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Context

The most influential writer in all of English literature, William Shakespeare was born
in 1564 to a successful middle-class glove-maker in Stratford-upon-Avon, England.
Shakespeare attended grammar school, but his formal education proceeded no further.
In 1582 he married an older woman, Anne Hathaway, and had three children with her.
Around 1590 he left his family behind and traveled to London to work as an actor and
playwright. Public and critical acclaim quickly followed, and Shakespeare eventually
became the most popular playwright in England and part-owner of the Globe Theater.
His career bridged the reigns of Elizabeth I (ruled 15581603) and James I (ruled
16031625), and he was a favorite of both monarchs. Indeed, James granted
Shakespeares company the greatest possible compliment by bestowing upon its
members the title of Kings Men. Wealthy and renowned, Shakespeare retired to
Stratford and died in 1616 at the age of fifty-two. At the time of Shakespeares death,
literary luminaries such as Ben Jonson hailed his works as timeless.

Shakespeares works were collected and printed in various editions in the century
following his death, and by the early eighteenth century his reputation as the greatest
poet ever to write in English was well established. The unprecedented admiration
garnered by his works led to a fierce curiosity about Shakespeares life, but the dearth
of biographical information has left many details of Shakespeares personal history
shrouded in mystery. Some people have concluded from this fact and from
Shakespeares modest education that Shakespeares plays were actually written by
someone elseFrancis Bacon and the Earl of Oxford are the two most popular
candidatesbut the support for this claim is overwhelmingly circumstantial, and the
theory is not taken seriously by many scholars.

In the absence of credible evidence to the contrary, Shakespeare must be viewed as
the author of the thirty-seven plays and 154 sonnets that bear his name. The legacy of
this body of work is immense. A number of Shakespeares plays seem to have
transcended even the category of brilliance, becoming so influential as to affect
profoundly the course of Western literature and culture ever after.

Shakespeares shortest and bloodiest tragedy, Macbeth tells the story of a brave
Scottish general (Macbeth) who receives a prophecy from a trio of sinister witches
that one day he will become King of Scotland. Consumed with ambitious thoughts
and spurred to action by his wife, Macbeth murders King Duncan and seizes the
throne for himself. He begins his reign racked with guilt and fear and soon becomes a
tyrannical ruler, as he is forced to commit more and more murders to protect himself
from enmity and suspicion. The bloodbath swiftly propels Macbeth and Lady
Macbeth to arrogance, madness, and death.

Macbeth was most likely written in 1606, early in the reign of James I, who had been
James VI of Scotland before he succeeded to the English throne in 1603. James was a
patron of Shakespeares acting company, and of all the plays Shakespeare wrote
under Jamess reign, Macbeth most clearly reflects the playwrights close relationship
with the sovereign. In focusing on Macbeth, a figure from Scottish history,
Shakespeare paid homage to his kings Scottish lineage. Additionally, the witches
prophecy that Banquo will found a line of kings is a clear nod to Jamess familys
claim to have descended from the historical Banquo. In a larger sense, the theme of
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bad versus good kingship, embodied by Macbeth and Duncan, respectively, would
have resonated at the royal court, where James was busy developing his English
version of the theory of divine right.

Macbeth is not Shakespeares most complex play, but it is certainly one of his most
powerful and emotionally intense. Whereas Shakespeares other major tragedies, such
as Hamlet and Othello, fastidiously explore the intellectual predicaments faced by
their subjects and the fine nuances of their subjects characters, Macbeth tumbles
madly from its opening to its conclusion. It is a sharp, jagged sketch of theme and
character; as such, it has shocked and fascinated audiences for nearly four hundred
years.

Divine Right of Kings

Religious thinkers in the Middle Ages had upheld the idea of 'The Great Chain of
Being'. This was the belief that God had designed an ordered system for both nature
and humankind within which every creature and person had an allotted place. It was
considered an offence against God for anyone to try to alter their station in life. After
death, however, all would be raised in the kingdom of heaven, if they respected God's
will. Since royal rank was bestowed by God, it was a sin to aspire to it. This doctrine
a convenient one for King James was still widely held in Shakespeare's day.

Although his mother, Mary Queen of Scots, was a beautiful and charming woman,
James I was aware he was ugly and lacking in the charisma which inspired loyalty.
But he was an intelligent and well-educated man, and espoused various beliefs which
he felt would keep his position secure. One of these was the so-called 'divine right of
kings'. This was the belief that the power of monarchs was given directly by God, and
thus monarchs were answerable only to God. Any opposition to the King was an
attack on God himself, and therefore sacrilege, the most heinous of sins. The
anointing ceremony at the coronation made the King virtually divine. All the Stuart
kings strongly supported the belief in their 'divine right' to rule as it was an effective
safeguard of their position. They even claimed Christ-like powers of healing. In
Macbeth, Shakespeare alludes to King Edward of England successfully healing the
sick: 'such sanctity hath heaven given his hand'. Queen Anne was the last British
monarch who used 'the Queen's touch' in this way.















