Macbeth Essay, Research Paper

William Shakespeare wrote the play, Macbeth.He was one of the greatest play writers in history and his plays are still remembered today. Macbeth was set in Scotland in the eleventh century and was based on a true fact.The main characters in this play are Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, Banquo and Macduff.King Duncan was the king of Scotland, and he was placed as a good and warm-hearted king.Macbeth was one of King Duncan s faithful and trustable lords.The position of Macbeth was very secure in the society, honoured and respected by all and loved above all others by his sovereign. The play is opened when Macbeth is fighting violently against a Norwegian king who had tried to invade Scotland.After refusing battle, him and Banquo meet three witches at the heath.The three witches had told Macbeth that he would encounter his three prophecies.The prophecies were about Macbeth s future and by making sure his prophecies come true, he took matters in his own hands.These actions made him become a big loss. When we see Macbeth for the first time, we see him as being a brave, courageous and very loyal soldier.This is because Macbeth fought against any sworn enemy of the king which in this case were the Norwegians.Macbeth and also the rest of the Scotland soldiers succeeded in beating the Norwegians in battle.This shows Macbeth s loyalty and kindness for his king because he had risked his own life in battle.All of Scotland and especially the king admired Macbeth.We know this from what the captain says: Macbeth s name suits him very well because it is a name, which suits as him being courageous. Cap was saying that everyone was powerless towards Macbeth because to everyone Macbeth was a winner.Cap was talking about the battle between the Norwegians.The battle did not last very long between the Norwegians because of the furious fighting of Macbeth, this showed how brave Macbeth was, and he had no slight fear in his eyes battling against the Norwegians.All the Scottish admired Macbeth because he was the thane of the king and the thane of Glames. After the battle with the Norwegians, Macbeth and Banquo were riding on their horses, mashing through the bad weather.Both of them wandered to the heath and this was when Macbeth had talked for the first time. He meant that he had not seen such a bad weather day like this because it was raining very heavy and there was a large amount of wind blowing.At this part Macbeth had thought something real bad was going to happen. Minutes later Macbeth and Banquo had met three witches.The witches had gave three prophecies to Macbeth, one after another:1) All hail Macbeth , hail to thee, thane of Glames .2) All hail Macbeth , hail to thee, thane of Cawdor .3) All hail Macbeth , thou shall be king here after .Macbeth was very surprised when the three witches had told him about his three prophecies.This was because Macbeth was the thane of Glames but did not know if he would succeed in becoming thane of Cawdor and king of Scotland.Listening to the three witches about the three prophecies, Macbeth got exited and wanted to know more: Here we learn that Macbeth is willing to know more because he tells the three witches to wait, so he could know more of becoming the thane of Cawdor and king of Scotland.This is the time when Macbeth begins to grow roots of evil in his warm-blooded head. Later Macbeth meets the two king s men, Ross and Anglis.Ross and Anglis tell Macbeth that the king has named you the thane of Cawdor.Macbeth had asked why he has been named as the new thane of Cawdor and the reply was that the other thane of Cawdor had betrayed the king. When we see Lady Macbeth for the first time, we see her receiving a letter.The letter was from Macbeth and it said that Macbeth had gone to the heath and had met three witches who predicted his future with three prophecies.Minutes later another letter arrived and it was from the king.It said that the king would love to come over for a night and stay over Macbeth s castle.Lady Macbeth was very insane and ambitious.We know this when she begins to think of a plot to murder the king so Macbeth could be united to become the next king of Scotland. When Macbeth arrived at his castle, Lady Macbeth had told Macbeth that the king was coming over for the night and the evil and twisted plan she had in mind, which was to murder the king.Macbeth had second thoughts about Lady Macbeth s plan because he had respected the king very deeply and the king also respected him.Macbeth s mind had started to fill with evil imaginations and thoughts.Things got real bad when Lady Macbeth pushed him too far over the edge by saying: Hear Lady Macbeth had convinced Macbeth in taking part in the murder of the king by implying that men are frightening of murdering another living soul.Lady Macbeth had also said: We find out that Lady Macbeth is very evil by