Macbeth (essay) Macbeth is not to blame for the murders PDF

Preview

Summary

Macbeth would have never become a murderer if he had not been pushed by both the witches and Lady Macbeth. He cannot be blamed for any of the murders. Discuss with reference to the whole play.
my own essay
...

Description

Macbeth would have never become a murderer if he had not been pushed by both the witches and Lady Macbeth. He cannot be blamed for any of the murders. Discuss with reference to the whole play. Shakespeare’s Macbeth illustrates the terrible consequences of succumbing to tragic flaws. However, Macbeth is not culpable for all his ruthless behaviour. Rather, Lady Macbeth’s powerful urging convinces him to initially commit regicide. Additionally, the witches are another external force who manipulate Macbeth to be brutal. Lady Macbeth’s effective persuasion makes Macbeth murder King Duncan because of her similar ambition and greed. Although it is Macbeth who initially thinks of Duncan’s “fantastical” murder, it is Lady Macbeth who manipulates him into doing the “deed.” Macbeth sees the immorality in “[bearing] the knife” that kills Duncan and wishes to “proceed no further in [the] business.” But, by insulting his masculinity, Lady Macbeth persuades him to “dare do all that a man can do” and overthrow Duncan. This highlights Macbeth’s hubris and vulnerability to manipulation. Lady Macbeth’s cruelty is emphasised with the portrayal of masculinity as she wants “spirits” to “unsex [her]” so that she may carry on with her brutal intentions. Shakespeare’s depiction of manhood, as violent and cruel, villainises Lady Macbeth and suggests that she motivates Macbeth to commit such an act that disrupts the natural order. However, in the subsequent murders, Lady Macbeth cannot be blamed as Macbeth kept her “innocent of the knowledge” that he is arranging the murder of Banquo. Therefore, Macbeth cannot be blamed for murdering King Duncan as it is Lady Macbeth’s ambition that also plays a crucial role in their tragic deaths. Moreover, the Weird sisters make Macbeth think that the Scottish throne is his rightful destiny, encouraging him to commit regicide and ultimately to resort to murder to maintain it. Without the witches’ intervention, Macbeth would not have considered murdering Duncan. Nevertheless, Macbeth returns to them to receive more information about his future and the witches motivate him to take his subsequent actions. They tell Macbeth to “be bold, bloody and resolute”, therefore encouraging his tyrannical actions and making him think that he is invincible as they also reveal that “none born of woman shall [him].” The witches use equivocation with intent to harm Macbeth and to conceal the truth. This deception and manipulation make Macbeth arrange the murders of Banquo, Fleance, Macduff and Macduff’s family. It is Shakespeare’s intention to display the witches as culpable for Macbeth’s decline. The witches are antagonised largely because of the Jacobean society’s perspective on witchcraft. Shakespeare’s depiction of the witches is also influenced by the Jacobean belief that witches manipulate soon to be fallen men to upset the natural order of society and, therefore, rebel against the Great Chain of Being. It is this “supernatural soliciting” that encourages Macbeth to be ruthless and the witches are eventually a key factor in his fatal downfall. Despite the external factors that influence Macbeth’s actions, his ambition and other flaws have a major impact on his choices. Shakespeare portrays Macbeth’s tragic flaw as his “vaulting ambition” and illustrates Macbeth’s awareness of this flaw. Macbeth admits that there is no “spur to prick the sides of [his] intent,” yet he still pursues his excessive ambition because of his vulnerability to manipulation and his self-confidence. Shakespeare’s intent in the play is to illustrate the role of these fatal flaws in Macbeth’s downfall. Macbeth’s partial culpability is amplified by the juxtaposition of his and Banquo’s response to the witches’ initial prophecies in Act One. Macbeth is entranced by the thought that he may become king whereas Banquo retains his integrity and is more sceptical in response. Banquo does not take any action after his future is revealed to him. This loyalty is further exemplified after King Duncan’s death when he espouses that “In the great hand of God [he stands]” and that he is against “treasonous malice”. Contrarily, after Macbeth does reconsider killing King Duncan he still kills him to prove his own masculinity. Shakespeare suggests that, similar to Banquo, Macbeth has a choice between morality and power. For these reasons, it is Macbeth’s tragic flaw and his overwhelming self-pride that are also key aspects of his tragic decline. Shakespeare portrays Macbeth as a tragic hero through the external forces who exploit him as well as his own fatal flaws. Lady Macbeth and the witches are main factors that motivate Macbeth to initially overthrow King Duncan. However, the witches continue to encourage Macbeth’s tyrannical behaviour and, therefore, are culpable for other murders that he arranges. Nevertheless, Macbeth’s greed and pride make him easily influenced by Lady Macbeth and the witches. Ultimately, Shakespeare suggests that external and internal forces are key reasons that make Macbeth partially responsible for his brutal actions and eventually his tragic demise. Ultimately, Macbeth’s assassination of his king leaves him without wife or companions and completely nihilistic in his outlook before his eventual death. Shakespeare panders to his benefactors by suggesting that succumbing to both avarice and hubris will result in dire consequences for those who disrupt the chain of being, and the protagonist’s tragic end spells out a propagandistic warning to all potential perpetrators of treason. The repercussions will be comprehensive and horrific....