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Plot Overview

The play begins with the brief appearance of a trio of witches and then moves to a
military camp, where the Scottish King Duncan hears the news that his generals,
Macbeth and Banquo, have defeated two separate invading armiesone from Ireland,
led by the rebel Macdonwald, and one from Norway. Following their pitched battle
with these enemy forces, Macbeth and Banquo encounter the witches as they cross a
moor. The witches prophesy that Macbeth will be made thane (a rank of Scottish
nobility) of Cawdor and eventually King of Scotland. They also prophesy that
Macbeths companion, Banquo, will beget a line of Scottish kings, although Banquo
will never be king himself. The witches vanish, and Macbeth and Banquo treat their
prophecies skeptically until some of King Duncans men come to thank the two
generals for their victories in battle and to tell Macbeth that he has indeed been named
thane of Cawdor. The previous thane betrayed Scotland by fighting for the
Norwegians and Duncan has condemned him to death. Macbeth is intrigued by the
possibility that the remainder of the witches prophecythat he will be crowned
kingmight be true, but he is uncertain what to expect. He visits with King Duncan,
and they plan to dine together at Inverness, Macbeths castle, that night. Macbeth
writes ahead to his wife, Lady Macbeth, telling her all that has happened.

Lady Macbeth suffers none of her husbands uncertainty. She desires the kingship for
him and wants him to murder Duncan in order to obtain it. When Macbeth arrives at
Inverness, she overrides all of her husbands objections and persuades him to kill the
king that very night. He and Lady Macbeth plan to get Duncans two chamberlains
drunk so they will black out; the next morning they will blame the murder on the
chamberlains, who will be defenseless, as they will remember nothing. While Duncan
is asleep, Macbeth stabs him, despite his doubts and a number of supernatural
portents, including a vision of a bloody dagger. When Duncans death is discovered
the next morning, Macbeth kills the chamberlainsostensibly out of rage at their
crimeand easily assumes the kingship. Duncans sons Malcolm and Donalbain flee
to England and Ireland, respectively, fearing that whoever killed Duncan desires their
demise as well.

Fearful of the witches prophecy that Banquos heirs will seize the throne, Macbeth
hires a group of murderers to kill Banquo and his son Fleance. They ambush Banquo
on his way to a royal feast, but they fail to kill Fleance, who escapes into the night.
Macbeth becomes furious: as long as Fleance is alive, he fears that his power remains
insecure. At the feast that night, Banquos ghost visits Macbeth. When he sees the
ghost, Macbeth raves fearfully, startling his guests, who include most of the great
Scottish nobility. Lady Macbeth tries to neutralize the damage, but Macbeths
kingship incites increasing resistance from his nobles and subjects. Frightened,
Macbeth goes to visit the witches in their cavern. There, they show him a sequence of
demons and spirits who present him with further prophecies: he must beware of
Macduff, a Scottish nobleman who opposed Macbeths accession to the throne; he is
incapable of being harmed by any man born of woman; and he will be safe until
Birnam Wood comes to Dunsinane Castle. Macbeth is relieved and feels secure,
because he knows that all men are born of women and that forests cannot move.
When he learns that Macduff has fled to England to join Malcolm, Macbeth orders
that Macduffs castle be seized and, most cruelly, that Lady Macduff and her children
be murdered.
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When news of his familys execution reaches Macduff in England, he is stricken with
grief and vows revenge. Prince Malcolm, Duncans son, has succeeded in raising an
army in England, and Macduff joins him as he rides to Scotland to challenge
Macbeths forces. The invasion has the support of the Scottish nobles, who are
appalled and frightened by Macbeths tyrannical and murderous behavior. Lady
Macbeth, meanwhile, becomes plagued with fits of sleepwalking in which she
bemoans what she believes to be bloodstains on her hands. Before Macbeths
opponents arrive, Macbeth receives news that she has killed herself, causing him to
sink into a deep and pessimistic despair. Nevertheless, he awaits the English and
fortifies Dunsinane, to which he seems to have withdrawn in order to defend himself,
certain that the witches prophecies guarantee his invincibility. He is struck numb
with fear, however, when he learns that the English army is advancing on Dunsinane
shielded with boughs cut from Birnam Wood. Birnam Wood is indeed coming to
Dunsinane, fulfilling half of the witches prophecy.

In the battle, Macbeth hews violently, but the English forces gradually overwhelm his
army and castle. On the battlefield, Macbeth encounters the vengeful Macduff, who
declares that he was not of woman born but was instead untimely ripped from his
mothers womb (what we now call birth by cesarean section). Though he realizes that
he is doomed, Macbeth continues to fight until Macduff kills and beheads him.
Malcolm, now the King of Scotland, declares his benevolent intentions for the
country and invites all to see him crowned at Scone.



























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Who is Macbeth?

Macbeth is a Scottish general and the thane of Glamis who is led to wicked thoughts
by the prophecies of the three witches, especially after their prophecy that he will be
made thane of Cawdor comes true. Macbeth is a brave soldier and a powerful man,
but he is not a virtuous one. He is easily tempted into murder to fulfill his ambitions
to the throne, and once he commits his first crime and is crowned King of Scotland,
he embarks on further atrocities with increasing ease. Ultimately, Macbeth proves
himself better suited to the battlefield than to political intrigue, because he lacks the
skills necessary to rule without being a tyrant. His response to every problem is
violence and murder. Unlike Shakespeares great villains, such as Iago in Othello and
Richard III in Richard III, Macbeth is never comfortable in his role as a criminal. He
is unable to bear the psychological consequences of his atrocities.