implying she would do the rest, she would only need Macbeth alongside her in the killing of the king.When Lady Macbeth said this quote we instantly find out that she was the person who wanted King Duncan dead so that she could become king and Macbeth could be king of Scotland.She left the plan to herself so she could kill King Duncan all by herself. Besides she left out Macbeth because she made up the plan and this showed the evilness she had inside and Macbeth s evil was just revolving. Also she was the wife of Macbeth so she could have had little respect for the king. Macbeth could have at least told his wife not to proceed in killing the king but he went along with it.In Macbeth s character it showed that he was weak and was dominated by his wife.Also this had showed that Macbeth had fallen into the trap of evil because Macbeth had listened to Lady Macbeth who was evil behind him and Lady Macbeth also had commanded Macbeth, this showed that evil had taken control of Macbeth. When King Duncan arrived in castle Dunsinane, he gave a rich diamond to Lady Macbeth to shop respect and that he was welcomed in the castle. The diamond that King Duncan gave to Lady Macbeth showed that he respected Lady Macbeth very much and was honoured to come to their castle Dunsinane. Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, King Duncan and Macbeth s servants had a big feast because it was a pleasure for King Duncan to come over to their castle.Macbeth had gone out of the room where the feast was held. Lady Macbeth had also gone out the room. This happened because Macbeth had kept on thinking of the consequences would be if he murdered King Duncan and the evil deeds ruining him. When Lady Macbeth had left the room, she met Macbeth who said: Here Macbeth thought that if he killed King Duncan it would be regarded as a deadly sin. Macbeth s mind was filling with evil and this persuaded him to take part in the murder and the evil that Lady Macbeth inflated passed on to Macbeth. Lady Macbeth had went up to Macbeth and asked him why he left the room but Macbeth did not answer and then said to her that he did not want to take part in murdering the King.What happened next was that Lady Macbeth made Macbeth feel as if he was a coward because he did not want to take part in murdering King Duncan, she had said: Lady Macbeth used the words like coward, which made Macbeth feel as if he was scared in taking part in murdering the King. Using these words made Macbeth feel like a failure in his life so he decided to listen to Lady Macbeth and did what she had commanded. Also it was like as if Macbeth did what Lady Macbeth told him to do because to show her how much he was of a man. Still deep down in Macbeth s heart he did not want to murder the King but it was as if Lady Macbeth was I control of Macbeth and Macbeth was a weak man who had listened to everything Lady Macbeth commanded. I would say this because when Macbeth told Lady Macbeth that he still did not want to murder the King, Lady Macbeth said: Lady Macbeth used her sexuality and evil mind when she had said this. Lady Macbeth used her womanhood to embarrass Macbeth s manhood. Lady Macbeth also showed her anger when she said that she would have plucked the babies nipple and dashed its brain. Macbeth was tempted to join with Lady Macbeth because it was as if she was the evil behind him who supported him and tempted him to murder King Duncan when he did not have any choice. What we learnt here was that William Shakespeare used Lady Macbeth so that we could think that she was the evil behind Macbeth who had led him to all his murders but we also have to think about Macbeth because he had listened to Lady Macbeth.Maybe if Macbeth would have been strong and faced up to his wife and told her that he did not want to take part in murdering the King then maybe they would have been no murder. I would also say that Lady Macbeth corrupted Macbeth. Also I think that Lady Macbeth used her sexuality to embarrass Macbeth into murder King Duncan. This is because Lady Macbeth said: This again shows that Lady Macbeth used her womanhood to make Macbeth obey her. I also think that Lady Macbeth made Macbeth become evil when he did not want to be. When Macbeth again disagreed to kill the King, Lady Macbeth started to cry so this tempted Macbeth to murder King Duncan. I am not only saying that Lady Macbeth was only to blame for making Macbeth evil but also the witchcraft, which William Shakespeare created.This was because William Shakespeare used witchcraft in a time when it mattered most.In the olden days witchcraft was very important and most people believed that women were witches and could put an evil curse on people, women that were accused were killed.William Shakespeare used Lady Macbeth so we could see that she was like a witch and placed an evil curse on Macbeth, which was to murder.Lady Macbeth and Macbeth were being