Term Paper on "William Shakespeare's Macbeth"

Term Paper 12 pages (4155 words) Sources: 4

[EXCERPT] . . . .

William Shakespeare's Macbeth

Introduction to Shakespearean Tragedy

William Shakespeare has worn the crown of the greatest dramatist of the world for many decades. Shakespeare used his words to bring characters to life; characters that lived within a common reader, from regalities like kings, princes, queens; vices like murderers and drunkards, to common men like mindless fools and court jesters. He meticulouslyembroidered these characters into his diverse but truly life-like plots that entranced people far and wide.

Shakespeare'svaried subjects and plots clearly indicate his knowledge of happenings around him and the working of governmental statutes. Shakespeare amalgamated actual history with his imagination and changed minute details of historical events; this produced a yet more interesting drama. The Tragedy of Macbethis no exception to it. King James, after the death of Queen Elizabeth, patronized Shakespeare's company under his name; Shakespeare then transformed Holinshed's Scottish, English and Irish chronicles (Bradley, 1968) for dramatic and political reasons in a way that instead of exhibiting Banquo as the man who helped murder Duncan he complimented King James' ancestors by presenting Banquo in Macbethas a noble man who refused to help in Macbeth's evil plans (Bradley, 1968; McAlindon, 1991).

Macbeth was written during the period of Renaissance in 1606 and published a few years later in 1623 (Litcharts Macbeth, n.d.) but its immense action and thrill has still not left the hearts and minds of people.Macbeth was the last of four great Shakespearean tragedies: King Lear, Hamlet, Othello and Macbeth. Shakespeare's tragedies had a unique artistic and poetical essence associated with them that was lacking in the norms of his time. Shakespeare considered tragedy as one of the greatest paradoxes of life that encumbered disappointment, lost hopes and most importantly unexpected turns of fate.

Shakespearean Tragedy revolves around aprotagonist (Wilson and Harold, 1957). Hamlet, King Lear, Othello and Macbeth are all central figures or more precisely the tragic heroes of their respective dramas.Shakespeare sets his plays around a central hero who although being a man of high rank suffers from a moral flaw in his personality that eventually leads to his downfall.Fate and evilinterfere with the hero's life and negate all forces of goodcompelling him to commit misdoings and make wrong decisions that eventually result in his downfall (Wilson and Harold, 1957). The essence of Shakespearean tragedy lies in the sense of tragedy that is aroused in the reader by his interaction with the vividly human characters that Shakespeare sketches.The expression of tragedy through soliloquyincludes the reader in the plot itself (Chandler, n.d.). Tragedies by Shakespeare contain an element of hope antagonized by the sense of thwartedambition and frustration. Death is the ultimate fate and an embodiment of defeat for all protagonists in Shakespearean tragedy (Chandler, n.d.).

The Tragedy ofMacbeth -- the Plot

The Tragedy of Macbeth, set in Scotland and England in the 11th century, is about the struggle for power staged in the hands of ruthless politics and supernatural powers.Norwegians invade Scotland with the help of Scottish rebels. However, Scotland and its ruler, KingDuncan, are defended by their faithful followers. Macbeth, Thane of Glamis, is among those people who devotedly fight off the invaders. Once the battle is over Macbeth and his friend, Banquo, meet the three witches who give the prophecy of Macbeth replacing the Thane of Cawdor and being king of Scotland one day. The men deny the prophecies of the witches but then come to know that the actual Thane of Cawdor is a Norwegian traitor and his post has been rewarded toMacbeth. Macbeth on seeing the prophecies coming true becomes ambitious and dreams about gaining the crown by killing King Duncan. However, he is reluctant. The same day, King Duncan declares that his son, Malcolm, will be his heir.King Duncan goes to Macbeth's castle of Iverness to celebrate.

Macbeth writes a letter to his wife, Lady Macbeth, explaining the prophecy.Lady Macbeth is far more preparedfor evil than Macbeth. She knows about King Duncan's expected arrival and plans to snatch the crown for her husband the same night. King Duncan is killed by the couple but somehow they succeed in framing the guards outside King Duncan's room. Another thane, Macduff, discovers that the King is dead. Considering it a political assault, King Duncan's sons flee away thinking that they will be the next target which puts them on the suspect list too.Macbeth becomes the King.

