We'ld jump the life to come.But in these cases,
We still have judgement here, that we but teach
Bloody instructions, which being taught, return
To plague th'inventor. This even-handed Justice
Commends th'ingredients of our poison'd chalice
To our own lips. He's here in double trust;
First, as I am his kinsman, and his subject,
Strong both against the deed: then as his host,
Who should against his murtherer shut the door,
Not bear the knife myself. 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-tongu'd against
The deep damnation of his taking-off:
And Pity, like a naked new-born babe,
Striding the blast, or Heaven's cherubin, hors'd
Upon the sightless couriers of the air,
Shall blow the horrid deed in every eye,
That tears shall drown the wind. I have no spur
To prick the sides of my intent, but only
Vaulting Ambition, which o'erleaps itself,
And falls on th'other.
(Macbeth, Act 1 Scene 7 Lines 1-28)
The previous quotation demonstrates how Macbeth feels about murdering Ducan. He initially says that if the whole issue would start and end with the King's death, then it should be done as soon as possible. He also states further on that he should not kill him for several reasons: for example he is his cousin other than his knight and his host. In this quotation the language used by Shakespeare is filled with literary devices. The poisoned cup that the even-handed Justice gives is obviously a metaphor to say that what someone does will come back at him. It is also very important to notice that this metaphor foreshadows Macbeth's death in the play. In this quotation a concept, as Fortune in the previous one, is personified by writing the name with an initial capital letter: Justice. Other metaphors and similies are present. The text, particularly detailed and written with a great number of literary devices, shows the importance of the passage as when Macbeth actually realizes what he should do and what that could cause. He ends the quotation realizing that he would only do it for ambition. Further on he decides not to commit the deed, but his wife seduces him so they decide to kill Duncan in his sleep.
When Macbeth gains power he gains security too because of the three witches' predictions. He is needy of power and will do anything to maintain his position.
The following quotation is the part in which Macbeth goes back to the witches to know more about what he should do to maintain his power and they show him the apparitions. He wants to know what he should do to maintain his power.
FIRST APPARITION: Macbeth, Macbeth, Macbeth:
Beware Macduff,
[...]
SECOND APPARITION: Be bloody, bold, and resolute:
Laugh to scorn
The power of man: for none of woman born
Shall harm Macbeth.
MACBETH: Then live Macduff: what need I fear of thee?
But yet I'll make assurance double sure,
And take a bond of Fate: thou shalt not live,
(Act 4 Scene 1 Lines 77-92)
The first two apparitions are speaking here. Macbeth, even though he has heard both the first and the second one decides to give more credit to the last of these. Why is this? Why would someone listen only one of two warnings? He only wants to listen to what gives him better news. He is full of himself now that he is king and cannot accept that someone could beat him. The final line of Macbeth's speech in this quotation shows to the reader that he would do anything to maintain his power: even to kill someone he is sure could never harm him.
The repetition of the name "Macbeth" in the first line and the three adjectives used by the first line of the second apparition are two examples of trinity. The trinity, which would normally be the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, is often present in the play. One reason for which Shakespeare could have decided to make use of the trinity this often is to demonstrate what Macbeth thinks of himself: a God who is better than anyone.
The following quotation shows the cruelty that Macbeth has in the action he makes to remain king.
FIRST MURDERER: Where is your husband?
LADY MACDUFF: I hope in no place so unsanctified,
Where such as thou mayst find him.
FIRST MURDERER: He's a traitor.
SON: Thou liest thou shag-ear'd villain.
FIRST MURDERER: What you egg?
Young fry of treachery!
SON: He has kill'd me Mother,
Run away I pray you!