like puppets against the forces of pure evil. When the three witches had gave Macbeth the three prophecies it was like he wanted to know more and was very eager. Also Lady Macbeth received the letter from Macbeth and instantly she made up a plan of killing King Duncan. When King Duncan was murdered Macbeth s evil had begun and could not stop because he had murdered sleep.The plan was to two guards of the King s drunk to put them to sleep.When they had been asleep Lady Macbeth would have gone into the room and stabbed King Duncan to death with daggers. Lady Macbeth would have sprinkled the blood on the two guards and put the daggers aside them so when they would have got the blame of killing King Duncan. Time for the murder approached and Macbeth thought he could see a dagger pointing towards the door of the King s room. This was because Macbeth s mind was playing tricks on him and the dagger tempted Macbeth to kill King Duncan when he did not want to, Macbeth had said: Macbeth was talking about the dagger, which he could see was pointing to the door.When Macbeth saw the dagger it was as if he saw a hallucination but I think it was created by evil powers inside him so Macbeth could kill King Duncan. Here I think witchcraft was used because it was as if a witch had put a curse on him so he could be forced by the evil to kill King Duncan. I think that Lady Macbeth was used as a witch who was the curse of Macbeth because Lady Macbeth had forced Macbeth to take part in killing King Duncan. When Lady Macbeth went to murder King Duncan she was reminded of her father when she had seen King Duncan sleeping. This was because the old age of King Duncan reminded her of her father who also was old. What lady Macbeth did next was made Macbeth do the evil deed.Macbeth committed the killing of the King and he told Lady Macbeth: This shows that Macbeth s character changed to an evil person. Killing King Duncan for Macbeth showed that the evilness had taken over Macbeth s body and was possessed with evil all over.Lady Macbeth had told Macbeth to forget about the murder of King Duncan or it will haunt him, Macbeth then said to Lady Macbeth: What Lady Macbeth had told Macbeth was completely true. Macbeth could not sleep anymore now that he had murdered the King.King Duncan had done no harm to Macbeth that was why Macbeth was feeling very guilty. First Macbeth was brave, courageous and not at all scared and now we learn that he got scared by telling Lady Macbeth that:

Macbeth had admitted to Lady Macbeth that he was terrified and this shows the huge character change in Macbeth because first we learn he was not scared of anything not even his wife but now found himself terrified of killing King Duncan.Macbeth also said after murdering King Duncan to Lady Macbeth that: Macbeth felt like a coward in murdering the King in his sleep. Murdering King Duncan Macbeth had vowed he would sleep no more in peace.This maybe had influenced Macbeth in killing more until he was crowned the King of Scotland.Macbeth also quoted to Lady Macbeth that: Macbeth is trying to say he wanted to remain lost in his thoughts and face up to the crime he committed, which was killing King Duncan.Macbeth s hands were stained in blood and felt despair. The daggers were still in the hands of Macbeth until Lady Macbeth placed them on the two guards. Macbeth was losing his self-conscious and was paralysed with terror. Macbeth could hear knocking and was terrified if the blood would ever come of his hands.Lady Macbeth felt nothing of killing the King but Macbeth did because he had murdered the king. In the morning the porter answered the Southgate, it was Lennox and Macduff.Lennox told Macbeth that he heard strange noises at night.What Macbeth did next was he saw the two guards and beheaded them straight away.He did this so the guards could not have a chance to speak and covered it up by doing some gestures but Macduff could tell it was a lie so Lady Macbeth quickly fainted to make Macbeth stop gesturing.In this confusion of the murder the King s both sons escaped, one fled to England and the other to Ireland. Macbeth was crowned King of Scotland and his third prophecy was fulfilled.Banquo had promised he would come to the feast and thought about what the three witches said, which was he would also be King and his sons.Macbeth felt distraught thinking about what the witches said which was that Banquo would not be King but make someone else.Macbeth had made a plan of killing Banquo and his son Fleance by hiring to assassins.We know that Banquo respected Macbeth by saying: Banquo also respected Macbeth because he was his closest friend and at the very time he was a good king. The only thing that Banquo did not know about Macbeth that he was evil and planning to murder him, When Banquo had left an attendant had come and told Macbeth that Banquo had left, Macbeth told him: Macbeth was trying