Advance English Essay – Macbeth
Teacher: Mrs Turner
Ariana Margetts
“People don’t want to accept the responsibility for their own weakness in decision
making so they place the blame on something they’re not responsible for, like
genetics, or being intoxicated.” Ladies and gentleman of the jury, like anything,
killing is a choice. No matter how hard that choice, due to copious reasons – it is still
a choice. Macbeth chose. He chose to be a tyrant, he chose to neglect his spouse, he
chose to commit multiple acts of indecency and witchcraft, plan numerous murders –
two of which he committed himself, and he willingly chose to lie to the entire country
of Scotland. Clearly this cut throat, selfish psychopath deserves only the cruelest of
punishments.
Macbeth, a cruel and oppressive dictator, commits tyranny throughout his lifetime and
this is just one of the many acts of indecency committed by him, further proving that
severe prosecution is the only sane sentence. Shakespeare uses many structural
devices to prove his point and in one example lists all of the qualities needed for a
dire king; ‘...avaricious, false, deceitful…’ are the words said by Malcolm as he ticks
them off accordingly as a way to show that Macbeth is unfit for the job of King. Even
Macbeth states in the play ‘my mind is full of scorpions’ further admitting his
insanity, but yet still deciding to march on towards Scotland’s crown, killing anyone
he thought posed a threat to his attainment of the title of King.
As well as tyranny, Macbeth commits spousal neglect against his wife, Lady
Macbeth. Though it is debatable that she pushed him into killing the king, at the end
of the day, Lady Macbeth has a driving ambition for herself to be queen, but Macbeth
ultimately wanted king for himself, proving that Lady Macbeth is no longer needed in
his life after he is announced king. Macbeth states ‘she should of died hereafter’ when
informed about his wife’s suicide, meaning she should have died after the war, then
he would have time to grieve for her, selfishly not caring about the news that his one
and only lover has deceased. This trait of being able to absent all feelings from the
soul is early detection of psychopathic behaviour. The personality of a psychopath
allows them to be charmers and manipulators on the exterior and to all outward
extents and purposes but underneath they are ruthless and cold, which is what was
said to Macbeth to do, ‘look like the innocent flower but be the serpent underneath.’
Macbeth doesn’t have a conscience, making his a sociopath, though he still believes
he deserves to be King. Lady Macbeth was mentally unstable herself; in no way could
she have ‘convinced’ Macbeth to commit tyranny, he did it alone. Shakespeare also
used personification when Macbeth stated “I have no spur/To prick the sides of my
intent, but only/Vaulting ambition/which o'erleaps itself/And falls on the other”
admitting he himself has been exploiting his weakness of ambition.
Along with manifested acts of indecency, Macbeth also is involved with witchcraft
and the supernatural world. Shakespeare uses these supernatural elements such as fog
and lightening to establish evil and add suspense and interest to the play and by doing
so, introduces Macbeth to the witches, their diabolical powers and prophecies.
Macbeth listens to them but ultimately has the final say on decisions concerning his
future. Macbeth also willingly goes along with Lady Macbeth when she calls on the
witches, devil and unholy spirits by stating ‘Come, you spirits’ and by doing so, asks
of their assistance to him with future devious acts they have planned. By committing
this crime, he has let the witches impel him, and due to this, is allowing unchecked
ambition rule his decision. Still, a decision never the less that he has chosen himself.
Macbeth has consciously planned numerous murders, as well as committing two
murders himself. No one can say that he was in a wrongful mindset, as he had
obviously planned and thought out these acts to the finest degree to prevent getting
caught. Macbeth could have chose to turn back at any stage, but yet, Shakespeare uses
dramatic and blood imagery when Macbeth states ‘I am in blood/stepped in so far that
should I wade no more,/returning were as tedious as go o’er’ proving that he was
considering turning back, but decided not to. From this we can conclude that Macbeth
was in his right mindset whilst making these cut throat decisions, as he evidently
considered all options relating to the murders. As murderer of the king and Banquo
(and Fleance that goes awry) Macbeth proves that he is not a hero, let alone a ‘tragic’
hero, only a severe massacres murderer lacking a conscience and a sense of right and
wrong. When Malcolm refers to Macbeth as "this dead butcher" the description is
aptly suited - it is exactly what he should be.
Macbeth also willingly chooses to lie to the entire country of Scotland, and by
wrongfully planning and taking Scotland’s throne, sets a course of action to commit
further heinous crimes. ‘I have almost forgot the taste of fears’ is just one of the many
metaphorical statements made by this ruthful man, bragging of his indecency. Forgot
the fear of murder? Forgot all acts previously committed? Ask yourself, how deviant
and selfish can a man be to willingly betray an entire country, leaving them nothing
but despair? Shakespeare uses alliteration to focus on key words in Macbeths
statement “strange things I have in head that will to hand” i.e I am about to do
something evil, regardless of consequences, again proving that in spite of his actions
being morally ill and deceitful, he persists in carrying them out to their fullest
potential.
To bring my closing speech to an end, I would like to finish by providing the jury
with a number of statements. If a man kills his wife while asleep, he is still a
murderer. If a man plans a murder when drunk, he is up for manslaughter. If a man
commits multiple acts of indecency, even if his wife told him to, even if supernatural
spirits tell him too, even if he pleads insanity – he is still responsible for his own
decision making, actions and consequences. Macbeth has proven to be nothing but a
cut throat, psychopathic tyrant who deserves anything but your sympathy.
1080 words