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Early in the play, the other characters portray Macbeth as a hero and a brilliant warrior, even before he has made an appearance. Shakespeare uses this to his advantage

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Introduction

Macbeth by William Shakespeare "Macbeth" by William Shakespeare is a tale of hungry ambition and violence. Set in Scotland during the Middle Ages it is a story of Macbeth a valiant warrior with a strong lust for ambition. The play is introduced with three witches creating a potion on a thunderous, gloomy night. When the witches meet Macbeth it is not a coincidence. Early in the play, the other characters portray Macbeth as a hero and a brilliant warrior, even before he has made an appearance. Shakespeare uses this to his advantage so that we have no other choice but to think highly of him at the start but the reader's opinion of him may change later on. The other characters hail him to have had a dazzling fight and won the battle for the Scots virtually by his own merits: "For brave Macbeth - well he deserves that name - Disdaining fortune, with his brandished steel Which smoked with bloody execution." We see how the protagonist claims the name of "Brave Macbeth" as he has fought a terrific battle for Scotland against Norway and it shows on his sword as it glistens with blood from his slain enemies. ...read more.

Middle

From this it makes me feel a little sympathetic for Macbeth as Lady Macbeth seems to want to manipulate her way into power and in doing so affecting Macbeth's feeling. Macbeth and his wife discuss killing King Duncan and they try to come to a decision. We can already see Macbeth's discomfort over killing him but Lady Macbeth is very insistent that he does it. Lady Macbeth taunts him, she even says how unmanly he is and how she could do it. "This castle hath a pleasant seat; the air Nimbly and sweetly recommends itself Unto our gentle senses." This is very ironic as little does the King know this is a household that is speaking of killing him. It is not until Macbeth hallucinates a dagger leading him to Duncan's solitude that he decides to kill him. The dagger also relates back to appearance vs. reality and whether the witches are again manipulating him into killing Duncan. Lady Macbeth drugs King Duncan's guards while Macbeth does his deed. The audience in the play is not made to see this horrific task but Macbeth walks out with blood stained clothes. ...read more.

Conclusion

Although Macbeth should have stopped his killing and just told the truth earlier. Macbeth's weakness in character brought out his destruction and if he had not as easily manipulated things may have been different. "I will not yield To kiss the ground before young Malcolm's feet, And to be baited with the rabbles curse." This is Macbeth's last stand as he tells Macduff how he will not surrender and how he cannot face to kneel before Malcolm with everyone judging him for what actions he has done. He knows if he goes to the king everyone will not understand how he was manipulated into it even though it does not excuse his actions and this was why Macduff had slain him. As I have shown, Shakespeare's point about Macbeth's character and indeed every human's character is that people always want more than they have already got given the chance. Shakespeare also hints that every human would even kill their closest friends to gain a huge achievement because of jealousy or sheer ambition. Although Macbeth felt sorry for his deeds it does not excuse what he has done and he should not have been so easy manipulated and in the end this was his downfall. ?? ?? ?? ?? Scott Ryan-Mitchell 10/3/09 ...read more.

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