Macbeth Character Analysis

Because we first hear of Macbeth in the wounded captains account of his battlefield
valor, our initial impression is of a brave and capable warrior. This perspective is
complicated, however, once we see Macbeth interact with the three witches. We
realize that his physical courage is joined by a consuming ambition and a tendency to
self-doubtthe prediction that he will be king brings him joy, but it also creates inner
turmoil. These three attributesbravery, ambition, and self-doubtstruggle for
mastery of Macbeth throughout the play. Shakespeare uses Macbeth to show the
terrible effects that ambition and guilt can have on a man who lacks strength of
character. We may classify Macbeth as irrevocably evil, but his weak character
separates him from Shakespeares great villainsIago in Othello, Richard III in
Richard III, Edmund in King Learwho are all strong enough to conquer guilt and
self-doubt. Macbeth, great warrior though he is, is ill equipped for the psychic
consequences of crime.

Before he kills Duncan, Macbeth is plagued by worry and almost aborts the crime. It
takes Lady Macbeths steely sense of purpose to push him into the deed. After the
murder, however, her powerful personality begins to disintegrate, leaving Macbeth
increasingly alone. He fluctuates between fits of fevered action, in which he plots a
series of murders to secure his throne, and moments of terrible guilt (as when
Banquos ghost appears) and absolute pessimism (after his wifes death, when he
seems to succumb to despair). These fluctuations reflect the tragic tension within
Macbeth: he is at once too ambitious to allow his conscience to stop him from
murdering his way to the top and too conscientious to be happy with himself as a
murderer. As things fall apart for him at the end of the play, he seems almost
relievedwith the English army at his gates, he can finally return to life as a warrior,
and he displays a kind of reckless bravado as his enemies surround him and drag him
down. In part, this stems from his fatal confidence in the witches prophecies, but it
also seems to derive from the fact that he has returned to the arena where he has been
most successful and where his internal turmoil need not affect himnamely, the
battlefield. Unlike many of Shakespeares other tragic heroes, Macbeth never seems
to contemplate suicide: Why should I play the Roman fool, he asks, and die / On
mine own sword? (5.10.12). Instead, he goes down fighting, bringing the play full
circle: it begins with Macbeth winning on the battlefield and ends with him dying in
combat.
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Second Macbeth Character Analysis

Macbeth is introduced in the play as a warrior hero, whose fame on the battlefield
wins him great honor from the king. Essentially, though, he is a human being whose
private ambitions are made clear to the audience through his asides and soliloquies
(solo speeches). These often conflict with the opinion others have of him, which he
describes as "golden" (I:7, 33). Despite his fearless character in battle, Macbeth is
concerned by the prophecies of the Witches, and his thoughts remain confused, both
before, during, and after his murder of King Duncan. When Duncan announces that
he intends the kingdom to pass to his son Malcolm, Macbeth appears frustrated. When
he is about to commit the murder, he undergoes terrible pangs of conscience. Macbeth
is at his most human and sympathetic when his manliness is mocked and demeaned
by his wife (see in particular Act I, Scene 7).

However, by Act III, Scene 2, Macbeth has resolved himself into a far more
stereotypical villain and asserts his manliness over that of his wife. His ambition now
begins to spur him toward further terrible deeds, and he starts to disregard and even to
challenge Fate and Fortune. Each successive murder reduces his human
characteristics still further, until he appears to be the more dominant partner in the
marriage. Nevertheless, the new-found resolve, which causes Macbeth to "wade"
onward into his self-created river of blood (Act III, Scene 4), is persistently alarmed
by supernatural events. The appearance of Banquo's ghost, in particular, causes him to
swing from one state of mind to another until he is no longer sure of what is and
"what is not" (I:3,142).

But Macbeth's hubris or excessive pride is now his dominant character trait. This
feature of his personality is well presented in Act IV, Scene 1, when he revisits the
Witches of his own accord. His boldness and impression of personal invincibility
mark him out for a tragic fall.

Macbeths Personal Traits

In William Shakespeares play, Macbeth, he portrays the main character, Macbeth,
as both good and evil. Throughout different scenes in the play, Macbeth seems as if
he could be both and were going to let you decide if you think Macbeth is actually
good or in fact evil.

