Macbeth is a story of a mans downward fall from a hero to a tyrant in which his pride contributes to his descent. It is a tale of the dangers of lust for power and betrayal of friends. In this essay I will be exploring how the audience witness Macbeths demise.
William Shakespeare was one of the most successful dramatists of his time. In August 1606, a play was performed for James VI and his brother in-law King Christian of Denmark. The play was called Macbeth, it was a new play, but the story was old. The play Macbeth was about James ancestors, Banquo and Fleance, whom who he had inherited the throne of Scotland. James knew the story well. Shakespeare rewrote the story so that Banquo is made to look like an innocent victim of Macbeths devilish plotting. However, in the true story it is thought, Banquo played along side Macbeth when killing Duncan. Shakespeare knew that King James wouldnt like the real story, some people believe that Shakespeare re wrote Macbeth to flatter his king however others believe that Shakespeare may have been warning James that he better be a good king.
The tragedy of Macbeth starts with a chance encounter with the three Weird Sisters on the moor, whilst he is returning from battle with his close companion Banquo. The three weird sisters prophesy that Macbeth will be king all hail Macbeth. Macbeth wants to know more, stay, you imperfect speakers. Tell me more but the witches disappear into thin air. The witches confuse Macbeth but the audience see that he is not scared of them, he can tolerate their strangeness, this is how much he wants to see his future and if he is going to be a success. To the audience Macbeth comes across as a brave valiant man, and to the characters in the play, he is described as brave Macbeth. Once you have read the play, it is clear to see that Macbeths first encounter with the three witches is the start of Macbeths downward spiral to tragedy. The news is brought to Macbeth and Banquo that Macbeth has been made Thane of Cawdor by the King Duncan, Symbolic clothing is identified when Ross tells Macbeth of his new title Thane of Cawdor when Macbeth does not know of the Thane's treason the thane of Cawdor lives: why do you dress me in borrowed robes? The success the witches predicted for Macbeth is coming true. Macbeth is startled by the news; his vicious drive of ambition is launched. Into the air, and what seemd corporal, melted, as breath into the wind. Would they had stayd. this quote shows that Macbeth wishes that the witches had stayed. Macbeth is always eager to see into his own future and will go to great lengths to do so. On the news that he has become Thane of Cawdor Macbeth is enthusiastic to tell his wife, Lady Macbeth.
Previously the audience have seen Macbeths uncertainty about whether he should take the crown of Scotland by killing Duncan. In Lady Macbeths speech there is no such confusion, it is clear to the audience that she is prepared to do whatever it takes to seize the crown. This contrasts with her husbands attitude. This shows the audience that Lady Macbeth is the driving force in their relationship. Her speech also touches on the theme of masculinity, unsex me here / . . . / . . . Come to my womans breasts, / And take my milk for gall, Lady Macbeth wants all her womanly features to be taken away so that she can commit the murder herself. Later, this sense of the relationship between masculinity and violence will be deepened when Macbeth is unwilling to go through with the murders and his wife tells him, in effect, that he needs to be a man and get on with it.
King Duncan comes to stay at Macbeths castle. In Macbeths soliloquy in Act 1 Scene 7 the audience, find out useful information about Macbeths thoughts, motives and state of mind. Macbeth debates whether not he should go through with killing Duncan. If it were done when tis done, then twere well it were done quickly if he was sure the murder wouldnt have any bad consequences then he would do it and not worry about the future. Justice will mean he cannot escape the consequences of his actions, this even-handed justice commends thingredience of our poisoned chalice. Macbeth feels that he should be loyal to his king I am his kinsman and his subject. As his host, who should against his murderer shut the door the audience are reminded of just how grave an outrage it is for the couple to slaughter their ruler while he is a guest in their house. The imagery in this speech is dark we hear of bloody instructions, deep damnations, and a poisoned chalice. As the soliloquy ends, Macbeths mind seems made up that he is not going to murder his King, but this decision lasts only until Lady Macbeth returns and once more convinces him to go ahead with their calculating plot to murder the King.
In Act 2, Scene 1 there is a lot of imagery this is important, it makes the play more interesting for the audience to watch, by using imagery the ideas characters and developments in the play are vivid and memorable. The audience associate a character or a theme with certain images, qualities or activities so that, when these occur, the audience remembers the character or theme and comes to a fuller understanding of them. An example of imagery in Act 2, Scene 1 is is this a dagger I see before me, the handle toward my hand? I think Shakespeare chose this image of a dagger to symbolise the idea of killing Duncan. Macbeth speaks to the dagger he seems to see before him, he wonders if it is there, of if he is imagining it. The dagger draws him towards murder, the blood on the blade is as if the terrible deed has already been committed, Macbeth is living in a nightmare, but although he is first alarmed by the vision of the dagger that his imagination creates, he seems later to enjoy the horror of the moment. The last lines of the scene when he has made his mind up to go ahead with the brutal murder could even show a grim humour the bell invites me. Hear it not, Duncan, for it is knell that summons thee to heaven or to hell.
Macbeth hears a mysterious knocking at the gate; Macbeths crime has made him over whelmed with guilt, which will hound him throughout the play. The blood on his hands symbolises the sickening guilt that he feels and Macbeths sense that all great Neptunes ocean cannot cleanse himthat there is enough blood on his hands to turn the entire sea redwill stay with him until his death. Lady Macbeths response to this speech is one of her most famous lines, A little water clears us of this deed. By the end of the play, however, she will share Macbeths sense that Duncans murder has irreparably stained them with blood. Blood is a symbol in the play, which has many different meanings as the story progresses, ranging from virtuous honour to the guilt of murder. "What bloody man is that?" The man is bleeding after having fought to protect the noble Malcolm, which makes the blood a symbol of honour. However, Duncans blood on Macbeths hands is symbol of the evil crime they committed, the guilt of which cannot be washed away. All these symbols mean that it is very visual to the audience.
