Matthew Arnold, Dover Beach

spirits and demons to ‘unsex’ her from supposedly limiting feminine ‘softness’ and also to take away her ‘milk of human kindness.’ This utter disregard for her gender and personality coupled with her great ambition shows that her world is in disorder and chaos. Her words also show how unnaturally lopsided her world is as Lady Macbeth then tells us she would have ‘dashed the brains out’ of her own baby, whilst it was ‘smiling in my face.’ This hypothetical atrocity is meant to shock the reader; which mother could so brutally kill a healthy baby while it looked so affectionate and vulnerable. These words foreshadow a calamitous event, the death of Duncan, which quickly causes Nature itself to be unsettled, with animals, birds and insects acting in peculiar and unnatural ways which show us how important and noble Duncan was, that even nature respected him.Macbeth is hesitantly spurred on by his wife; he tells us that his only possible reason for killing Duncan is ‘vaulting ambition’ which is opposed by the ‘double-trust’ in which Duncan has come to honour Macbeth by visiting his castle, with Macbeth his host and kinsman, who should ironically ‘shut the door against his murderer’ and ‘not bear the knife myself.’ Macbeth also describes Duncan metaphorically as an angel with ‘faculties so meek’ which only adds to his guilt and plagues his conscience; Macbeth is a systematic and brave warrior in battle, but is ‘afeard’ to do the same to his widely respected and notable king. This suggests that actions are not so painful on our conscience, it is how they are carried out and for what reasons. This is shown when Macbeth is awarded another title and fame for his bravery in battle, but ironically rewarded with an empty and pitiful kingship for killing Duncan; even his bravery award is ironic; he is gifted a traitors title, another twist the witches enacted. Macbeth is a symbol in this play for failed and misdirected ambition, he attempts to kill Duncan and claim the kingship of Scotland, but in the end is ‘happy, but not so happy’ which means he ends up a lot worse of than before, and eventually turns out as the real victim that suffered through the guilt and shame of being an unwanted and undeserving king.In this play, Macbeth and his wife are portrayed as sneaky and ambitious people which is shown when Lady Macbeth uses a simile to urge and then later compare Macbeth to ‘Look like the innocent flower’ ‘but be the serpent underneath.’ This trickery ends up ironically backfiring on the couple, the veil shrouding their real character is unveiled and this shows them as to what they really are; underhanded and sneaky serpents. This is also shown when Macbeth is shown in a soliloquy saying ‘False face must hide what false heart doth know’ which tells us that Macbeth has intentionally devalued and defaced his life by replacing his slightly feminine heart which displayed empathy and gained trust has now broken all bonds of trust for a crown that fulfils but an empty ambition. This act also has reoccurring impacts on his life, his mindset deteriorates and there is no cure for spiritual help ‘I cannot wash my hands’ and ‘Even great Neptune’s oceans cannot wipe clear this blood from my hands’ ‘All the perfume of Arabia will not sweeten this hand.’ The murder was only committed to ‘account thy love’ for Lady Macbeth, but power has corrupted Macbeth so much that when news that his wife is dead, he now provides a menial metaphorical response ‘Life’s just a walking shadow’ rather than weeping with disbelief. This confirms that Macbeth has crossed a critical point, the journey to this begins with him not being able to say ‘Amen’ and progresses to when Shakespeare implies that sleep is only for the innocent, and ends with Macbeth lacking so much empathy he cares not when his previously beloved wife dies. Despite his guilt and conscience, we however must admire his bravery in battle; despite him knowing that he will die, we are reminded how such a fierce and unbeatable warrior was corrupted, but his courage holds firm till the end as he fights even when it is evident that Macduff will slay him. Macbeth is a play that teaches us of the inherent evils present in misguided ambition; we should not further ourselves to other peoples detriment and also think of the consequences in our actions; what may benefit you tomorrow certainly may not the next day, we cannot be short-sighted in everything. Macbeth teaches us that little can be solved with a tyrant as a leader, who rules with violence to get his way. Macbeth shows us the incredible power of our conscience via guilt; being a more approachable and less deceptive person not only gives us trust, it gives us responsibility to keep that trust which helps us mature and easily beats the alternative, a guilty and prickly conscience that reminds us daily of our unforgotten and abhorrent actions. Lastly, Macbeth teaches us to be wary: Power corrupts.