In the beginning of the play, Shakespeare makes Macbeth seem to be one of the
respectable characters. He may have been seen as a leader or a person that one would
look up to. He seemed to know right from wrong, but was a bit of a pushover. His
wife, Lady Macbeth, was represented as the evil one in the beginning. She managed
to manipulate her husband into murdering the King of Scotland just to gain higher
social status. Macbeth tried to talk himself out of it, but, being as ambitious as he was,
committed the murder and immensely regretted it afterwards. Next, Macbeth feels
that his close friend, Banquo, could possibly get in the way of him becoming King, so
he hires three murderers to carry out the murder for him. He feels slightly guilty, but
the guilt soon fades as he kills off Macduffs whole family in an act of revenge. I
dont know what kind of good person would go as far as murder to get what they
wanted, but some may disagree. Some people think it is alright to murder to gain
superiority. Its up to you to decide.
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Macbeths Good Qualities:

- Brave
- Noble
- Determination This quality was only good at the beginning of the play. Macbeth
was determined to achieve greatness, but later on, this determination became an evil
quality for Macbeth when he began to murder because he was so determined to
achieve greatness.
- Confident
- Easy going

Macbeths Evil Qualities:

- Ambition
- Determination Macbeth became so determined to have high social status that he
began to murder everyone that was in his way, whether it be his friend or not.
- Immoral
- Malicious
- Easily persuaded
- Demented






























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Macbeth Timeline

Traveling home from their victory on the battlefield, Macbeth and Banquo just so
happen to run into three witches.
These witches have some fun prophecies to share: Macbeth will be Thane of
Glamis, Cawdor, and then King of Scotland. But how? By murder, perhaps? Or
simply by waiting for fate to take its course?
For the time being, he's happy to pledge his loyalty to Duncan. His wife has other
ideas, howeverideas like impugning Macbeth's manhood until he finally says
he'll think about it. Geez, lady!
Macbeth philosophizes to himself about the pros and cons of murdering the King,
his cousin, whom he is sworn to protect, in his own house. Uh, when you put it
like that
And at first, Macbeth agrees. But in the end, Lady Macbeth's taunts are too
much, and he gives in.
After the murder, Macbeth freaks out a little (understandably).
He still manages to set up a convincing scenario to frame a bunch of other
people for the murder, and then moves quickly on to plotting his next evil dead:
getting some murders to kill Banquo. You see, Banquo's very own witch-
prophecy is that his kids are going to become king, so obviously he can't stay
alive if Macbeth is going to stay king.
Meanwhile, Macbeth is banqueting in celebration of his new title.
Small problem: Banquo's late. When he finally shows up, he's a ghost. And
only Macbeth can see him. This causes a small freakout.
Also freaking out: Lady Macbeth, who's having a bit of a psychotic break about
the whole accessory to murder thing.
Macbeth heads off to consult with his advisors, a.k.a. the witches, and they
reassure him with some goofy prophecies.
Meanwhile, basically everyone in the not-yet-United-Kingdom is plotting to
dethrone Macbeth.
He prepares for battle, confident in the witches' prophecies.
Things appear to be going okay, until Macduff shows up with a serious grievance:
not only is Macbeth a tyrant, he also murdered Macduff's entire family.
Oh, and Macduff just so happens to be the only one who can kill Macbeth,
because he wasn't "born" but delivered via C-section.
And this is the end of the line for our intrepid, murderous hero.
















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Themes, Motifs and Symbols

Because we first hear of Macbeth in the wounded captains account of his battlefield
valor, our initial impression is of a brave and capable warrior. This perspective is
complicated, however, once we see Macbeth interact with the three witches. We
realize that his physical courage is joined by a consuming ambition and a tendency to
self-doubtthe prediction that he will be king brings him joy, but it also creates inner
turmoil. These three attributesbravery, ambition, and self-doubtstruggle for
mastery of Macbeth throughout the play. Shakespeare uses Macbeth to show the
terrible effects that ambition and guilt can have on a man who lacks strength of
character. We may classify Macbeth as irrevocably evil, but his weak character
separates him from Shakespeares great villainsIago in Othello, Richard III in
Richard III, Edmund in King Learwho are all strong enough to conquer guilt and
self-doubt. Macbeth, great warrior though he is, is ill equipped for the psychic
consequences of crime.

Before he kills Duncan, Macbeth is plagued by worry and almost aborts the crime. It
takes Lady Macbeths steely sense of purpose to push him into the deed. After the
murder, however, her powerful personality begins to disintegrate, leaving Macbeth
increasingly alone. He fluctuates between fits of fevered action, in which he plots a
series of murders to secure his throne, and moments of terrible guilt (as when
Banquos ghost appears) and absolute pessimism (after his wifes death, when he
seems to succumb to despair). These fluctuations reflect the tragic tension within
Macbeth: he is at once too ambitious to allow his conscience to stop him from
murdering his way to the top and too conscientious to be happy with himself as a
murderer. As things fall apart for him at the end of the play, he seems almost
relievedwith the English army at his gates, he can finally return to life as a warrior,
and he displays a kind of reckless bravado as his enemies surround him and drag him
down. In part, this stems from his fatal confidence in the witches prophecies, but it
also seems to derive from the fact that he has returned to the arena where he has been
most successful and where his internal turmoil need not affect himnamely, the
battlefield. Unlike many of Shakespeares other tragic heroes, Macbeth never seems
to contemplate suicide: Why should I play the Roman fool, he asks, and die / On
mine own sword? (5.10.12). Instead, he goes down fighting, bringing the play full
circle: it begins with Macbeth winning on the battlefield and ends with him dying in
combat.

