sympathy for Macbeth because even though he was put under immense pressure from his wife Lady Macbeth, he did not have to go through with the murders.

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.

But then Lady Macbeth pressured Macbeth into killing Duncan to become king by calling him a female and tearing his self confidence down. “When you durst do it, then you were a man;/ And to be more than what you were, you would be so much more the man” (1.7. 56-58). As she was saying this Macbeth lost bravery, but when he fought with Macduff he gains some of his bravery and strength back. Macbeth had a problem of hesitating, he was a very courageous man but his easily persuaded personality became a roadblock to his pursuits.