Macbeth
By William Shakespeare
Critical Essay
TASK: To what extent is Macbeth a tyrant or a tragic
hero – discuss
To get a good mark in this essay you should:
 Show that you have a good knowledge of what happens in
the play
 Ensure your essay is relevant to the task, in this case,
explaining your different feelings towards Macbeth at
key moments in the play
 Include at least one quotation in each paragraph with
detailed analysis of it
 Take care over expression, spelling, sentencing and
punctuation
 Write as much as you can ( up to about 1,000 words)
 Show that you appreciate the play!
Words and expressions you may find useful to describe
feelings: admiration for ... ambivalence towards … sympathy
for … revulsion towards … disgust towards … horrified by …
moved by … disturbed by … etc.
Useful words and expressions for explaining techniques used
by writers: demonstrates, explains, suggests, depicts,
portrays, illustrates, highlights, reflects, has connotations
of, emphasises, stresses, contrasts with, reminds us of,
looks back to, looks forward to, is reinforced by, is
amplified by …etc.
You can structure your essay in any way you wish but you
may find the following plan helpful. Try to use your own
words where you can. You should also make good use of your
notes and the unit.
Introduction.
 Start with a striking opening sentence e.g. ‘Macbeth’ by
William Shakespeare is a dark tale of powerlust and
paranoia set in Scotland in the Middle Ages.
 Give a brief summary of the plot (one or two sentences
only)
 Make sure you mention the theme and setting somewhere
in your introduction. What is the theme?
 Finish your introduction by giving your reader a flavour of
the task, e.g. Over the course of the play, Macbeth
rouses mixed feelings in the audience.
Paragraph 1 – Macbeth’s reputation at the start
 Start with a topic sentence that makes clear what this
paragraph will be about, e.g. We are given a good
impression of Macbeth by other characters even before
he makes his first appearance on stage.
 Explain in your own words what kind of impression we get
and what Macbeth is reported to have done
 Put in an appropriate quotation (e.g. 1.2.22-23)
 Comment on the language of the quotation and what it
suggests about Macbeth
 Comment on how you feel towards Macbeth at this stage
and why you feel this way about him.
Paragraph 2 – Macbeth’s response to his first meeting with
three witches on the heath
 Start with an opening sentence that, again, makes clear
what this paragraph will be about, e.g. Macbeth’s
response to a surprise meeting with three witches
intrigues us.
 Explain in your own words where, when and how he meets
them. What are they doing there? What do they tell
him and how does he respond?
 Put in an appropriate quotation to illustrate his response
(e.g. 1.3.134-136)
 What does his response suggest about him?
 Comment on what kinds of feelings you have towards
Macbeth at this stage and why.
Paragraph 3 – The impression we are given of Macbeth from
his wife’s initial reaction to a letter
 Start with an opening sentence that, once again, makes
clear what this paragraph will be about, e.g. A more
complex picture of the man begins to emerge when his
wife responds to a letter he sends her about the witches.
 Explain what the letter says and how Lady Macbeth
responds
 Put in an appropriate quotation (e.g. 1.5.15-16)
 What does the quotation mean?
 Comment on what kind of feelings we begin to have of
Macbeth at this point
Paragraph 4 – The Murder of Duncan.
 Start with a suitable opening sentence, e.g. Despite his
misgivings, Macbeth goes ahead with the murder
 Explain how we feel about him now
 How does he feel about what he has done?
 Put in an appropriate quotation (e.g. 2.2.39-40)
 Comment on why he feels this way and how we feel about
him
Paragraph 5 – The Murder of Banquo
 Start with a suitable opening sentence e.g. Even though
he feels secure as king, Macbeth orders the murder of
his close friend Banquo
 Explain how you feel about this. Can it be justified?
 Put in a quotation to explain why he has Banquo killed (e.g.
3.4.123)
 Comment on how he feels in this quotation and how you
feel about his thoughts and actions at this point
 Comment also on how he sees the ghost of Banquo at the
banquet. Is the ghost real or not? What are we to think
of him here?
Paragraph 6 – The Murder of Macduff’s wife and family
 Start with a suitable sentence, e.g. Macbeth now murders
people without thinking of the consequences
 Explain why he kills the Macduffs
 Put in a quotation to show how determined he is that he
will kill anyone he sees as a challenge to the throne
(4.1.145-7)
 Is this murder more shocking than the others? How?
 Comment on how you feel about his whole manner of
thinking and reasoning at this point. Is he mad? Is he
sane? What is happening to him?
Paragraph 7 – The part towards the end of the play when
almost everyone has turned against him.
 Start with a suitable sentence, e.g. Towards the end of
the play, everyone has turned against Macbeth
 Explain why they do and how Macbeth feels about life
now
 Put in a quotation to show how he feels (e.g. 5.5.19-20)
 What does he mean in this quotation?
 How do you feel about him? Does he deserve to feel like
this? Do you have any sympathy for him?
Paragraph 8 – The end of the play and how Macbeth
behaves
 Start with a suitable topic sentence, e.g. Even though he
now knows he has been tricked by the witches and faces
certain death, Macbeth decides to fight to the end
 Put in a quotation to illustrate this (e.g. 5.8.32)
 Explain why he takes this attitude
 Comment on your own feelings towards him at this point.
 You might also comment on how you feel when Macbeth’s
head is speared on a pole for everyone to laugh at.

Conclusion – Sum up what you have said and give a personal
response to the theme
 Start with the words “As I have shown …” finishing the
sentence yourself
 What point do you think Shakespeare is making about life
or about human nature through the character of
Macbeth?