English Macbeth coursework-Is the supernatural wholly responsible for the tragedy that occurs or is Macbeth fatally flawed and responsible for his own heinous crimes?

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English Macbeth coursework

Is the supernatural wholly responsible for the tragedy that occurs or is Macbeth fatally flawed and responsible for his own heinous crimes?

It is my contention that all of the central characters have some integral part to play in the tragedy that occurs. Each have some function in the heinous crimes, and hence one individual cannot be held completely responsible for the bloodshed that occurs.

William Shakespeare was born in April 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon. His father was named John Shakespeare; he was originally a glove maker before eventually becoming a politician. His mother, Mary Arden, belonged to the ranks of high society, being from a wealthy family, she subsequently inherited a great deal of money and farmland. Shakespeare was the third child born to the couple, but was the first to survive. The Shakespeare’s went on to have four children, Gilbert, Richard, Joan and Mary. Shakespeare’s family was quite wealthy, and when Shakespeare was four, his father was established as High Bailiff of Stratford. Shakespeare’s first school was Petty school and when he was seven, it is believed that he went to the local grammar school until at the age of twelve, when he left to help his father who had run into financial trouble. At the age of eighteen, Shakespeare met Anne Hathaway who was the daughter of a local farmer. She was twenty-six. They married in November 1582 and in May 1583 gave birth to their first child Susanna, she was followed two years later by twins Hamnet and Judith. Shortly after this, Shakespeare left Stratford, leaving his family behind.

Sometime between 1585 and 1592, Shakespeare arrived in London and found a job in the theatre. He began to act and write a variety of plays and they were hugely popular, though many considered him to be intellectually insecure given that he was not university educated. In 1956, sadly young Hamnet died. By the age of 33, Shakespeare was making vast amounts of money and had been propelled to success, thus gaining country wide fame. He bought the second biggest house in Stratford, lots of land and a share in London’s finest theatre, ‘The Globe’.

When James 1 became king he displayed a huge interest in the theatre given that he was patron of the arts. He ordered Shakespeare’s company to change their name to the ‘King’s Men’. In June 1613, Shakespeare’s play ‘Henry V111’ was put on at ‘The Globe’. During the play, a live cannon shot out a burning ball of paper, which landed on the thatched roof of the theatre. The whole building caught fire and within an hour it had burnt to the ground. After this, Shakespeare decided to retire and move back to Stratford.  He was forty-nine and had written thirty-seven plays. He died on the 23rd of April 1616 at the age of fifty-two. He was buried two days later in Holy Trinity Church in Stratford.

‘Macbeth’ was an old Scottish legend and according to the ‘Holinshed's chronicles of England, Scotland and Wales’, Macbeth became king of Scotland in 1040 after having defeated an inadequate, weak and youthful leader. Shakespeare’s Duncan was much older and demanded respect from Thanes; his murders were more heinous in the dramatic interpretation. The historical Macbeth reigned as king for 17 years. James 1, formerly a ruler in Scotland, was the eighth descendant of the Banquo-Fleance line and because of this Shakespeare presented Banquo in a more honourable light than the historical Banquo actually was.

James 1 was intrigued and terrified by witchcraft. In 1597, he produced a book called ‘Daemonolougie’, which acted as a guide to recognise and defeat witches. King James believed that he had encountered witches and claimed three witches had raised a storm in order to drown him on his wedding trip. He believed that his encounter was real and three women were consequently murdered after they admitted sailing in a sieve to sink the ship. However, Shakespeare presented this encounter in Act one scene three. During this century, it is estimated that between 4,500 and 8,000 women were destroyed for supposedly practising witchcraft. The king even passed a law proclaiming death to anyone who was thought to be meddling in the dark forces. Shakespeare used the idea of witchcraft, kingship and moral order to develop the play, as these themes were greatly admired by a Jacobean audience.

The play is extremely dramatic in its depiction of the corruption of natural order and raw ambition. It starts with the three strange witches meeting on an empty heath. King Duncan wins a great battle and Macbeth becomes a hero. Furthermore, Macbeth and Banquo meet the witches. They predict that Macbeth will be the ‘Thane of Cawdor’ and later King. The prophetic hag’s first prophecy comes true and Macbeth does become ‘Thane of Cawdor’. Macbeth writes to Lady Macbeth telling her what the witches said. In an ambitious move the husband and wife plot to kill King Duncan. When Duncan comes to stay at Macbeth’s castle, Lady Macbeth persuades Macbeth to go ahead with the murder and grudgingly he does. Malcolm and Donaldblain, sons of Duncan, escape to England and Macbeth is crowned King. However, Macbeth does not trust Banquo and has him murdered, but when Macbeth has a feast, Banquo’s ghost appears. Hence, Macbeth resolves to revisit the witches and he sees strange apparitions, meanwhile, Macduff’s wife and children are murdered by order of Macbeth. Lady Macbeth then becomes insane and dies. The castle is attacked, Macbeth is killed and Malcolm is proclaimed King.

One lone character cannot be solely to blame for this tragedy, all of the central characters should be apportioned some blame.

Macbeth is a brave and noble soldier who fought heroically for King Duncan. One would not suspect him of pre-mediated murder. Therefore, the witches must have had the ability to corrupt, manipulate and shape his mind.

Macbeth must certainly be apportioned some blame as every man is in control of his own destiny. The witches never specifically told him to kill, they merely implanted a suggestion. Macbeth obviously had ambition, which was sparked from the beginning. The witches simply helped to spark this ambition and then worked to keep it alight. He acts along with the help of Lady Macbeth. She manipulates and supports his evil deeds. Macbeth had the power to reject the witch’s suggestions and allow nature to take its course, this is evident, as he was able to control hundreds of soldiers in battle and give orders. He was not a weak and challenged man man. Macbeth was on the contrary selfish and power hungry. He let his greed influence him.

        “Loves for his own ends, not for you”

However, one can reason that Macbeth was not always in control. He is said to be in a ‘rapt state’ and one whethers this has anything to do with the elemental forces or his over – sexual, manipulative wife. Even so, he may be possessed but he is in control of himself as the dialogue suggests,

                “Stay you imperfect speakers tell me more”

In addition, his tone changes as he gains confidence and he becomes aggressive. This suggests that he is in control and can make up his own decisions.

However, there are reflective moments when he reflects on his actions and decides against murder.

        “If chance will have me king, why chance may crown me/without my stir”

However, this way of thinking is soon non-existent in the second act. Macbeth would be viewed as a hero if he made his own judgement and resisted the temptation.

Lady Macbeth is also marginally to blame. She is introduced when she reads Macbeth’s letter. She is pushed, pressurised, manipulated and calculated the pre-meditated murder. She is powerful and dear to Macbeth and takes full advantage of this. However, we would not expect a woman to rein such power, as this would have been unlikely given the period. Without her cajoling, Macbeth may never have gone through with the first murder. She took control and handled the murders as an unsexed entity. It seems that Lady Macbeth may have been connected with the supernatural before, as she calls out to evil spirits.

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        “unsex me here”

Lady Macbeth could be considered a witch according to the standards of Shakespeare’s day. She subverts the order of the sexes and the usual family hierarchy by trying to assume more power than the head of the family, her husband. She does appear to have more power over him, as she challenges his manhood so he will commit the murder of Duncan.

        “And live a coward in thine own esteem”

 She uses sexual means to control her puppet – like husband and entrances him; thus she is like a witch.

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