Macbeth's Character Development Essay

In the beginning of Shakespeares Macbeth, the title character is portrayed as a heroic soldier who is loyal to the King. Macbeth, however, is influenced by the witches prophecies and by his wife Lady Macbeth in his motive to kill. Lady Macbeth does not believe that her husband has the guts to take the necessary actions in order to become king. She thinks Macbeth is too full o the milk of human kindness (Shakespeare I, v, 17). Macbeth is mentally weak; therefore, Lady Macbeth is easily able to influence him. Her strength motivates him at the start; however, after Macbeth realizes what he has done he continues the murderous acts. Macbeth is a mentally weak character that undergoes a drastic mental change thought the play.

In the beginning of the play, Macbeth is a strong soldier who fights others without mercy. Macbeth relies on the witches who feed him prophecies and glimpses of the future. After Macbeth hears the witches prophecy, All hail Macbeth that shalt be king hereafter(Shakespeare I, iii, 50)! Macbeth immediately thinks that he should be king. When Lady Macbeth finds out about the witches, she leads Macbeth into her plan which involves cold blooded murder. Macbeth is a little nervous at first, but Lady Macbeth is able to get Macbeth to agree with her to kill King Duncan. Macbeth still has a conscience because he is very hesitant about killing the King. He has a conscience throughout the entire play. It is Macbeths conscience talking when he sees the hallucinations of the dagger and the ghost of Banquo, and has a constant worry of being discovered. This is also evident in his terrible dreams in which he hallucinates a voice that cries Macbeth does murder sleep...Macbeth shall sleep no more(Shakespeare II, ii,43). Macbeth conscience talks through his hallucinations.

Throughout the play we see the character of Macbeth change through his thoughts and actions. First, he kills his best friend, Banquo. In act three Macbeth begins to commit more irrational acts which cause the reader to question his sanity. During act three Macbeth has Lady Macduff and her children murdered because they are descendants of Banquo. Macbeths irrational reasoning proves that insecurity was present in Macbeth. He begins to develop a fearful obsession in which he fears losing his kingship and being suspected of murder. After the murder of Duncan, Macbeth becomes paranoid. He begins a series of steps in order to secure himself, the first one being, killing the guards. The second step Macbeth takes is killing Banquo because, Macbeth, believes that Banquo suspects him of killing the king. Macbeths actions thought the play are all intended to cover up the murder of Duncan and to protect his reign as king.

Towards the end of the play Macbeths wife dies and the trees begin to reach the castle. Macbeth shows some morality in the last closing scene. He wishes for a normal life for which he would have lived to an honorable age but he recognizes that he has denied himself of this. Even when Macbeth hears that the prophecy has become true of Birnam Wood coming to Dunsinane, he doubts this idea and fights on by killing young Siward. Macbeth then comes to realizes that Macduff wasnt born in a natural birth instead he was Untimely ripped from his mothers womb. When Macbeth hears of this he realizes that the prophesy are beginning to come true and he fights on only to be killed by Macduff.

Macbeth can be summarized as a character who is strong physically, however, very weak mentally. It is evident that Macbeth changes mentally throughout the play. Other factors do also contribute to this change include his wife, whose ambition is very strong at first and is much stronger mentally than Macbeth. He commits a series of actions in order to cover up the murder of Duncan to continue his reign as king. Macbeths doubt in his conscience ultimately leads to mental instability which is evident thought the play through the hallucinations that he has. Although Macbeth took the actions necessary to cover up the murder of Duncan no matter what he did he would not be able to change the inevitable outcome. Macbeth was fated to be killed by Macduff in the prophecy.