Ambition

Perhaps the most obvious subject or theme in Macbeth is ambition and we see this
with both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. They are tempted by the idea that Macbeth
will become king - Macbeth is not sure what to do but his wife is ruthless in getting
what she wants - she views her husband as a coward and appears ready to do
anything. Ambition leads to evil - it makes Macbeth stronger and more determined,
but then destroys his wife - she goes mad. And ambition eventually kills him as well,
because he becomes a tyrant and so loses the support of his friends.




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The Supernatural

Another major theme is the supernatural - the idea that there are mysterious forces
controlling what is happening in our lives. The very first characters we meet are the
three witches, and their prophecies are what drives the story forward. In Shakespeare's
time belief in witchcraft was very strong and many so-called witches were burnt at the
stake. It is not surprising that his audience would have taken these ideas seriously and
felt that Macbeth was somehow possessed. There are lots of references to this - he is
unable to say 'Amen', he has visions, he is disturbed and even thinks no-one can kill
him.

The final battle scene also contains many elements of the supernatural. Macbeth
believes he is invincible because many of the witches' prophecies appear impossible
to fulfil - and yet just as the witches predicted Birnam Wood does indeed move to
Dunsinane, and Macbeth is killed by Macduff because he is not 'of woman born'.

Reality and Appearance

The contrast between what is real and the appearance of something is also used by
Shakespeare. The classic dagger scene, when Macbeth is not sure if he can trust his
eyes, is only one of many references to this theme. For instance, he sees Banquo's
ghost at the banquet and Lady Macbeth imagines blood on her hands.

The contrast between reality and appearance is also shown with all the references to
thoughts, dreams and actions. Banquo talks about the 'cursed thoughts' he has had and
his dreams of the witches. Macbeth talks of the world of thought and dreams and
sometimes is stuck there. For instance, Lady Macbeth is critical of Macbeth's 'foolish
thoughts' and talks of him being 'lost' because of this.

Sleep is another theme associated with reality, because characters view it as vital to
life, but like death or being in another world. Macbeth is told he has murdered sleep
and will 'sleep no more' whilst Lady Macbeth thinks of sleep as death, calling it the
sternest 'goodnight'.

Loyalty and Guilt

Loyalty and guilt are also strong themes in Macbeth. Duncan clearly values loyalty -
he has the first Thane of Cawdor executed and rewards Macbeth by making him the
new Thane. Shakespeare cleverly uses loyalty as a dramatic device as well - Duncan
is in the middle of talking about 'absolute trust' when Macbeth walks in - we know
he's already thought about killing Duncan, but for the moment he talks about 'the
loyalty I owe' and his 'duties' to Duncan.

Loyalty is also very important to Banquo - he will not desert Duncan. Macbeth,
however, has an odd idea of loyalty - he knows he is doing the wrong thing, but he
still goes ahead. Early on in the play perhaps it is his wife who is manipulating him,
but later on it is Macbeth who makes the decisions. And later on he also starts to show
he hates disloyalty, threatening his messengers and servants.


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Macbeth also shows his guilt - he is unsure before the murder and regrets it
immediately after. Lady Macbeth is the opposite - she seems to show no guilt at the
time and even talks about how 'a little water' cleans away the blood. Her increasing
madness later on is a sign of her guilt and she imagines her hands to be stained with
blood.

There may be other topics you can spot, such as violence, destruction and tyranny. It's
good to include something about the basic ideas within Macbeth in your own work.
This will help you understand what the play is about, how it all fits together and how
Shakespeare used ideas to frighten, shock and entertain his audiences.

The Fall of Man

The ancient Greek notion of tragedy concerned the fall of a great man, such as a king,
from a position of superiority to a position of humility on account of his ambitious
pride, or hubris. To the Greeks, such arrogance in human behavior was punishable by
terrible vengeance. The tragic hero was to be pitied in his fallen plight but not
necessarily forgiven: Greek tragedy frequently has a bleak outcome. Christian drama,
on the other hand, always offers a ray of hope; hence, Macbeth ends with the
coronation of Malcolm, a new leader who exhibits all the correct virtues for a king.

Macbeth exhibits elements that reflect the greatest Christian tragedy of all: the Fall of
Man. In the Genesis story, it is the weakness of Adam, persuaded by his wife (who
has in turn been seduced by the devil) which leads him to the proud assumption that
he can "play God." But both stories offer room for hope: Christ will come to save
mankind precisely because mankind has made the wrong choice through his own free
will. In Christian terms, although Macbeth has acted tyrannically, criminally, and
sinfully, he is not entirely beyond redemption in heaven.

Fortune, Fate and Free Will

Fortune is another word for chance. The ancient view of human affairs frequently
referred to the "Wheel of Fortune," according to which human life was something of a
lottery. One could rise to the top of the wheel and enjoy the benefits of superiority,
but only for a while. With an unpredictable swing up or down, one could equally
easily crash to the base of the wheel.

Fate, on the other hand, is fixed. In a fatalistic universe, the length and outcome of
one's life (destiny) is predetermined by external forces. In Macbeth, the Witches
represent this influence. The play makes an important distinction: Fate may dictate
what will be, but how that destiny comes about is a matter of chance (and, in a
Christian world such as Macbeth's) of man's own choice or free will.