There are many examples of dramatic irony in the play, a major example is where Lennox asks Macbeth whether the king is to leave Macbeth's castle for home, Lennox: "Goes the king hence today?" Macbeth: "He does: he did appoint so." Obviously, Macbeth is lying, for the audience was fully aware that he planned to murder King Duncan that night. However, Macbeth has to try hard to act normal so that no one suspects him of Duncans murder. In Elizabethan England, they firmly believed that disorder amongst humans was reflected by disorder in nature. Lennox describes the night as unruly Macbeth replies saying twas a rough night- which seems an understatement to the audience. Macduff enters and tells them all the news that the King is dead, alarms ring and Lady Macbeth enters. She inquires to what is going on with mock confusion whats the business that such a hideous trumpet calls to parley the sleepers of the house? Speak, speak Then with Macduff's reply refusing to tell her what has happened for "The repetition in a woman's ear would murder as it fell, Shakespeare purposely chose these choice of words to make it ironic to the audience. The audience know that Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are the ones responsible for the Kings murder, it also shows the audience that in this time in the play people do not suspect Macbeth and his wife.
Macbeths trajectory comes to a dramatic climax as he is crowned King of Scotland. However all Macbeth calculating plots are not going to plan, his former close friend, Banquo, is suspicious of Macbeth, thou hast it now, King, Glamis, all, as weird women promisd, and I fear thou playedst most foully fort. Lady Macbeth is anxious and Macbeth is the one who plans to take action, this is a gender change between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. Macbeth becomes paranoid of Banquo. Macbeth is scared of him because Banquo is a clever and wise man and because they used be such good friends, so Banquo knows when Macbeth is lying. Macbeth comes to the conclusion that Banquo is to much of a threat, Macbeth remembers the witches prophecy that Banquos sons will be Kings and this makes Macbeth bitter, he realises that his crown is fruitless and his sceptre barren. He plots to murder Banquo and Fleance so that the witches promise to Banquo may not come true. Lady Macbeth is showing signs of strain, and we hear that Macbeth suffers terrible dreams, for a brief moment Macbeth and his wife show an understanding for each other, however this is brief.
This is a turning point in the Macbeths journey; he keeps the plot of killing Banquo from his wife he is for the first time in the play being decisive. In spite of his newfound masculinity, it is a mistake to hide the facts from Lady Macbeth and this is the beginning of the break in their relationship.
Macbeths mental well being starts to decline and so does his popularity; people start to grow suspicious of Macbeth. Macbeth throws a feast at his castle, the occasion demands courteous behaviour from the king, but when Macbeth sees Banquos ghost he becomes distressed and agitated. He goes into a mad trance before his entire guests, leaving Lady Macbeth to ask all the guests to leave. This episode is a sign of what is to come next for Macbeth, it the start of his great downfall, from being described as a brave warrior to a tyrant. The audience are beginning to see that people are growing suspicious of Macbeth. Lennox talks sarcastically about the king how did grieve Macbeth! Did he not straight in pious rage the two delinquents tear, that were the slaves of drink and thralls sleep? the words are innocent in meaning, but the exaggeration of tone directs the actor to make his speech heavily sarcastic.
Another major turning point in Macbeths character is when he purposely goes to seek out the witches in their caven. The witches show Macbeth three visions; each one makes a different prophecy. Just as the Three Witches prophesied Macbeth's ascendancy to become King in Act 1, Scene 3, here they prophesy his downfall with the Three Apparitions. One warns him that he should be careful of Macduff. When Macbeth finds out that Macduff has fled to England he decides to kill Macduffs family. This is a very significant moment in the play, the audience see that Macbeth is now murder the good and the innocent even when it is not necessary. This shows the audience how brutal Macbeths character has become; he is on a downward spiral.
Once Macduff hears the news he immediately starts plotting revenge, he and Malcom get together an army to kill Macbeth. Lady Macbeth enters in a trance she is raving about the deaths of Duncan, Lady Macduff and Banquo. She is trying to wash away Duncans blood of her hands, this is ironic, and early in the play she said to Macbeth A little water clears us of this deed. The guilt has come back to haunt her. Macbeths earlier announcement that he has murdered sleep is mirrored in Lady Macbeths sleepwalking. By self and violent hands, she kills herself Lady Macbeth kills herself. The former strong minded, cold and calculating Lady Macbeth that the audience see at the beginning of the play would not be the kind of character to take her own life. The audience are not only witnesses to Macbeths fall from greatness but also to Lady Macbeths change in character.
The old Macbeth would not be able to cope without his wife driving him forward, convincing him that what he is doing is necessary to be able to achieve success. However Macbeth is no longer scared, he feels invincible after the witches tell him that the power of man, for none of women born shall harm Macbeth Macbeth now believes he does not have to fear Macduff.
Like many of Shakespeares plays, Macbeth tells a moral story, which the audience are witnesses to. They see Macbeth at the start of the play as a brave warrior and loyal subject. They then see his crave for ambition that eventually loses him his good name and dignity. Before Macbeth comes on stage, the audience hear about how he is a noble warrior and a loyal subject to Duncan. From this the audience expect Macbeth to be a brave and loyal man, we only have one slight doubt about him and that is his involvement with the witches, which surly cannot be good. Macbeth exhibits most, if not all, of the classic traits of a Shakespearean tragic hero almost flawlessly. From his rise to greatness to his ultimate destruction and death, he is most certainly a tragic hero. In conclusion, Macbeth ends with the hated tyrant being slain and order being restored when Malcolm is hailed the new King of Scotland.
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