Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, is a tragic story about man’s faults. While fictional, Macbeth shows many true aspects of man, such as pride and corruption. Pride is shown in almost every act of Macbeth. It shows that even men whom are considered the best, most loyal men, can fall folly to the pride of life. Shakespeare uses Macbeth to show how pride is destructive, sin corrupts the mind, and that not all counsel should be taken.
In act one scene 7, Macbeth doubts if he should kill the king; however, his wife, Lady Macbeth, manipulates him into proceeding. It might be difficult for Macbeth, the renowned warrior, to hear his wife accusing him of cowardice. Therefore, under Lady Macbeth’s influence, as she questions his manhood, he commences the murder in order to prove to her that he is not a “coward.” This is important to note because his soliloquy shows his determination to proceed.
Ambition and violence are a recurring theme throughout the entirety of the play. Violence is shown throughout through various things. This likely because of the time period that Macbeth is set in where being a warrior made you honored by many people. In the story Macbeth is a warrior revered throughout Scotland. Even though he has a reputation like his Macbeth has a major flaw which ultimately leads to his downfall at the end of the play.
The Tragedy of Macbeth is a play by William Shakespeare set in Scotland about a murderous and vehement king who spirals on a path of destruction as he suffers from the consequences of determining his own fate. The predominant theme portrayed throughout the play is honor vs. loyalty. This is represented through the identification, actions, and quotes of numerous characters.
Macbeth's fear of lady Macbeth pushes him into making a decision that he normally wouldn’t make on his own without any influence of another in this case his wife. She criticizes him comparing him to a cat wouldn’t catch a fish because it feared wet feet. “Art thou afraid to be in thine own cat and valor as thou art in desire? Wouldst thou have that which two esteems’ the ornament of life and live a conary in thine own esteem, letting “I dare not” wait upon “I would”, Like the poor cat I” the” adage? (I.ii.39-45).
Lady Macbeth reprimands Macbeth’s manhood and his courage in order to persuade Macbeth into accompanying her with the task of King Duncan’s murder. Originally, Macbeth decides against the murder and betrayal of King Duncan, however when he orders Lady Macbeth to “proceed no farther in this business” (I.vii.33), she is utterly appalled. Moreover, Lady Macbeth challenges Macbeth’s courage and calls him a coward, who would give up “the ornament of his life” (I.vii.45) due to his gutless nature. Furthermore, Lady Macbeth emasculates Macbeth in her speech, when she says, “When you durst do it, then you were a man”.
Men want to be known for being strong and protective. During Act 3 Lady Macbeth questions her husband's manhood and calls him a coward, Lady MacBeth said “ ... Feed and regret him not,- are you a man?” (III.IV.72). Lady Macbeth says that to her husband because she wanted to push him to do dirty work that she planned out in her head.
Although they view each other as equals, "my dearest partner of greatness," it's Lady Macbeth who is established as the dominant partner in the dynamic, inverting typical 17th century gender and social roles. (Since husbands were supposed to rule their wives in the same way that kings ruled countries, Lady Macbeth's plan is just another version of treason: taking power that doesn't belong to her.) Upon reading the letter, she worries that Macbeth is too kind-natured to be able to take the crown and is determined to assist him through the, "valour of her (my) tongue." She emasculates Macbeth and challenges his bravery, which to him is the essence of a being a man, "coward." Compelling her husband by giving him an ultimatum, be a coward or kill the king.
Her ambition is not only for herself but also for Macbeth. Nevertheless, with all her fervor, she wants him to be as strong as her. “Make thick my blood./Stop up the access and passage to remorse,/That no compunctious visitings of nature/ Shake my fell purpose/Come to my woman’s breasts,/And take my milk for gall” (1.5.44-49). Lady Macbeth never wavers in her goal.
Can acts of betrayal affect people differently? Macbeth and The Kite Runner are great examples of the effect betrayal can have on different people. William Shakespeare's Macbeth tells the story of the noble Macbeth and how he betrays those closest to him to gain power and control over the country. However, the acts of betrayal he has committed come back to haunt him and drive him insane. In Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner, it tells the story of Amir and how he betrays his best friend just because he doesn't want to deal with the reality of the situation. His acts of betrayal also come back and haunt him but, instead of letting them get to him, he uses them as a reason to try and redeem himself. Both of these stories show how acts of betrayal
Lady Macbeth is the wife of Macbeth, and leading believer of Macbeth’s destiny. “Macbeth- each corporal agent to this terrible feat. Away and mock the time with the fairest show:” (1.7.81-82). This quote shows that no matter what
By constantly shaming her husband, Lady Macbeth holds a great amount of control on the way he sees himself. Macbeth’s actions are ultimately based on pleasing his wife. When Macbeth informs his wife on the witches prophecies, she does not believe that Macbeth is strong enough to do whatever it takes to be the new king of Scotland. In Act I, Scene 5 of Macbeth, Shakespeare writes, “Yet
In shakespeare 's Macbeth there are and twist and turns shake ups and things you couldn 't even imagine. In the play a man named Macbeth is driven crazy with power and starts to do thing out of the ordinary shakespeare says that even the ones closest to you will turn on you though Macbeth by making him turn on the people close to him
The thought of being a queen pushes her and make her act despicably. Lady Macbeth and Macbeth both agreed to kill King Duncan, however Macbeth was slightly hesitant about the plan of committing a regicide as he kept thinking of the consequence of this sin. Lady Macbeth is trying to encourage him to overcome his nerves in order for her plan to be accomplished. By doing that, she used a metaphor to belittle his confidence and insult his abilities, as she says: "But screw your courage to the sticking place and we'll not fail". She's comparing Macbeth's courage to a music instrument in which the peg should be tightened up until it sticks in its place.
She pushes him into killing King Duncan, “But screw your courage to the sticking-place, and we’ll not fail” (Shakespeare 1.7.60-61). This is a prime example of how humanism replaces religious values during the time of expansion in the Kingdom of England. Shakespeare wrote this play to demonstrate the shift in values and beliefs during this time period of which he was alive in