Although Macbeth is told he will become king, he is not told how to achieve the
position of king: that much is up to him. We cannot blame him for becoming king (it
is his Destiny), but we can blame him for the way in which he chooses to get there (by
his own free will).



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Kingship and Natural Order

Macbeth is set in a society in which the notion of honor to one's word and loyalty to
one's superiors is absolute. At the top of this hierarchy is the king, God's
representative on Earth. Other relationships also depend on loyalty: comradeship in
warfare, hospitality of host towards guest, and the loyalty between husband and wife.
In this play, all these basic societal relationships are perverted or broken. Lady
Macbeth's domination over her husband, Macbeth's treacherous act of regicide, and
his destruction of comradely and family bonds, all go against the natural order of
things.

The medieval and renaissance view of the world saw a relationship between order on
earth, the so-called microcosm, and order on the larger scale of the universe, or
macrocosm. Thus, when Lennox and the Old Man talk of the terrifying alteration in
the natural order of the universe tempests, earthquakes, darkness at noon, and so
on these are all reflections of the breakage of the natural order that Macbeth has
brought about in his own microcosmic world.

Disruption of Nature

Violent disruptions in nature tempests, earthquakes, darkness at noon, and so on
parallel the unnatural and disruptive death of the monarch Duncan.

The medieval and renaissance view of the world saw a relationship between order on
earth, the so-called microcosm, and order on the larger scale of the universe, or
macrocosm. Thus, when Lennox and the Old Man talk of the terrifying alteration in
the natural order of the universe (nature), these are all reflections of the breakage of
the natural order that Macbeth has brought about in his own microcosmic world
(society).

Many critics see the parallel between Duncan's death and disorder in nature as an
affirmation of the divine right theory of kingship. As we witness in the play,
Macbeth's murder of Duncan and his continued tyranny extends the disorder of the
entire country.

Gender Roles

Lady Macbeth is the focus of much of the exploration of gender roles in the play. As
Lady Macbeth propels her husband toward committing Duncan's murder, she
indicates that she must take on masculine characteristics. Her most famous speech
located in Act I, Scene 5 addresses this issue.

Clearly, gender is out of its traditional order. This disruption of gender roles is also
presented through Lady Macbeth's usurpation of the dominate role in the Macbeth's
marriage; on many occasions, she rules her husband and dictates his actions.





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Theme Analysis Essay

One of the most important themes in Macbeth involves the witches' statement in Act
1, Scene1 that "fair is foul and foul is fair." (Act 1, Scene 1, Line 10) This phrase
aptly describes the macabre status quo within the character Macbeth and without.
When Macbeth and Banquo first see the weird sisters, Banquo is horrified by their
hideous appearances. Conversely, Macbeth immediately began to converse with
these universally known evil creatures. After hearing their prophecies, one can say
that Macbeth considered the witches to be "fair" when in reality their intentions were
quite "foul." Macbeth's possession of the titles of Thane of Glamis, Thane of Cawdor
and King of Scotland came by foul means. Macbeth became the Thane of Glamis by
his father Sinel's death; he became Thane of Cawdor when the former namesake was
executed for treason; and he was ordained King of Scotland after murdering the
venerable Duncan. Thus, Macbeth has a rather ghastly way of advancing in life.

This theme is further verified by King Duncan's statement "There's no art/ To find the
mind's construction in the face." (Act 1, Scene 4, Lines 11-12) Although Macbeth has
the semblance of the amicable and dutiful host, ("fair") he is secretly plotting
Duncan's death ("foul"). Furthermore, Lady Macbeth's orchestration of the murder
exemplifies the twisted atmosphere in Inverness. Both a woman and a host, she
should be the model of grace and femininity. She is described, however, as a
"fiendlike queen" (Act 5, Scene 6, Line 69) and exhibits a cold, calculating mentality.
In addition, the very porter of Inverness likens the place to the dwelling of the devil
Beelzebub. This implies that despite its "pleasant seat," (Act 1, Scene 6, Line 1)
Inverness is a sinister and evil place. It is also interesting to note that Macbeth is
unable to say a prayer to bless himself after murdering Duncan. It is strange and
"foul" that he should think of religion after committing such an unholy act. The very
sanction of sleep and repose is also attacked in Macbeth. What is normally
considered a refreshing and necessary human activity is "murdered" by Macbeth after
he commits his heinous crime. Neither Macbeth nor his wife is able to sleep after
killing Duncan. Macbeth's lack of sleep makes him a brutal killer; Lady Macbeth
begins to sleepwalk and inadvertently reveals the source of her distress through her
nightly babble. In addition, Macbeth gains an almost inhuman strength and courage
after his first crime. He is more courageous in crime than he has ever been in virtuous
deed, which is indeed bizarre.

