MacBeth Is Insecure, His Wife Reasures H Essay, Research Paper

MacBeth Is Insecure, His Wife Reasures Him

From the moment MacBeth gets his first taste of power, I believe he not becomes

addicted, but he also starts to be insecure. First, he ranks high in the king?s army as a

general. Almost immediately after he won the battle in which the play begins, he is told of

his new title- Thane of Cawdor. As the reader finds out later in the play, MacBeth

eventually takes the title of King.

MacBeth?s insecurity isn?t wholefully his fault. It seems that every time his

conscience starts to shine through, His wife, Lady MacBeth talks him back into doing evil.

She Strongly influenced him by urging and nearly ordering him to seize power for himself.

He both intentionally and unintentionally became Thane of Cawdor. On one hand

MacBeth was doing his job, but on the other, he strived to be the best and to gain power.

After that, the strive became an obsession. As he was speaking to the king he implies he?ll

be king:

“We will establish our estate upon Our eldest, Malcolm, whom we

name hereafter The Prince of Cumberland”

— Act 1, Scene 4, Lines 37 – 39

After MacBeth ?kills? the King, Duncan, he becomes king of Scotland. Not as

easily done as said. He starts to have delusions. He (and Lady MacBeth) decide that

McDuff must die in order for things to stay in MacBeth?s favor. The witches once again

greet him and say:

“MacBeth! MacBeth! MacBeth! Beware Macduff! Beware the Thane

of Fife. Dismiss me: enough.”

— Act 4, Scene 1, Lines 71 – 72

Not too long after this, MacBeth (and Lady MacBeth)plot to kill his enemies so as

he?ll have nothing to worry about. Soon after that, people start dying. Both MacBeth and

his wife knows who the real culprit is- them. MacBeth soon becomes haunted by

Banquo?s ghost while at a dinner banquet. One again the witches prophecy comes true.

This scares MacBeth. For in the witches fortune telling, they tell of Banquo?s children

gaining the throne, and his danger with McDuff. This marks the beginning of the end for

MacBeth; his wife dies and his enemies advance. His world starts to fall apart.

Out, out brief candle! Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player That

ruts and frets his hour upon the stage And then is heard no more. It is

tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury Signifying nothing.”

- Act 5, Scene 5, Lines 23 – 28

So, is MacBeth in secure and paranoid? Most likely. If not by his own hand, then

by the added pressure of his wife. His paranoia and insecurity become his fatal flaws, and

his eventual downfall. He resorts to killing everyone who mean anything to him, whether

directly or indirectly. Like most tragic heroes, his flaws become his downfall and in this

particular play- his death.