Banquo is suspicious of Macbeth as he is knows about the witches and their prophecy. On the other hand, Macbeth is threatened by Banquo as his descendants are supposed to be holders of the crown too according to the witches' prophecy. Macbeth is blinded by his ambition and he orders to haveBanquoand his son, Fleance, murdered on their way to the feast he had thrown. However, Fleance escapes. Macbeth sees the ghost of Banquo at the feast. His behavior and the untimely death of Banquomakes all the thanes suspicious of him. Macduff also leaves Scotland and joins Malcolm, King Duncans's son, in his effort to make an army against Macbeth.

Macbeth again meets the three witches to know about his future. He is told that no man born from the womb of a woman can defeat him and he shall hold the crown untilBirnamWood marches towards the castle of Dunsinane.Since, the fulfillment of the two conditions of Macbeth's downfall was apparently impossible, Macbeth grows even more haughty and cruel as he thinks he's indomitable. Yet, to strengthen his hold onthe crown Macbeth plans to have Mac duff's family dead. When Mac duff comes to know of his loss he vows revenge.

The English and Scottish now form an army against Macbeth under the rule of Malcolm and march towards the castle of Duns inane with branches of trees of Birnam woods in their hands. Lady Macbeth loses her mind due to the guilt in her heart; she sleep-walks and hallucinates blood stains on her hand. As Macbeth prepares to fight back the army of Malcolm, he comes to know of Lady Macbeth's death. Macbeth is stiffened by the news and realizes the futility of his actions and although Malcolm's forces take over the castle, Macbeth keeps on fighting with the confidence that no man born of a woman's womb can kill him. However, the story takes an unanticipated turn as Mac duff reveals that he was not born from the womb of his mother in the natural way, instead he was "untimely ripped" from it and attacks Macbeth. Macbeth faces his obvious death with original bravery but is killed. The reign of terror and tyranny attributed to Macbeth is ended when Macduff emerges with Macbeth's severed head at the end of the play.

Malcolm is given his rightful place as the Scottish King and peace is restored to Scotland.

A Critical Review of Macbeth

(a) Characters that Came to Life

The Tragedy of Macbeth is beautifully structured around vivid characters that become a part of the reader's being and come to life just as he reads.The plot revolves around King Duncan, the ruler whose throne is the cause of all distress; Macbeth, the tragically ambitious hero; Lady Macbeth, Macbeth's wife; Banquo, Macbeth's noble friend and an influential person; and the weird sisters, three witches whose prophecies are the reason of Macbeth's battle with fate.

(i) Macbeth

Macbeth is a nobleman from Scotland and the Thane of Glamis who is highly reputed in the King's court as the play starts. After the battle with Englishmen, Macbeth is even promoted to the rank of Thane of Cawdor in reward to his valor and courage in the battlefield.He is valiant, principled and faithful to the ruler. It is obvious that through life his ambitions brought him to great levels of respect and lordship but when he hears the prophecy of his being the King of Scotland one day, his extreme desire to live this prophecy transforms his once commendable ambition to repugnant lust for power (Elliott, 1960). He is so blinded by his foaming wishes that his nobility and honor change to violence and tyranny without arousing his conscience at all. His indifference to everything but power and throne eventually leads to his downfall. The interesting thing about this character is that with the help of this character, Shakespeare moves through his play with the debate between good and bad. Initially, Macbeth is reluctant is executing his plan against King Duncan and his past bravery shows that it was not because he was afraid of the consequences but only because he knew it would bring failure and turmoil on him in the end. Still, Macbeth chose to fulfill his fiery desire to pursue power no matter what the result may be.

(ii) Lady Macbeth

Havingcompatibilitywith Macbeth, Lady Macbeth is a woman of strength, but her strength does not lie in her moral character; when she heard about her prospects of becoming the Queen of Scotland, she was not at all reluctant about killing the King. Her character also portrays haughtiness in her personality as she conveniently challenged her husband's… READ MORE

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