ipl-logo

Redemption In Macbeth

993 Words4 Pages

Redemption is a strong word that is not given often but given out of empathy. In the dictionary, it is defined as “deliverance from sin; salvation.” (Dictionary.com, “Redemption”) Redemption is the common phrase of “giving a second chance” or “forgiveness”. The true question still lies, is Macbeth redeemable or irredeemable?
Opening of the play
Macbeth by William Shakespeare opens at the beginning of the witches conspiring about their future plans, where they shall meet again on the battlefield. Macbeth and Banquo are returning to the King’s castle in Forres to celebrate the victory they just faced. The three witches give three prophecies, Macbeth: Thane of Glamis, Thane of Cawdor and King and Banquo: father of kings. As they arrived at the castle of Duncan, Macbeth is bestowed with the township of Cawdor. Stunned, he writes of the prophecies to his wife, Lady Macbeth. Being overly ambitious, she prepares plans for them …show more content…

Both Lady Macbeth and Macbeth are both driven by ambition that becomes fatal. Shakespeare is telling us that if our ambition goes unchecked, it will lead to our demise. (Schlachter, David. Macbeth—Response.), one critic stated. Ambition led to the killing of Duncan and Lady Macbeth’s death.
Tragic Hero characteristics
As read in Mrs. Horne’s notes (Horne, “Shakespeare’s tragic hero”), a Shakespearean tragic hero is a “man of noble stature, a man with potential greatness and tragically-flawed,” in Macbeth’s case his flaw was his lust for power, an example was his intention of killing the God-like King Duncan for power and to gain the throne.
It was not compulsion to kill Duncan.
He wasn’t hypnotize or forced to kill King Duncan, many might believe, the three witches merely gave him the idea of being King with their predictions. They cannot force man to succeed by executing their own plans, it was merely man’s choice to act upon the knowledge of the prophecies.
A

Show More
Related

  • John Proctor Tragic Hero Essay

    846 Words  | 4 Pages

    A tragic hero is said to be someone with a fatal flaw that leads to their downfall. To be considered a tragic hero you have to meet four characteristics. The first characteristic is goodness; the character must show that they are a moral or ethical person. The second characteristic is that the character must have some form of superiority.

    Read More

  • Macbeth Quotes Analysis

    682 Words  | 3 Pages

    Macbeth come across the three witches, there they state, “All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor” (Act 1, Scene 3). In reply to the three witches, Macbeth demanded “stay you imperfect speakers! Tell me more”. With just these few statements announced, Macbeth’s thirst for power and glory arises and is clearly seen.

    Read More

  • Analyse The Theme Of Justice And Injustice In Macbeth

    953 Words  | 4 Pages

    In the tragedy of Macbeth, there is much deception, murder, and sadness. It is very interesting how the story plays out with the many crimes Macbeth and his wife commit. They do get what they deserve, but not by the hand of a judge or a courtroom, and certainly not at the pace that they should have received their punishment. In Act I, Macbeth and Banquo had just returned from their battles against the invading armies of Ireland and Norway.

    Read More

  • Essay Who Is Responsible For Macbeth's Downfall

    953 Words  | 4 Pages

    Often times, people go through rises and downfalls in their lives that they themselves are responsible for. In Shakespeare’s play Macbeth, both main characters, Lady Macbeth and Macbeth, himself, are responsible for the downfall of Macbeth. Lady Macbeth is responsible for the tragedy because she convinces and manipulates Macbeth into doing the deed. However, Shakespeare accomplishes in showing that Macbeth is more responsible for his own downfall than Lady Macbeth because he listens to the witches and follows his ambition rather than his conscience. To begin, Lady Macbeth is responsible for the tragedy because she convinces and manipulates Macbeth into doing the deed by insulting him when he changes his mind.

    Read More

  • The Loss Of Morality In Shakespeare's Macbeth

    426 Words  | 2 Pages

    Macbeth’s ambitions influence him to attain his desire for power. This ambition drives him to become reckless for the sake of reaching his goals. This recklessness leads to the murder of Duncan- the first in a line of murders Macbeth commits to reach his power. These murders represent Macbeth’s gradual loss of morality.