to say that Banquo would ruin everything for him.The three witches had also gave Banquo three prophecies, which were:The first witch said: Lesser than Macbeth, and greater .The second witch said: Not so happy, yet much happier .The third witch said: Thou shalt get Kings, though thou be none .Macbeth feared Banquo because Banquo is the only one who could get in his way now.The witches meant that Banquo would be much happier than Macbeth would because he will be in peace. The witches also meant that the son of Banquo, Fleance would be King but not Banquo himself. Macbeth also told his attendant that: Macbeth meant that Banquo is the only one who could stop him being King so Macbeth s only chance was getting rid of Banquo very quickly.Macbeth made a plan to kill Banquo and his son Fleance; this shows how evil Macbeth is and how he has changed. Macbeth was showing the evilness he has inside himself to protect his throne from Banquo and his son Fleance.Lady Macbeth was not behind Macbeth to kill Banquo and Fleance but it was the evil plan of Macbeth, this shows that his wife was not forcing Macbeth but it was his own little evil plan.Killing the King, Macbeth had felt sorrow and weak but now the evil had grew onto him and taken control. The two assassins Macbeth sent killed Banquo but Fleance escaped.Macbeth came to the banquet in a mood of dark despair. The evil deeds Macbeth committed were coming back to haunt him. When the assassins came back they told Macbeth that they have killed Banquo, Macbeth was delighted but when they told him that Fleance escaped, Macbeth got terrified and said: Macbeth meant that his fear had come back and remembered that the witches said someone close to Banquo would become King and that was Fleance. When Macbeth had entered in his banquet there was someone sitting in his seat.Macbeth said that he missed Banquo but that was a lie. Macbeth was horrified because the seat that Lennox reserved for him was the seat he saw the ghost of Banquo. Macbeth was so shocked he could not move and thought that Banquo s ghost had come back to haunt him.Banquo was covered in gashes of blood, Lady Macbeth stood and told everyone that Macbeth was only having a fit but he really was not because everyone was astonished to see Macbeth behave this way so Lady Macbeth covered it up.Lady Macbeth could not see the ghost of Banquo but Macbeth kept on repeating that I did not kill him no one knew what Macbeth was saying. Lady Macbeth could not calm down things and everybody left in embarrassment.Macbeth shouted out: The Lords were confused because they had done nothing wrong. Macbeth was scared and tried to blame the murder of Banquo on someone else because he felt guilty.Macbeth also said: We know Macbeth was frightened when he said this quote because he thought the image of Banquo was caused in his mind but I think it was caused by the curse of the witches. When the ghost went away Macbeth sat on his seat. Lady Macbeth had quickly covered what Macbeth did by saying he did not feel very well to Ross. We learn that now Macbeth s character is terrified and scared. It makes us think if the illusion was created by his mind or witchcraft.I think witchcraft was used because when he saw the dagger it made him kill King Duncan but when he saw the ghost of Banquo he found out what the consequences were, a whole lifetime being terrified.We also learn about Macbeth s character that it did not happen the way he wanted it to happen, treachery did not end with Banquo s death. After the banquet Macbeth told his wife that he would go to the three witches and find out more about what his future holds.We know Macbeth was unstable after he had seen the ghost of Banquo because he told his wife that: Macbeth that he had no choice but to go to the three witches and ask them only what his future holds because everything he thought of was evil.Macbeth thought that Banquo was haunting him, this was also the same with the dagger scene. Macbeth had invited Macduff to his banquet but Macduff did not attend because he was sure Macbeth killed King Duncan to become King.We learn that Macbeth is evil when he says to his wife: Macbeth meant here that he was not finished with the evil, which he inhaled inside him. Macbeth was still eager to kill again. Macbeth was so angry with Macduff that he sent spies to kill his wife and children.Macbeth went to the three witches and saw them gathered around a boiling cauldron.He ordered the three witches to tell him more of what he withholds in his future but the witches told him to drink the blood from the cauldron.When he drank the blood he got dizzy and he looked at the cauldron and saw visions, which said: Beware Macduff, beware the thane of fife . For none of women born shall harm Macbeth . Macbeth shall never vanquished be until great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane hill shall come against him .The visions