name-’
The word brave portrays the image that Macbeth is admired and as it is said by his superior implies that Macbeth is noble and beloved.
Macbeth is very patriotic toward his king this is proven when Macbeth utters:
‘The service and the loyalty I owe,
In doing it, pays itself.’
This shows that Macbeth is a strong believer, in that he was put on to Earth to serve the king who is God’s representative on Earth, the words ‘loyalty I owe…..pays itself’ insinuate that Macbeth is expecting no reward for the service and loyalty he owes as he believes working for and being trusted by the king is a reward in itself. This also illustrates that Macbeth is patriotic toward his king.
Whilst serving his king and country in battle Macbeth is very ruthless, this is proven when the sergeant say’s:
‘with his brandish’d steel
Which smok’d with bloody execution,’
The words smok’d with bloody execution imply that Macbeth has killed many people in battle showing he is able to kill for his king and country. His bravery can be seen especially whilst he’s protecting his king, this once again shows the extent of patriotism and in turn illustrates another one of his qualities which can be said to be heroic.
Whilst the sergeant is talking to the king about the battle he mentions:
‘Till he unseam’d him from the nave to the chaps,’
This seems very gory and ruthless but Macbeth only act’s so cold bloodily whilst protecting his king against his enemies.
The king also has respect for Macbeth which is proven when he say’s:
‘O valiant cousin ! worthy gentleman !’
As Duncan say’s this in public it shows that has respect and honour for Macbeth. The word valiant creates the image Macbeth is courageous and a skilled fighter which is yet another heroic quality.
Macbeth has many other qualities such as his inability to deceive. This is proven when Lady Macbeth states:
‘Your face, my thane, is as a book where men
May read strange matters.’
This provokes the image that Macbeth is an honest man who is unable to deceive or put on a facade as Lady Macbeth points out that he can be read like a book. This further implies that he cannot successfully hide anything from anyone and therefore portrays him as someone who is unable to betray. She looks upon Macbeth’s quality as a weakness in his character.
Unfortunately Macbeth has a fatal flaw which allows him to be manipulated by Lady Macbeth, this is proven when she say’s:
‘……look like the innocent
flower
But be the serpent under’t.’
The word serpent implies that she is attempting to lure Macbeth into some kind of evil deed which proves Macbeth is easily manipulated and is susceptible by his wife which is a tragedy. It is a tragic that such a courageous, brave and intelligent man who is well respected is easily manipulated by the person he thinks of as his equal. The fact that he thinks of Lady Macbeth as his equal is proven when he writes:
‘……….my dearest partner of greatness,’
The word partner suggests that they are equal.
The fact that they are equal and yet she is able to manipulate Macbeth portrays the image that Lady Macbeth is the leader in the relationship.
She manipulates Macbeth to commit regicide which is proven when she say’s:
‘……..Art thou afeard
To be the same in thine own act’ and later she say’s:
‘And live a coward in thine own esteem,’
She uses the word ‘coward’ to put Macbeth down and question his manhood. She manipulates Macbeth in order to get what she wants which is the throne.
After usurping the throne Macbeth changes greatly. He goes from being a popular man who was rewarded the title the Thane of Cawdor by the king, a superb tactician who was well respected by his peers. To a someone is not well respected. He loses all of this respect and admiration which is a tragedy. It is also a tragedy that a man who had so much potential has lost all of this:
‘As honour, love, obedience, troops of friends,’
The phrase ‘troops of friends’ portrays the image that Macbeth’s lost all of his friends and is now alone and does not have any of the things a true king has. Macbeth has lost his honour, love, obedience and friends and is aware of his loss which heightens this tragedy.
Macbeth is unhappy and is aware of what he’s lost this is proven when he say’s:
‘…………………………..This push
Will cheer me ever or disseat me now.
I have liv’d long enough.’
Macbeth is aware of what he has lost and there is a great sense of regret. The words ‘have liv’d long enough’ indicate that he has lost the will to live which is a great calamity.
It can also be verified that Macbeth has lost the will to live when he say’s:
‘……Out, out, brief candle !’
The word candle creates the image that he looks at life as something which can be blown out very easily. This quote indicates that he views life as pointless and realises he has nothing in return, he believes that there is no meaning to life and he has nothing to live for.