A second theme in Macbethis that of the tragic hero. A tragic hero is a character that
the audience sympathizes with despite his/her actions that would indicate the
contrary. Macbeth, in spite of his horrible murders, is a pitiable man. His saving
grace is that he did not initially want to kill Duncan but later changed his mind after
listening to his wife. In addition, Macbeth internally suffered because he could not
enjoy his royal status. Fear, paranoia, exhaustion and sleeplessness plagued him
despite his sovereignty. Lady Macbeth is also a tragic hero. Her initial courage and
daring did not last long, and she quickly deteriorated into a delusional, hapless
somnambulist. She broke down mentally and physically because of the strain of the
crime. Macbeth and his wife are pitiable characters because the reader is able to
follow their every thought and action. Thus, the reader sees not only their gruesome
effects on the Scottish people but also on themselves.
Another important theme in Macbeth is that of indecision and internal conflict.
Macbeth was indecisive up until the very night of the murder about whether or not he
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should kill Duncan. Afterwards, he was unsure of a course of action. He rashly
decided to kill Banquo, visit the witches and remain confident even when his castle
was besieged. Lady Macbeth's initial lack of indecision is what brought about the
pair's downfall. Later, however, she becomes tentative about the potential benefits of
Banquo's murder. By the end of the play, she has become a delusional recluse that is
almost entirely ignored by her husband.

A fourth important theme in Macbeth is the creation of an internal/external hell. This
creation of a place of damnation begins when Macbeth freely converses with the
sinister witches. Banquo calls the weird sisters "instruments of darkness," (Act 1,
Scene 4, Line 124) but Macbeth still decides to take their advice. At several times in
the play both Macbeth and his wife invoke the night, a universal symbol of evil.
Furthermore, many of the scenes in the play take place at night or in murky areas and
are accompanied by the shrieks of ominous animals. Macbeth is unable to bless
himself after the crime and he "murders sleep," (Act 2, Scene 2, Line 35) one of the
only positive associations with night. Thus, hallucinations, sleepwalking,
disembodied voices and ghosts all pervade Inverness. One can recognize the climax
of this creation of an external hell when the porter himself likens the castle to the
residence of the devil. Furthermore, Macbeth is indirectly compared to Edward the
King of England. Whereas Edward cures people, Macbeth kills them. In addition,
Lady Macbeth commits suicide in the castle, an act considered worthy at the time of
eternal damnation in hell.

This creation of an external hell also corresponds to Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's
internal suffering. Macbeth is never at peace-he is always delirious, enraged, brutal
and paranoid. He cannot enjoy the material and mortal pleasures of being a king
despite all of the sacrifice that it took on his part. Lady Macbeth's courage and
resolve quickly deteriorates and she is left as an incurable somnambulist who
unconsciously tries to erase her memory of the crime. Macbeth and his wife's
unintentional creation of an external hell for Scotland is pitiable because they suffered
internally as well.



















15
Lanauge in Macbeth

Ambiguities

"Fair is foul, and foul is fair"

We know the witches are in the middle of a storm and perhaps they are saying that
they like this; they are witches so they enjoy bad things and are on the side of evil.
However, they could also be saying that what we think looks attractive (or 'fair') is
actually bad (or 'foul'). In other words, our ambitions can be our downfall. Or they
could be warning us of things to come in the play - Macbeth is tempted by their
predictions and enters a confused, unnatural world, where he cannot trust what he sees
and cannot bear what he is.

Perhaps now we can appreciate Shakespeare's skill as a writer - many of his
characters say things which are ambiguous. This means that you can interpret them in
different ways, so the witches might be talking about the weather, or they might mean
something completely different. Another example of ambiguity is when Lady
Macbeth says the daggers 'must lie there' - she could mean the daggers must be placed
there, but also that the daggers will hide the truth and pin the blame on the servants.

Imagery

Imagery is used a lot in Macbeth. This is when strong pictures or ideas are created in
our minds. For instance, the play has lots of references to darkness, to sleep, to
disease and even to blood. Imagery often describes one thing in terms of another, and
there are three main ways this happens:

Metaphors is when one thing is called something else. For instance, when
Macbeth wants to defend his lands against others, he uses metaphors from
medicine - he wants to find the 'disease' in Scotland, to restore it to 'health' and
to use a 'drug' against others.

Personification is where something is described as if it is human, so the"Dark
night strangles the travelling lamp".

Similes is when a direct comparison is made (with 'as', 'than' or 'like'), so
Banquo says that the witches "look not like the inhabitants o'the'earth" or
Macbeth says something "moves like a ghost".

Opposite Words or Ideas

They highlight conflicts in the story such as appearance and reality, choice and fate or
good and evil. At times the opposites are in terms of single words, such as 'heaven' or
'hell'. The technical term for this is antithesis, when words are deliberately chosen to
contrast. For instance, we have 'foul' and 'fair' from the witches and even Lady
Macbeth says what has 'quenched' the servants has given her 'fire' (she means it's
made them tired, but made her alert).


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Repetition

Repetition is also used frequently in Macbeth - repeating a word or phrase draws
attention to it. For instance, in Act 2, Scene 2 we have:

Sleep no more!
Macbeth does murder sleep', the innocent sleep,
Sleep that knits up the ravell'd sleeve of care

In fact the word 'sleep' is repeated 8 times in just 10 lines. Again, this is no accident -
Shakespeare really wants the audience to be aware of what sleep means to his
characters - sleep is like death, but it's also an escape from the worries of the world.
By concentrating on the word 'sleep' we can see how Macbeth has put Duncan to
sleep (he's killed him) and now will no longer sleep (or relax) again.

