Macbeth Body Paragraphs Character Essay
Analyse how the ending of the text helped you understand the purpose of the text more clearly.
Analyse how links between the beginning and end helped you understand a main theme or issue.
Analyse how
your text managed to be BOTH entertaining AND thought-provoking. Analyse how ONE or MORE minor
character(s) helped you understand a main character.
Note: “Character” can refer to an individual in a non-fiction text.
At the beginning of the play, Macbeth is lauded as a hero by his kinsman who
use such terms as ‘valour’s minion’ to praise him. These ideas of his integrity are
echoed in his wife’s fears that he will not be ruthless enough to commit the
murder of Duncan king of Scotland, in order to fulfil the prophecy that he will
become king. Lady Macbeth fears that he is ‘too full of the milk of human
kindness’ and is ‘with out the illness that should attend’ his ambition.
The witches’ increasing hold upon Macbeth can be seen in his initial mistrust of their
intention. When confronted with the prophecies he orders the ‘weird sisters’ to ‘stay,
you imperfect speakers.’ This shows that the innate goodness in Macbeth is repulsed
by the Witches, further reinforced in his claim that the Witches’ ‘horrid image doth
unfix my hair.’ Despite this early resistance to the Witches, they soon ensnare him
and Macbeth says wistfully ‘would they had stayed’ when the witches vanish.
The image of Macbeth as a virtuous man is seen in his reluctance to commit murder at
the beginning of the play. After being named Thane of Cawdor he muses ‘chance may
crown me without my stir’, showing that he has not planned to eliminate Duncan. Lad
Macbeth’s power over her husband is seen here. When he is adamant that ‘we shall
proceed no further in this business’, she challenges his manhood, try to persuade him
that ‘when you durst do it then you were a man’. This challenge eventually peruades
Macbeth to carry out the murder. Throughout the play, she continues to challenge his
resolve, as seen after the murder when she accuses him of being ‘infirm of purpose’.
When considering regicide, Macbeth’s conscience knows what is right and wrong,
his, ‘seated heart knocks’ at the thought and he asks the, ‘stars’ to ‘hide’ their ‘fires’
so that they don’t see his ‘black and deep desires’. From this evidence it appears
Macbeth is a good man suffering under evil influences.
On the contrary, Macbeth must also share the blame for the tragic events of the play.
He admits ‘vaulting ambition’ as a significant flaw in his character, which to some,
can be a positive trait. Macbeth’s more significant fault can be seen when Lady
Macbeth easily manipulates him through insulting his manhood, ‘I dare do all that
may become a man.’ He capitulates too easily for a man who is allegedly so noble and
heroic.
The play offers further evidence of Macbeth’s tyrannical personality. When Malcolm
is proclaimed, Prince of Cumberland Macbeth sees him as ‘a step which I must o’er
leap or else fall down, for in my way it lies.’ This proves that Macbeth is willing to
act to remove this threat to his coronation. Macbeth’s evil is seen also in the murder
of Banquo. Macbeth believes that ‘our fears in Banquo stick deep’ as he is afraid that
Banquo might discover Macbeth’s part in Duncan’s murder.
Macbeth’s evil is also seen in the tyranny with which he governs Scotland. The Witch
Goddess Hecate herself describes him as, ‘spiteful and wrathful’ as he seeks to
eliminate opposition to his rule and the Witches welcome him as ‘something wicked’.
As Macduff complains ‘each new morn new widows howl, new orphans cry.’ The
murder of Lady Macbeth and her ‘pretty chickens’ is a significant step in Macbeth’s
decent into tyranny. Angered by Macduff’s flight to England, Macbeth orders ‘to the
sword his wife and babes.’ This horrific murder is done independently of his wife and
the witches’ influence. Macbeth eventually becomes desensitised to violence, as seen
when he claims that he is, ‘supp’d full with horrors’.