After being manipulated by his wife Macbeth is able to deceive this is revealed when he say’s:
‘I think not of them:’
Whilst talking to Banquo about the witches this is not true, he is now able to deceive which is a tragedy. He also deceives when he kills the guards, he say’s that had done this due to the anger that they had killed the king but this is a lie, the fact that he is now deceptive illustrates that he is losing his heroic qualities which is a great tragedy.
Macbeth soon becomes ruthless towards everyone who is a threat in the way of the throne this is proven when he say’s:
‘The castle of Macduff I will surprise
……….give to the edge of the sword
His wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls
That trace him in his line.’
The fact that Macbeth is prepared to kill the families of his friends indicates that he is cold blooded . It is a tragedy that Macbeth will quite easily cold bloodily kill friends and the innocent. He has lost his heroic qualities and is now dishonourable. He is now merciless, relentless and bitter he now shows little remorse or regret over the crimes he has committed which is a tragedy. It is also a tragedy that innocent people are affected by his unhappiness, he puts himself above the law and behaves in an egocentric way.
Macbeth is now living in fear and is paranoid this is proven when he reveals:
‘There’s not a one of them but in his house
I keep a servant fee’d.’
The fact that he’s paid servants to keep an eye indicates that Macbeth is living fear of his thane’s rebellion proving that he is suffering from a guilty conscience.
After usurping the throne he is still unhappy and want’s more, Macbeth is not happy with what he has, this is proven when he say’s:
‘Upon my head they plac’d a fruitless crown,
And in put a barren sceptre in my gripe,
The words fruitless crown create the image that Macbeth was expecting more out of being king and wants more. It is a tragedy that he feels that after killing Duncan and usurping the throne he has nothing meaningful to show for it. Macbeth becomes constantly paranoid and anxious and therefore he feels no enjoyment in his reign.
After committing so many crimes Macbeth acknowledges what he’s done this illustrated when he says:
‘I am in blood stepp’d in so far, that should I wade no more, returning were as redious as go’oer.’
This evokes the image that Macbeth is aware of what he’s done. It is a tragedy that he cannot turn back from his crimes.
Macbeth is also deceived by what the witches tell him and completely believes what they say this is proven when he says:
‘I conjure you, by that which you profess-‘
As he is calling upon the witches for a prophecy it seems apparent that he is completely reliant upon the witchcraft and therefore reliant upon evil which is a great tragedy that a man who had so many heroic qualities is now believing in the work of the devil.
After being fooled around by the witches Macbeth finally notice that he’s been deceived by them this is proven when he refers to them as:
‘…….juggling fiends’
The word juggling implies that they’ve been juggling with Macbeth and they’ve cheated him. Macbeth is now aware that he’s been totally deceived by the witches which is a tragedy.
The fact that Macbeth’s an evil ruler is proven when Malcolm say’s:
‘It weeps, it bleeds, and each new a gash
is added to her wounds’
This show’s that Macbeth is an evil ruler and is not doing a pitiful job as king of Scotland the words ‘It bleeds’ imply that Macbeth is killing Scotland.
Towards the end of Macbeth’s terrible, cold blooded, ruthless and egocentric reign Macbeth is the target of many offensive names these include:
‘Tyrant’
The word tyrant reveals that Macbeth’s rule has been oppressive and he is now looked upon as evil and monstrous. He is also called:
‘Black Macbeth’
The word black reveals that Macbeth is base and his rule has been evil, it is a tragedy that a once beloved man has lost all of his respect.
After his reign he is known as a:
‘butcher’
This word makes Macbeth sound like a baneful person who is only interested in misery and death giving him an image rather like the grim reaper a man who’s evil and very harmful.
I believe that the term tragic hero is one that can be applied to Macbeth. I believe this because from the moment that he committed regicide he started losing his heroic qualities such as his inability to deceive, his patriotism, his courage and the inspiration he was to so many men. He soon becomes an evil baneful man and a hopeless ruler.
Macbeth loses the will to live and loses the respect he once had he even loses respect for his wife this is proven when he say’s:
‘She would have died hereafter’
He now has no love for his wife and feels no bereavement or no pain over the death of his equal. Macbeth is cold hearted, cold blooded and sees no meaning in life.
Macbeth was a man of many heroic qualities and positive characteristics unfortunately he loses these positive qualities and features after losing these he develops many new negative characteristics which is a tragedy.