Soliloquies

Another important technique in Macbeth is the use of soliloquies. These are speeches
but they are meant to be heard only by the audience. They tell us directly about a
character's thoughts and feelings and they are very important in Macbeth, because we
can understand exactly what is going through a character's mind. Perhaps the most
famous is in Act 2, Scene 1, which starts: "Is this a dagger I see before me". Without
this soliloquy, we would have no idea just how confused Macbeth is.



























17
Ambition Quotations

MACBETH: My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical, Shakes so my single
state of man that function Is smother'd in surmise, and nothing is But what is not.
(1.3.9)

Although the witches have not mentioned murder, Macbeth begins to think of it. The
witches have awoken a murderous ambition.

MACBETH: [Aside] The Prince of Cumberland! That is a step On which I must fall
down, or else o'erleap, For in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires; Let not light see
my black and deep desires. The eye wink at the hand; yet let that be Which the eye
fears, when it is done, to see. (1.4.4)

Macbeth describes ambition as being black and deep desires (wrong).

LADY MACBETH : []
Glamis thou art, and Cawdor; and shalt be What thou art promised: yet do I fear thy
nature; It is too full o' the milk of human kindness To catch the nearest way: thou
wouldst be great; Art not without ambition, but without The illness should attend it:
(1.5.1)

After reading the letter from her husband (which recounts the witches' prophesy),
Lady Macbeth's thoughts immediately turn to murder. Problem: Macbeth has
ambition, but he doesnt have the nerve to see it through. Luckily Lady Macbeth is
man enough for both of them.

MACBETH: [] I have no spur To prick the sides of my intent, but only Vaulting
ambition, which o'erleaps itself And falls on the other. (1.7.1)

Macbeth admits there is no good reason to kill Duncan, who has been a virtuous king.

ROSSE: 'Gainst nature still! Thriftless ambition, that wilt ravin up Thine own life's
means! Then 'tis most like The sovereignty will fall upon Macbeth. (2.4.6)

Rosse is aware that ambition is to blame for Duncans murder.

BANQUO: Thou hast it now: King, Cawdor, Glamis, all, As the weird women
promised, and I fear Thou play'dst most foully for't;

Banquo suspects Macbeth of foul play.

MACBETH: [] For mine own good All causes shall give way. I am in blood
Stepp'd in so far that, should I wade no more, Returning were as tedious as go o'er.
(3.4.24)

Macbeth is carrying out these deeds for his own personal gain.



18
Power Quotations

MACBETH: [] If good, why do I yield to that suggestion Whose horrid image
doth unfix my hair And make my seated heart knock at my ribs, Against the use
of nature? Present fears Are less than horrible imaginings: My thought, whose
murder yet is but fantastical, Shakes so my single state of man that function Is
smother'd in surmise, and nothing is But what is not. (1.3.9)

Regicide was a pretty common occurrence in 11th century Scotland, the time period
of Macbeth,but it definitely was not common in early 17th century England. The
Divine Right of Kings said that monarchs were God's appointed representatives on
earth, so rebellion wasn't just treasonit would actually send you straight to hell.
James even wrote about it in The Trew Law of Free Monarchies (1598), where he
claimed that "The state of monarchy is the supremest thing upon earth; for kings are
not only God's lieutenants upon earth, and sit upon God's throne, but even by God
himself are called gods." In other words, Macbeth is meddling with power that he
should seriously leave alone.

MACBETH: [] Besides, this Duncan Hath borne his faculties so meek, hath been
So clear in his great office, that his virtues Will plead like angels, trumpet-tongued,
against The deep damnation of his taking-off; (1.7.1)

Macbeth admits Duncan has been clear in his great office.

MACBETH: Thou art too like the spirit of Banquo: down! Thy crown does sear mine
eye-balls. And thy hair, Thou other gold-bound brow, is like the first. A third is like
the former. Filthy hags! Why do you show me this? A fourth! Start, eyes! What, will
the line stretch out to the crack of doom? Another yet! A seventh! I'll see no more:
And yet the eighth appears, who bears a glass Which shows me many more; and some
I see That two-fold balls and treble scepters carry: Horrible sight! Now, I see, 'tis true;
For the blood-bolter'd Banquo smiles upon me, And points at them for his. (4.1.8)



















19
Fate and Free Will Quotations

CAPTAIN: For brave Macbeth -well he deserves that name- Disdaining Fortune, with
his brandish'd steel, Which smoked with bloody execution, (1.2.1)

The captain says here that Macbeth should have died in battlebut he was stronger
than his fate. If this is true, then Macbeth has no one to blame but himself. But notice
that the captain calls Macbeth "damned quarry": Macbeth may escape fortune this
time, but that "rebel's whore" will get him in the end.

MACBETH: Is this a dagger which I see before me, The handle toward my hand?