Lilan Miller

ENGL304-Ray
17 May 2016
Introduction

Shakespeares Macbeth is a tragedy that centers around Macbeths tragic mistake: taking
the witches prophecies into his own hands. The play is set in various parts of Scotland and partly
in England. The play opens with the witches, which sets up a dark magical atmosphere. The
second scene describes the defeat of the rebel Macdonwald, and what a strong warrior Macbeth
was. As Macbeth and Banquo return from the fight, they encounter the witches. The witches hail
Macbeth Thane of Glamis and Thane of Cawdor. They tell Macbeth that he soon will be King but
that Banquos sons will be Kings. Both Banquo and Macbeth are unsure of what to make of this
encounter, but just as the witches disappear, Macbeth is named Thane of Cawdor. With one of the
witches prophecies already being fulfilled, Macbeth become fascinated with what truth may lie
with the witches. As Macbeth is to host King Duncan, he and his wife plot to murder King
Duncan in order to fulfill the witches prophecies on their own. After the murder, King Duncans
sons flee Scotland in fear of being murdered themselves. Soon after the murder Macbeth begins
to become paranoid and hallucinates the dagger. This eventually leads him to kill Banquo and his
son out of fear of the witches prophecy regarding Banquo. However, the murders he sent to kill
them were only successful in murdering Banquo. After this, Macbeth begins having
hallucinations, and sees Banquos ghost at the banquet. Meanwhile, Lady Macbeth dismisses the
matter, and tells him to man up. Meanwhile, several of the other nobles are beginning to suspect
that Macbeth is involved with the murders. As suspicion rises Macduff has located Malcolm's
(Duncans son) in hopes of restoring the throne to the rightful leader. This news leads Macbeth to

send murderers to kill Lady Macduff and her children. After the murder of his family, Macduff
and Malcolm lead a fight against Macbeth. Macbeth puts up a fight, but it killed my Macduff in
the end. The play ends with Malcolm taking back the throne.
The theme of the supernatural and inclusion of witches is very important to the plot of the
play. Without the witches Macbeth likely would not have felt compelled to take fate into his own
hands. To feel at least a little bit of sympathy for Macbeth, it is important that the reader read the
witches and other supernatural elements as if they are real, rather than a fit of Macbeths
imaginations. Shakespeare includes this supernatural theme as these elemental powers marked
[the witches] as indigenous to the world's northernmost regions, including both Scotland and
Denmark, the supposed origin of many of King James's ideas about witchcraft (Floyd-Wilson
136). Also this theme of the supernatural explains the setting of Act 2 scene 4, when all
environmental norms are upset, as continental witchcraft texts that influenced Scottish notions
of the supernatural [] were widely understood to have powers to control the environment (FloydWilson 142).

Another theme present in the play is masculinity. This is one of the few plays where a

female character has a significant amount of lines and agency, as Lady Macbeth does. Lady
Macbeths strategy to convince her husband to follow through with the murder plan is to attack
his manhood. This leaves the reader with the question of what is a man? (Ramsey 285). While
Lady Macbeth consistently attacks Macbeths manhood, she prevents herself from following
through with such direct actions as she feels oppressed by her femininity. What is especially
interesting is how Lady Macbeth tie[s] up all the strands of her argument in a single violent
image, the murder of her own nursing infant (Ramsey 289). The boundary of gender roles are

constantly crossed, and it leaves the reader wondering who is more masculine, Macbeth or Lady
Macbeth.

Finally the theme of morality is imbedded in the play. While at the opening of the play

Macbeth is praised for killing Macdonwald and displaying his head on a stake, he succumbs to
guilt for killing Duncan. The principles of personal obligation and state obligation are questioned
throughout. The morality of family versus the state obligations are scene with Lady Macduff.
Additionally, Lady Macbeths apparent suicide also leaves questions of morality as she fronted a
manipulative and evil personality.

Overall, Macbeth reveals the interaction of the supernatural and the tragic mistakes that

lead Macbeth to his downfall. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth present a unique power dynamic and
relationship as they challenge gender norms. Finally varying obligations present questions with
morality.

Work Cited:
Floyd-Wilson, Mary. "English Epicures And Scottish Witches." Shakespeare Quarterly 57.2

(2006): 131-161. MLA International Bibliography. Web. 17 May 2016.

Ramsey, Jarold. "The Perversion Of Manliness In Macbeth." SEL: Studies In English Literature,

1500-1900 13.2 (1973): 285-300. MLA International Bibliography. Web. 17 May 2016.