MACBETH By: William Shakespeare
Macbeth Macbeth is one of Shakespeare´s Shakespeare´s most famous and critically critically acclaimed acclaimed plays. This This is Shakesp Shakespeare eare shortest shortest,, but most most blood blood filled filled and certai certainly nly one of his most powerful and emotional emotional plays, providing an internal internal view of the personal personal struggles that are brought about by ambition and guilt. A play with themes and issues that are present in all human society. The language may not be clear at times, but the points being conveyed could not be clearer. All the action and happenings happenings are a result of the choices that Macbeth makes. Macb Macbet eth, h, howe however ver,, does does not alwa always ys act act upon upon his his own own free free,, indep independ enden entt thoughts. In fact, the reason that he becomes a fearless tyrant is not because he had it planned out in his own head, it is because of what the witches told him. The witches are the main driving force of the play. The play does not begin with Macbeth fighting. It does not even start by introducing Duncan, the king of Scotland. Macbeth begins with three witches who talk about meeting with Macbeth. They say, “When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning, or in rain? When the hurly-burly’s done. When the battle's lost and won. That will be ere the set of sun. Where the place? Upon the heath. There to meet with Macbeth.” (Act 1, Scene 1, Lines 1-8). These statements are made by witches and the effect is helped by the fact that the Elizabe Elizabetha thans ns were were incred incredibl ibly y supers superstit titiou ious. s. They They mentio mention n meetin meeting g up with with Macb Macbet eth, h, but Macb Macbet eth h does does not actu actual ally ly ente enter. r. The The fact fact that that the the witc witche hes s introduce Macbeth and start the play is an example of the witches’ strong presence and force in Macbeth. In Macbeth, Macbeth kills Duncan. Without reading this, one could decide that Macbeth has his own, personal motive. Actually, the witches tell Macbeth, “All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, thane of Glamis! All hail, Macbeth, hail to thee, thane of Cawdor! All hail, Macbeth, thou shalt be king hereafter!” (Act 1, Scene 3, Lines, 50-53) This prophecy of future nobility made by the witches disturbs Macbeth and makes him think. When Macbeth tells Lady Macbeth in a letter about his encounter with them, Lady Macbeth decides that the king, Duncan, must be killed and Macbeth must do it. “The raven himself is hoarse, that croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan under my battlements. Come, you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, and fill me from the crown to the
toe top-full of direst cruelty!” (Act 1, Scene 5, lines 45-50) This passage illustrates that Duncan must be killed and Macbeth must do it because of what the witches said. In essence, Duncan is killed by the word of the witches. Once again, the witches are portrayed as main characters with a lot of power. Later in the play, Macbeth, Macbeth depends upon the advice that the Witches give him. He goes to visit them and they tell him to beware of certain signs like, Macduff, a man-not-woman born, and the Birnam wood coming near to Dunsinane. During a type of siege, Macbeth emboldens his soldiers by telling them, “To doubt the equivocation of the fiend, that lies like truth. Fear not, till Birnam wood do come to Dunsinane:' and now a wood comes toward Dunsinane. Arm, arm, and out!” (Act 5, Scene 5, Lines 49-52) This is an example of how Macbeth stores his hope and faith in what the witches tell him. Another example is this, “Thou losest labour: As easy mayst thou the in trenchant air with thy keen sword impress as make me bleed: Let fall thy blade on vulnerable crests; I bear a charmed life, which must not yield, to one of woman born.” (Act 5, Scene 8, Lines 11-16) This line, said by Macbeth, shows that he, in the face of death, is fearless because of the knowledge the witches gave him. For the third time, the witches make their presence as driving forces clear. In Macbeth, Macbeth is focused on by the knowledge of the future that the witches gave him. He cannot think clearly because he knows of his underlying destiny. In short, the witches control him not through witchcraft, but through granting him extra knowledge and wisdom. This power that they have makes them the main driving force of the play. Is evident that while Macbeth is capable of committing atrocious and bloody acts, an abundance of complex forces both internal and external have heavily influenced his decisions and actions. Macbeth´s own overpowering ambitions, the manipulative and deceitful witches, as well as the forceful Lady Macbeth have all played critical roles in influencing the actions and decisions Macbeth has done and made. Macbeth is a noble person at heart, who, without these few negative influences, would not have acted as he did. Therefore, Macbeth should be deserving of our sympathy, to some extent. There is no question that some themes and issues in Macbeth are present and relevant in today´s society and all societies, from twenty years ago to two thousand years ago .Themes like ambition and guilt are ever present in humanity.
