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Contradictions In Macbeth

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Two men search to find what they want, but end in failure. In The Tragedy of Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, Macbeth, an excellent general, earns many titles throughout the play such as the “Thane of Glamis”, the “Thane of Cawdor”, and eventually, the King of Scotland. Macbeth is a general under King Duncan when the play opens as Macbeth successfully completes a mission under the King, which, in turn, earns him the “Thane of Cawdor.” After celebration over this, three witches visit Macbeth. These superstitious beings hint to Macbeth that he is the true King of Scotland, and the throne is his. The witches use factual recollections and predictions to convince Macbeth. Over the course of the play, Macbeth becomes obsessive about how to gain the …show more content…

This results in a celebration, as the king applauds Macbeth. However, Macbeth and his fellow fighter and good friend, Banquo, find themselves caught in the path of the witches. At first, the duo lacks trust in the sorceresses, but they woo Macbeth with their clairvoyance in recognition of his titles. The witches acknowledge Macbeth’s accomplishments and proceed to inform him of a future kingship. Thoroughly intrigued, Macbeth asks the witches to “stay, tell me more” of his future kingship (Shakespeare The Tragedy of Macbeth 1.3.70). Macbeth’s eager questions towards the witches open the reader to the onset of Macbeth’s flaw. Not to mention, Macbeth first completely doubts the witches, their capabilities, and the supernatural presence they represent. Regardless, at the first mention of Macbeth in an additional position of power, he stops and asks the witches to stay and further their conversation. This immediately causes one to question the motives behind Macbeth’s mold of the loyal warrior. Similarly, Othello allows Iago to impact his choices and trusts him over all. Automatically, this compares Macbeth to Othello. Therefore, Macbeth’s lust for power causes him to trust the witches and allows them to influence his future decisions. Moreover, Macbeth decides to murder the king and aim for his position at the discretion and influence of both Lady Macbeth and the witches. Immediately after Macbeth kills Duncan, he reports to Lady Macbeth, “I have done the deed” (Mac. 2.2.14). The notion that Macbeth chooses to inform Lady Macbeth of his successful murder show his need for her approval. Because Lady Macbeth convinces Macbeth to become King, after the murder, he now turns to her in need of guidance. Macbeth relies on Lady Macbeth to push him to perform the actions that cross his mind, yet he never intends to exploit. She

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