Macbeth

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 Macbeth

Macbeth is a play written by William Shakespeare regarding one man’s dreadful change

from a devoted nobleman to an evil killer. Shakespeare entirely employs this changeover from

good to evil throughout the play, mainly through the first act. He details the events that led up to

Macbeth’s decline and how he got to that end.

Macbeth is conspired and wishes to discern how the witches could discern this insight

when a Thane of Cawdor already lives. “Stay, you imperfect speakers, tell me more: By Sine’s

death I know I am than of Glamis; But how of Cawdor? The thane of Cawdor lives” (Act 1

Scene 3). The witches also proclaim that Macbeth will be king one day. Surprised and conspired,

Macbeth journalists the witches for more info. Banquo is then given his prophecies from the

witches, in which he is told that he is lesser than Macbeth but Greater and that one day that his

children will be king. This visit from the witches leaves both Macbeth and Banquo in disbelief

but curiosity as well, and they both begin to speak of the prophecies they were told. The reader

could say that Macbeth had the first realization that could potentially start to turn him a bit evil.

The reasoning is that he was told he was going to be great and therefore got a bit greedy.

The coming of Ross and Angus disrupted the conversation between Macbeth and

Banquo. They then informed Macbeth that the King had crowned him Thane of Cawdor because

the previous Thane would be sentenced for treason. After Macbeth is informed that he is the new

Thane of Cawdor, it could be argued that the reader begins to see Macbeth turn from loyal Thane

to a murderer even more. Macbeth reflects on the likelihood that he may one day be king. This

prophecy will fall to him, or he will require consigning a terrible act of treason to turn into the

king. His opinion and reasoning further show the reader his transition because he is now thinking

of committing a horrific act.

 King Duncan proclaims his plans of making Malcolm the heir to his throne. After this,

Macbeth notes how this is now the only person standing between him and the throne. “The

prince of Cumberland! That is a step on which I must fall down, or else o'erleap, for in my way it

lies. Stars hide your fires; Let not light see my black and deep desires” (Act 1, scene 4). At the

end of scene 4, the reader sees that Macbeth has begun to consider that he may need to murder to

fulfill his prophecy and become king, or he must fall and give up trying.

Moreover, the reader is introduced to Lady Macbeth in Scene 5, who has the most

significant influence on Macbeth. The scene starts with Lady Macbeth impression of a note she

gotten from Macbeth in which he tells her of his new endorsement to Thane of Cawdor and

discusses his meeting with the witches and the prophecies. Although Lady Macbeth understands

that Macbeth is determined, she thinks he is too pure and kind to never follow throughout with

the killing. “Glamis thou art, and Cawdor, and shalt be what thou art promised: yet I do fear thy

nature; it is too full o’ milk of human kindness” (Act 1, scene 5). Lady Macbeth chooses to put

the stereotypical feminine actions aside to do whatever she needs to take over the crown. Lady

Macbeth and Macbeth speak of his prophecies and his new promotion of Thane of Cawdor. She

tells Macbeth that King Duncan will not see tomorrow because they will murder him, so

Macbeth will fulfill his third prophecy and become King.

Although Macbeth has become so intrigued with the witch’s prophecies, during scene 7,

he is contemplating why he should kill King Duncan. Macbeth considers the effects of

murdering King Duncan and realizes that to become king, he wouldn't only need to murder him,

but he would need to murder his son Malcolm because he is the heir to the throne. Macbeth

realizes that by killing the king, he would need to kill many people just to become King, and he

wonders if it is worth it or not. “If it were done when ‘tis done, then ‘twere well it was done
quickly; if the assassination could trammel up the consequences, and catch, with his surcease,

success but this blow might be the be-all end-all here” (Act 1, scene 7). After, Macbeth also

starts listing out all these reasons why he shouldn't kill Duncan. Macbeth is Duncan’s relative,

servant, and congregation. Macbeth knows that these conditions give him nonentity that he can

utilize to inspire himself to kill him. Macbeth is faced with the reality that there is no rationale to

murder the king other than his desire. “I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only

vaulting ambition, which o’erleaps itself and falls on the other.” (Act 1 scene 7).

In the final lines of scene 7, Macbeth has committed a mortal sin against his King. The

three conditions that must be met are a grave matter, full knowledge in which Macbeth knows

how heinous this act of murder on his king would be only to satisfy his ambitions. The last

condition is the full consent that we see at the end act 1, where he chooses that he is murdering

Duncan. “I am settled, and bend up; away, and mock the time with fairest show: False face must

hide what the false heart doth know” (Act 1 Scene 7).

Lady Macbeth is no longer herself near the end as she breaks down and enlarges an

illness. She states: “Out, damned spot! Out, I say! One; two. Why, then, ‘tis time to do ‘t. Hell is

murky! - Fie, my lord, fie! A soldier, and afeard? What need we fear who knows it, when none

can call our power to account? – Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much

blood in him.”(5.1, 31-36). Since Lady Macbeth had become ill, she eventually revealed the plot

and murder of Duncan and how he looked once they killed him. Lady Macbeth unconsciously

states: “Here’s the smell of the blood still. All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little

hand. Oh, Oh, oh,” (5.1, 45-46). Shakespeare's use of hyperbole helps explain Lady Macbeth’s

guilt and shame for plotting the murder of King Duncan and his servants.
 References

A.C. Bradley, Shakespeare’s Tragedies

Shakespeare, William. Macbeth. Dover Publications, 1993.