meant that no one would harm Macbeth who was born of a woman.That is why Macbeth was not worried and he was not worried also about Macduff but the first vision did say bewaring of Macduff that is why he decided to kill him anyway.Macbeth wanted to know more and said: From this quote Macbeth was anxious to know more. He wanted to know what his destiny holds because he thought something bad was going to happen to him. When the cauldron vanished visions of eight Kings rose; Banquo was one of them pointing at the Kings.Then Lennox entered and told Macbeth that Macduff had fled to England and because of this Macbeth got furious.Macbeth said to Lennox: In this quote it proves that Macbeth had got evil and callous. Macbeth said that he would attack Macduff s castle and kill everyone in it because Macduff had fled to England and he was very eager to do killings of Macduff s wife and children and if he faced Macduff the witches said that would be Macbeth s last day.Macbeth also said: He meant that he was not going to deal with the witches again because their work had been accomplished, they had made him pure evil.Macbeth got worse day by day, he was not at peace but King Duncan was at rest at his grave. When Lady Macduff talked for the first time it was to Ross, she was in anger with Macduff leaving the castle. She said that Macduff did not love her anymore because he had left her with the children alone.When Lady Macduff got the news that there was danger on its way it was too late already the spies were in her castle and killed her, the children and everyone else who was in the castle at the time. Malcolm and Macduff were planning to kill Macbeth and his men by raising an army, to bring back peace to Scotland because Macbeth was a cruel ruler of Scotland.Macduff said to Malcolm and Macbeth that: Not in the legions of horrid hell can come a devil more damned in evils, to top Macbeth .In this quote we know how much Macduff hates Macbeth because he meant that Macbeth had the pure power of evil.Then Ross entered and told Macduff that Macbeth s spies had killed his wife and children, Macduff was so furious that he vowed to avenge their killings by Macbeth. Lady Macbeth had lost her spirit and could not rest at night, nightmares haunted her and she was sleepwalking.A few days later she died with being mentally ill because she kept imagining King Duncan s blood was on her hands, this shows not only the evil controlled Macbeth but also Lady Macbeth. Macduff, Lennox, Angus, Mentieth and Scottish Nobles joined together in an army and camped at Birnham Woods.Macbeth did not know that everyone was deserting him and when he found out he did not really care. Macbeth s character changed from becoming tender to pure evil. One morning, a watchman told Macbeth that he saw the Birnham Woods moving, which was three miles away.Macbeth told Seyton: Macbeth meant that he had been defeated by the evil inside of him and he would die bravely. Also Macbeth said he had lived long enough and his life was already a misery.This showed a character change in Macbeth because at first he had everything to live for but now he felt as if he had nothing and life was not worth living.Macbeth also said: Macbeth meant that he would not be scared until Birnham Wood comes to his castle.Macbeth also meant that he wanted to die brave as he started brave, as a soldier and he would not be afraid of death. Macbeth had run to the outer wall and saw that his men were deserting him because they were scared and knew Macbeth should not be King.Macduff s sworn army entered Macbeth s castle. Siward was the first to see Macbeth and got slain by him.Macduff was trying to find Macbeth until Siward took Macduff to Macbeth.When Macduff and Macbeth were face to face, Macbeth said: Macduff said that he was not born of a woman because his mother had to go through a caesarean, which was not a proper birth.Macbeth knew that the witches had deceived him again and fought with Macduff but lost with a painful end, with a sword through the heart and beheaded. Macbeth had been born with a nature that was sensitive to mercy and allowed him to be taken over by the forces of darkness.All of Scotland rejoiced happily at Macbeth s horrible death and Malcolm was crowned the new King of Scotland. William Shakespeare had used the evil of Lady Macbeth and witchcraft to transform Macbeth into evil.Lady Macbeth did not know that that the witches were using her power over Macbeth.William Shakespeare used Banquo as a loyal friend to Macbeth but Macbeth deceived him even though Banquo told him that the evil will deceive but Macbeth did not realise until the end.When Macbeth found out that that the witches had deceived him he got mad.William Shakespeare had used Banquo to help stop Macbeth following evil paths but Banquo did not exceed and Macbeth died a painful death.

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