The Downfall of Macbeth

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The Downfall of Macbeth

'Macbeth' is a play of witchcraft, deceit, and murder. Written for King James I in 1606 by William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616), the play lives on to capture the imaginations of audiences almost 400 years later. It talks of a King, made so through treason, and impassioned by his greed and ambition, and his wife - a woman who asked darkness to "unsex" her. The pair are eventually overthrown by a mixture of guilt, over-confidence, and Malcolm's forces. This ending of 'good' triumphing over 'evil' was important in that period; especially when witchcraft was a great crime and witches were burnt at the stake. The public wanted to see plays where truth would triumph, especially a reigning King.

Lady Macbeth is, arguably, the essence of the play. Macbeth sees her as his equal, saying:

"My dearest partner in greatness." - 1:5:9

Such a relationship would have been unnatural in Shakespeare's time, where women were dainty figures taking a backseat.

Lady Macbeth puts the wheels in motion without ever touching them, her strong and powerful character is shown through the way she manipulates her husband. She begins by taunting him, almost ridiculing him:

"And live a coward in thine own esteem...

Like the poor cat in'th'adage?" - 1:7:43/4

This is startling. Lady Macbeth is likening her husband to wanting fish yet being afraid of water. The relationship is tipped in favour of Lady Macbeth from the very beginning, in Shakespeare's time this was almost unheard of. She goes on to tactfully say:

"He that's coming

Must be provided for, and you shall put

This night's great business into my dispatch." - 1:6:64-6

Lady Macbeth plays with words here to beguile Macbeth into her snare; he seems almost innocent. Phrases like 'provided for', 'business' and 'dispatch', are all indirect references to killed, murder and killing. Shakespeare uses double meanings to illustrate Lady Macbeth's sly character. It seems that Lady Macbeth understands Macbeth more than he does her. She goes on to say:

"When you durst do it, then you were a man." - 1:7:49

Questioning the masculinity of any man is bound to provoke a reaction, in this case Macbeth immediately does what is needed to be seen as 'a man' through the eyes of Lady Macbeth. Being a man could mean being mature, defensive, strong and valiant. Yet Lady Macbeth asks for none of that. The murder of King Duncan will suffice. His reluctance, however, is evident. He feels guilty before having done anything:

"First, as I am his kingsman, and his subject...

who should against his murderer shut the door." - 1:7:13-5

This shows that Macbeth isn't a character with a complete disregard for human life, after the murder of Duncan the regret is immediate:

"Wake Duncan with thy knocking: I would thou couldst." - 2:2:78

Shakespeare using contrast in his language to show how Lady Macbeth steers her husband,

"Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood/ Clean from my hand?" - 2:2:60

There is a strong contrast with the above line, Lady Macbeth handles the situation with tact and skill by downplaying the murder:

"A little water will clear us of this deed.

How easy it is then!" - 2:2:70-1

The entire scene (Act 2, scene 2) is a tense one, Shakespeare portrays the tension through their rigid speech and monosyllabic question and response. Shakespeare also uses the confrontation of two rivals later on in the play to create an edge, Macduff and Macbeth in Act 5, scene 7, and uses the humour in the porter scene in Act 2, scene 3 to break the tension created in the last scene.

After the death of their father Duncan's sons flee, fearing for their lives. Macbeth is made Thane of Cawdor, Glamis and he has his sights set on King. The whole idea I see here is of wanting more. Macbeth, like many, was never satisfied. As Lady Macbeth said:

"Art not without ambition, but without

The illness should attend it." - 1:5:17-8

This illness, this evil, which is needed to satisfy their "black and deep desires" is what Lady Macbeth instilled in him. Without her boldness of character, her influence over him, Macbeth would never have overcome the "milk of human kindness" within himself to commit treason. Macbeth was not satisfied with what he had because his mind was opened to a dream - that he would one day be king - by the three witches:
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"All hail Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter." - 1:3:47

And Lady Macbeth:

"We fail? But screw your courage to the sticking place,

And we'll not fail." - 1:7:59-61

This desire lead him to kill a friend, Banquo, through such manipulative devices that the influence and importance of Lady Macbeth over him is clearly seen. Macbeth, like his wife, does not outwardly demand the murderers to kill Banquo. He creates an invisible wound upon them, and then pushes them to avenge it:

"Do you find your patience so predominant in your nature, that ...

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