Macbeth: Hero or villain? Discuss.

Macbeth is an interesting character, as the story progresses Macbeth’s fortune takes different turns some for good and some for bad. Macbeth changes from “brave Macbeth” to “bloodier”. I think that Macbeth is both a hero and a villain at different points in the play. Macbeth’s transition from hero to villain is ongoing.

At the beginning of the play, act1 scene 2, Macbeth and Banquo are seen as loyal courageous fighters returning from a victorious war against the “traitor” Macdonwald and the Norwegians. The sergeant describes the courage of Banquo and Macbeth, who we are told were no more dismayed by the enemy than a “lion” would be by a “hare”. The descriptions are also gory; they tell of Macbeth being a fierce warrior and not being afraid to kill at war, “till he unseamed him from the nave to th’ chops”. King Duncan rewards Macbeth by sending Ross to greet “great Macbeth” with his new title “thane of Cawdor”. As a result, our first impression of Macbeth is that he is a loyal, courageous, brave and victorious warrior, so we see Macbeth as a hero before we have even met him.

In the next scene, we again hear about Macbeth before we meet him. This is because the witches are casting a spell that foretells that Macbeth will meet them at the heath. As they predicted, we meet Macbeth and Banquo for the first time with the three witches on the moors; the stormy setting gives the feeling of evil presence. Macbeth’s opening line is significant “so foul and fair a day I have not seen”, this repeats the witches earlier words, linking them with Macbeth. The witches predict that Macbeth will be king and Banquo will be father to a line of kings. Banquo is suspicious of the witches. However, he is unafraid, probably because he is a good man and therefore they have no power over him. He notices that Macbeth is startled. “Good sir, why do you start and seem to fear”.

This is where the transition begins, once he hears that there is a chance of him being a king, he finds himself thinking of murder.

Even though the witches say Macbeth will be king of Scotland, they do not suggest that h kill King Duncan to achieve this. Their words are for Macbeth to interpret. Macbeth does not have to follow his desires and ambitions; he could resist it, making him a better man, but he does not he goes by the evil method to get what he wants.

In act 1 Sc 3, we hear in Macbeth’s soliloquy how ...

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This is where the transition begins, once he hears that there is a chance of him being a king, he finds himself thinking of murder.

In act 1 Sc 3, we hear in Macbeth’s soliloquy how he is planning to achieve his aim, “whose horrid image doth unfix my hair and make my seated heart knock at my ribs against the use of nature present fears are less than horrible imaginings”. In this soliloquy, Macbeth is in a confused state of mind.

By act 1 sc 4 we can find evidence to suggest that Macbeth is hardened to the thought of murdering king Duncan. In this scene Macbeth is being very good to Duncan by what he is saying, “Service and loyalty that I owe”. This shows that he is trying to give the impression to the people around him that he has nothing against the king and would not kill him. They may not suspect him if they thought this. This shows that Macbeth is becoming more villainous.

Act 1 sc 5, Lady Macbeth reads of Macbeth’s successes and of the witches promises; the messenger announces that Duncan is to stay at Macbeth’s castle. Lady Macbeth assumes that murder is necessary, however, she fears the Macbeth is “too full o’ the milk of kindness” to do it. She sees this as a weakness, which she must “chastise” out of him. She also shows her husband’s ambition to be all-powerful. She insists that Macbeth must kill Duncan in order to fulfil prophesy, “he that’s coming must be provided for, and you shall put this nights great business into my dispatch.

Macbeth is convinced not only by his Lady but also by his ruthless ambition.

Act 2 sc 1, this scene ends with Macbeth nervously waiting for the signal to murder Duncan. First, Macbeth speaks to the dagger he appears to see before him. He wonders if it from his “head-oppressed brain”. It seems to draw him towards murder. With the words “there’s no such thing” Macbeth decides he is imagining things.

In the last part of the speech, Macbeth pulls himself together, realising that he must stop talking and get on with the murder. He hears the bell that is Lady Macbeth’s signal. Then as if he has finally made up his mind, he goes into action.

When Macbeth murders Duncan, the king has no chance against Macbeth because he is asleep and has no weapon. It is a cowardly murder, in the dark. When Macbeth walks past Malcolm and Donalbain’s room, he could not say “amen” to their request for a blessing on their father because he has just murdered him, and has a lot of guilt about this. When he gets to Lady Macbeth, noises torment him; and he seems to have made a very big mistake. At this point, we realise that Macbeth’s ambition and determination leads and his conscience and feelings of guilt follow. In contrast, Lady Macbeth at this point seems indifferent to the murder. She carries on being her normal self, but Macbeth is overrun with guilt.

Later in the play, Macbeth is demonstrating that he is more like the villain that he ends up as. This is shown by his murder of Banquo and the attempted murder of Fleance. Macbeth conceals his guilt by keeping his plans to murder Banquo a secret,, even from his wife, he is devious. “And to our dear friend Banquo, whom we miss, would he be here”, by saying this Macbeth is trying to make people think that he doesn’t he know where Banquo is, this shows his ability to show the truth.

By act 4, Macbeth has become more of a villain. This is emphasised by his brutal murder of Macduff’s family, when the thane is in England. Again, he is acting on the words of the witches, in sc 1 he visits them again and is shown three apparitions. He is told to beware of Macduff, that none of woman born can harm him, and that he cannot be defeated until Burnham wood moves to Dunsinane hill.

The first thing Macbeth thinks of doing in response to the appartions is to seize the castle of Macduff abd kill anyone connected with him. This response shows that he really has become a murderous villain.

In act 5, Macbeth now believes he is indestructible, because of what the witches showed to him. This makes him have no care of the progress of the battle with Malcolm, he is confident that it will go well for him. He does not make any orders because of this, which then leads to his downfall. Near the end of the play Macbeth’s villainy increases. He even orders the hanging of people talking of fear. He still thinks it was a mistake to kill Duncan, but not as much as when he initially did. This is because he speaks of the good life he would have had if he didn’the commit the murders. He still wants this, but has completely the opposite.

Just before he is killed in his castle Macbeth speaks heroically and in a warrior-like manner, showing where his strength is. If we forget Macbeth’s ambition we can admire him for this, “why should I play the roman fool and die on mine own sword? While I see lives, the gashes do better upon them”.

At the beginning of the play, we view Macbeth as being a hero who would defend his king and country against traitors. He also holds a lot of guilt about killing Duncan, and is commanded by his own wife to do it. When Macbeth progresses into a villain, he becomes more detactched from Lady Macbeth and can make decisions without her. With this, he becomes more ruthless in his efforts to stay as the king of Scotland and people describe him as “this tyrant” and “dwarfish thief”. Throughout the play whenever Macbeth tries to achieve his ambition, he always blocks his good heroic qualities in favour of a more villainous way. It is this ambition of his that leads him to become a villain later in the play, which leads to his undoing and eventuall killing by Macduff.