Macbeth, at the beginning of the play is a good man, “Noble Macbeth. He is loyal, brave and courageous. Ironically, he is also happy to serve Duncan, “The service and loyalty I owe In doing it pays itself”. However, his deficiencies outweigh his qualities. Macbeth is very ambitious and being very strong on the battlefield, he finds it easy to kill people, even women and children. Another of Macbeth’s weaknesses is his wife. Lady Macbeth is ambitious and has such a strong desire for power that she is described as “A fiend-like queen”. Her goading convinces Macbeth that killing Duncan is the right choice, “And to be more than what you were, you would Be so much more the man”. She is responsible for Duncan’s death and starts the downward spiral of Macbeth. When Macbeth is King and his position seems to be quite secure he is nervous and suspicious of those around him. As the play goes on he revisits the witches, which ultimately bring Macbeth’s downfall. He so wary of other people that he even kills his friend Banquo and the wife and child of Macduff. Macbeth knows he has made wrong decisions and knows he is guilty of upsetting the natural order. He all too aware of the strange happenings, “Duncan’s horses…’Tis said, they eat each other”. Macbeth cannot cope with what he has done and his mental state descends into paranoia. He cannot sleep and feels so much guilt of killing Banquo that he starts seeing his ghost.
Despite Macbeth having good intentions at the beginning of his reign, the witches make him feel insecure and cause him kill innocent people. By the end of the play Macbeth has changed from a honourable and respected general to a “butcher”, hated by everyone.
Although incompetent kings often retained their title, a good king needed to be a strong political and social leader. A King’s becoming graces as told by Malcolm are, “justice, verity, temperance, stableness, bounty, perseverance, mercy, lowliness, devotion, patience, and fortitude.” In the play, Duncan has all of these qualities, and as a result his loyal Thanes and Kinsmen are willing to fight for him to uphold the natural order and to prevent chaos.
Although Duncan is too trusting and does not see Macbeth for what he really is, he is a honourable King and is considered by his kinsmen as a great man and a good leader, “The gracious Duncan”. King Duncan is generous and rewards people for their service to him, “with his former title greet Macbeth”. He also does not forget those who are considerably lower down than him. This is shown to be the
case after the battle with the rebel Thane of Cawdor. Duncan thanks a captain who has fought for him and treats him like a friend by ordering medical attention, “Get him surgeons.” Shakespeare deliberately makes Duncan seem virtuous and fair to highlight Macbeth’s tyranny and treacherous ambition. In addition, he serves his people well and would want Scotland to be in capable hands when he is gone. Although primogeniture was not carried out in the play, like many Kings, Duncan chose his eldest son to succeed him to the throne. This was often the preferred choice, as it prevented political disputes. As soon as a new king was in place, he had total power over his subjects, that was very useful to prevent power struggles and to stop other contenders to the throne.
Like his father, Malcolm values bravery and loyalty, but since Duncan’s death he has learnt that it is possible to be too trusting. When Duncan is killed, he puts aside his emotional feelings and cleverly flees the scene upon the suspicion that he was next in line. Although Malcolm admired his father’s qualities as a King, we can see that Malcolm is not as naïve and that by the time he has arrived in England, he has become shrewd and wary. This shown to be the case when he tests Macduff’s loyalties to Scotland. Macduff wants to install Malcolm as King not only because Macbeth slaughtered his family, but because he is loyal to his country and believes Malcolm to be the righteous Monarch. Macduff is proven to be loyal to Scotland, as even though Malcolm said that he was not fit to be King, Macduff insisted on helping him claim his crown, “were I King I should cut off the nobles for their lands”.
In contrast to Macbeth, he shows his appreciation for those who have helped him in dramatic and convincing speech, “My thanes and kinsmen henceforth be Earls”. Malcolm becoming King symbolises Scotland’s return to stability, and restores harmony to Scotland.
As told by Shakespeare, Edward the Confessor was the King of England during the short and tyrannous reign of Macbeth. Not only was he the righteous King, he was loved by his people and was thought by many to be the perfect example of holiness. In Macbeth, Edward the Confessor was reputed to have special healing powers given to him by God. When Malcolm and Macduff are staying in England, a doctor in the castle tells them that the English King is so holy that just by touching the sick he can cure them because “he has a heavenly gift of prophecy”. King Edward believes is also generous, “from gracious England have I offer Of goodly thousands.” Being a honourable King, King Edward believes in natural
order and stability, so he gives Malcolm an army so the rightful Monarch can claim the throne. Not only does the holiness of Edward the Confessor highlight the murderous aspects of Macbeth, it reinforces the belief that righteous Kings were chosen by God and were supported by the powers of heaven. Edward the Confessor’s intervention is portrayed as a gift from heaven and represents good overcoming evil.
A dominant theme in Macbeth is stability. Against the backdrop of an eleventh century society Macbeth’s main crime is upsetting the stability and bringing chaos. He denies the righteous King the throne, which at the time would have been a most heinous offence against not only the rightful King but God as well. He knows by killing Duncan he has done an evil thing. Macbeth lets his wife and the witches influence him to a dangerous degree and ultimately bring about his downfall. These forces of evil lead Macbeth to kill his King, his best friend and a woman and child. Macbeth’s mental state deteriorates into paranoia and feels he has to kill people to keep his title. Although Macbeth is King, the play makes the point that the title is meaningless. Illustrated through the points of the play, kings must have respect for the people which they rule. Macbeth’s personal failings as a king were his misguided decisions. Macbeth shows what happens when a king is not fit for the throne. He has no friends, respect, or control and is consequently overthrown. In the play we see Macbeth transform from a honourable warrior, “Noble Macbeth” to a villainous tyrant, “Th’ usurper’s cursed head!”