    Read More

  • Internal And External Forces In Macbeth

    1241 Words  | 5 Pages

    Macbeth’s ambition is what is causing him to intervene with his prophecy and pursue his goal (rather than leave it to chance). In a way, it is Macbeth’s own “black and deep desires” that make him kill in the first place as the witches never tell him to do so. Furthermore, apart from ambition, it is Macbeth’s own weak will and moral system that causes him to do the actions that result in his downfall. Macbeth’s weak will is undeniable and is illustrated before killing Duncan. “I have of spur/To prick the sides of my intent, but only/Vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself/And falls on the other” (I, VII, 25-28).

    Read More

  • Macbeth Tragic Hero Quotes

    563 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the play Macbeth, written by William Shakespeare, many of the main characters can be classified as tragic heroes. A tragic hero can be labeled as a character with a fatal flaw which eventually leads to their downfall. However, I believe that the main character, Macbeth, is overall the biggest tragic hero within the play. Macbeth's selfish ambition, low self-esteem, and general obsession with more power all contributed to his grand title of being a tragic hero.

    Read More

  • Macbeth's Decisions Essay

    595 Words  | 3 Pages

    Throughout life, most people have the chance to make their own decisions. With these decisions, there will either be good or bad outcomes. In the case of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, these decisions lead to a very grave consequence; a tragedy. The main character in the play, aptly named Macbeth, makes some choices that do not match with the morals of mankind.

    Read More

  • The Role Of Fate In Macbeth

    781 Words  | 4 Pages

    Macbeth fate started of when he met the witches at the battle field after winning the battle against Macdonwald. The three witches predicted that he will become the Thane of Cawdor. Macbeth believes their prediction “ If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me Wthout my stir”

    Read More

  • Fleance And Banquo's Ambition In Macbeth

    580 Words  | 3 Pages

    In play Macbeth, Shakespeare reveals that an individual’s great desire for power will lead him/her to perform consequential deeds that will scar his/her conscience and change the outcome of his/her life eternally. Macbeth is informed by three witches that he is going to become king and this initiates Macbeth’s thought of becoming powerful. Macbeth doesn’t act on his thoughts until he tells his wife, Lady Macbeth, that he could become king. Lady Macbeth is extremely power hungry and does all she can to convince Macbeth to be just as desirable as her. Together, they come up with a plan to murder King Duncan, so that Macbeth can become king like the witches foretold.

    Read More

  • Macbeth's Strengths And Weaknesses

    824 Words  | 4 Pages

    ‘Macbeth’s ambition is his only weakness’. Do you agree? Macbeth’s greatest weakness is his ambition, but it is also his greatest strength. Despite his ambition being one of his major weaknesses, it is not his sole weakness he exhibits that contributes to his inevitable death.

    Read More

  • Lady Macbeth's Downfall

    1367 Words  | 6 Pages

    Lady Macbeth and Macbeth never obtained anything from all of the dastardly deeds Shakespeare is showing to his audience that nothing is obtained by doing unrightful deeds. Guilt and shame never gives an individual peace it will always lead to the individual 's

    Read More

  • Crime And Punishment In Macbeth

    433 Words  | 2 Pages

    At the end, overcome by guilt and despair Lady Macbeth commits suicide. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth both are driven by their ambitions; ambitions that lead them to their downfall. They get what they want by any means necessary.

    Read More

  • Macbeth: An Aristotelian Tragic Hero

    703 Words  | 3 Pages

    An Aristotelian tragic hero is a character born of noble birth and, by destiny, has a tragic flaw that inevitably leads to his or her downfall and redeems his or herself by the end of the tragedy. For one to consider a play a tragedy, the character of the play must be noble, and the play typically starts off with happiness and wealth. The play ends with sadness and the hero has a tragic flaw that causes their downfall. In The Tragedy of Macbeth by William Shakespeare, Macbeth fits the definition of an Aristotelian tragic hero. Macbeth is a tragic hero because he starts by being loyal and trustworthy, develops a tragic flaw that leads to his downfall, and he redeems a small measure of himself before he dies.

    Read More

  • Shakespeare's Treatment Of Women In Macbeth

    222 Words  | 1 Pages

    Another thing that the witches had told him is that Banquo's child would be in line to become king. The witches then told him that he would be the King. In the play Macbeth had become the King of Cawdor. With this happening he began to think that him becoming King would then become true. But he had to do something about it because of the King still being alive.

    Read More

More about Redemption In Macbeth

Open Document