How does Shakespeare present Macbeth throughout the play

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How does Shakespeare present Macbeth throughout the play?

In the beginning of the play William Shakespeare presents Macbeth as an admirable and brave character who is respected by his countrymen because of his heroic performance for Scotland in the war against the Norwegians. Many soldiers returned and informed the king Duncan about Macbeth's bravery. This is shown in the play where the king said: 'for brave Macbeth well he deserves that name'. This shows us that Macbeth fought excellently and that he was praised by everyone. At this point Shakespeare starts to build up a corruption of Macbeth.

Following this, Duncan, the king, decides to give the title "Thane of Cawdor" to Macbeth as the former title holder betrayed his country and king and therefore received the death penalty. Duncan said this in the beginning: 'No more shall thane of Cawdor deceiver on bosom interest'. At this part of the play Duncan came to know that he had been betrayed by the thane of Cawdor and therefore names Macbeth as the new thane of Cawdor. This is ironic because later we'll come to know that Macbeth will also deceive him.

Macbeth's first response to the witches is shocking to him because the witches call him the thane of Cawdor when he hasn't been told the news yet. The third witch said: 'Hail Macbeth who shall be king here after'. Shakespeare shows that the witches knew something and Macbeth wanted to know more. Shakespeare the play righter told us that Macbeth did have an ambition to become king and rule his country. But Macbeths noble friend and Banquo is more calm and not too sure whether they should trust the witches because he knows that they are evil and whatever they do will lead then into trouble therefore does not take them seriously. At that point Macbeth also thinks he shouldn't fight his way through becoming king and should let everything happen by itself if it is going to become true. As shown in the play where Macbeth said: 'If chance will have me king, why chance may crown me without my stir'. Shakespeare shows Macbeth is not willing to let the evil inside him take over his mind and commit a sin so he becomes king of Scotland.

Macbeth believes it is wrong to kill the king and he is to kind to kill the king as it is written in the play:' It is too full o'th' milk of human kindness to catch the nearest way. This quotation describes that Macbeth is full of human kindness and is too kind and respectful to kill the king. But Lady Macbeth has her own intentions about this she believes it is alright to kill the king for her own good. She persuades Macbeth by provoking and calling him not man enough to kill the king and describing him as frightened person. Macbeth gets provoked and determined to prove that he is man and not afraid of anything. Lady Macbeth instructs Macbeth to act innocent as it is shown in the play: 'look like the innocent flower but be the serpent under it'.

This explains that lady Macbeth is trying to act good because so many people think they are very nice and have welcomed the king in a great manner. However the couple pretends to be nice but are poisonous just like a serpent.
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We can tell that Macbeth is anxious because as he prepares to kill the king he has a visual illusion where he can see a dagger but cannot touch them. Macbeth is confused and anxious because he doesn't know what is happening to him: ' Is this a dagger which I see before me,

The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee I have thee not, and yet I see thee still.

Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible to feeling as to sight? Or art thou but a dagger of the mind, a false ...

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