(Act 4 Scene 2 Lines 90-98)
The murderer, sent from Macbeth, kills Macduff's son in this quotation, but also manages to kill Macduff's wife after this. What Macbeth does by sending a killer to murder two innocent people - who are by the way a child and a woman - is something profoundly reprehensible at Shakespeare's epoque. The author uses this to show to the public of the play or to its readers that Macbeth (even though he is the hero - or rather tragic hero - of the play) is not someone we should see as an example. The author also wants to show that love may sometimes bring to sins since Maduff's son, that earlier on in the scene has found out by his mother that his father is a traitor, decides to lie and to be killed to defend his father's honor. This however, is the opposite of how Macbeth's love for his wife brought him to sin. In this case the act is generous and made to help others, in Macbeth's case instead it is egocentric and made only to satisfy the couple's ambition.
When Macbeth understands he was fooled by the three witches, he feels scared: his belief has just proven wrong.
In the following quotation, Macbeth tells that if the wood is coming to Dusinane, then there is nothing left to do, he starts understanding his beliefs were based on unworthy people: the three witches.
Fear not, till Birnam Wood
Do come to Dusinane. Arm, arm, and out,
If this which he avouches, does appear,
There is nor flying hence, nor tarrying here.
I'gin to be aweary of the sun,
And wisg th'estate o' th' world were now undone.
Ring the alarum-bell, blow wind, come wrack,
At least we'll die with harness on our back.
(Macbeth, Act 5 Scene 5 Lines 47-55)
In the previous quotation, Macbeth makes a reference to the witches' apparition which said he was going to be safe until Birnam Wood would come to Dusinane. The fact that this wood is in fact moving towards the castle is meant in the play as the soldiers lead by Malcolm decided to diguise themselves by covering with pieces of wood gotten from Birnam Wood. In this part of the play, as in many other parts, there is a reference to wind which, at that time, was a "synonym" of luck.
The following quotation is the final step in Macbeth's downfall: his fear and his cowardness are shown by these words which are told to Macduff.
MACBETH: Let fall thy blade on vulnerable crests,
I bear a charmed life, which must not yield
To one of woman born.
MACDUFF: Despair thy charm,
And let the Angel whom thou still hast serv'd
Tell thee, Macduff was from his mother's womb
Untimely ripp'd.
MACBETH: Accursed be that tongue that tells me so;
For it hath cow'd my better part of man:
And be these juggling fiends no more believ'd,
That palter with us in a double sense,
That keep the word of promise to our ear,
And break it to our hope. I'll not fight with thee.
(Act 5 Scene 7 Lines 49-61)
Macbeth initially challenges Macduff saying he cannot be harmed by any woman born man. Macduff's answer scares Macbeth who finally tells him "I'll not fight with thee". Macduff refers to the three witches who told Macbeth the prediction, an "Angel". This is obviously ironic since the witches are actually evil beings and are so the opposite of angels. In this same quotations the three are called "juggling fiends" which is another metaphor used to describe their manners by the protagonist.
In his last apparition in the play, Macbeth decides to die honourably and gets out of the spiral of his mental deterioration.
The last lines said by Macbeth's character are written in the following quotation:
I will not yield
To kiss the ground before young Malcolm's feet,
And to be baited with the rabble's curse.
Though Birnam Wood be come to Dusinane,
And thous oppos'd, being of no woman born,
Yet I will try the last. before my body,
I throw my warlike shield: lay on Macduff,
And damn'd be him, that first cries hold, enough.
(Macbeth, Act 5 Scene 7 Lines 67-74)
The protagonist states that even though every one of the things that should not have happened have now occured, he will still fight. With these final lines, after which Macbeth is killed by his nemesis Macduff, the protagonist gets back to his noble beginning and shows he has finally got rid of the spiral which lead him to his death. This final step in the main character's life is the only one which brings him away of his process of mental deterioration which began with the three witches' predictions.
Macbeth's mental deterioration goes on throughout the play, with the exception of his last scene in which he goes back to his initial state. As it can be seen by the different passages here described, the mental deterioration goes through three different steps. The protagonist's life ends with a return to his noble initial state.