This Dead Butcher And His Fiend-Like Queen. How does Shakespeare change the characters of Macbeth and his wife throughout the play?
This Dead Butcher And His Fiend-Like Queen.
How does Shakespeare change the characters of Macbeth and his wife throughout the play?
In the very last scene as Malcolm is crowned the King of Scotland he says, "producing forth, with a cruel ministers of this dead butcher, and his fiend-like Queen". This sweeping statement, whilst revealing Malcolm feelings does not reveal the extent to which a person can change from good to evil.
This tragic play shows in great detail the degradation of two virtuous people and the evil that may be in man. Macbeth is a Scottish nobleman and important kinsman of King Duncan. Macbeth's heroic leadership of a winning tactic in battle shows his talent, courage and loyalty to his country. At the start of the play he is well respected, and after his feat of bravery and gallantry, Duncan believes him worthy enough to receive the title Thane of Cawdor, but he is then cajoled and inveigled into cruelty and murder. Shakespeare adopts many styles and techniques to show how Macbeth's character develops and changes as the story unfolds and we see Macbeth turn from good to evil. From a "noble Macbeth", "brave Macbeth-well he deserves that name" and "worthy gentlemen" into a negative soul searching "butcher".
In the opening scenes Macbeth's name is aligned praise "brave Macbeth" fighting a war for God, king and country. Further acts of bravery with Banquo are also spelled out in the phrases "as sparrows eagles" and "the hare the lion". Representing bravery and reminding us of the natural order and patterns of nature in which each creature has its own place. This scene is important, because it establishes the good character of Macbeth.
The following scene is so different from the first. There is a stark change as we are taken swiftly from good to evil with the imagery of the three witches. They speak of their experiences of devastation and havoc and immediately you believe that doom is to come. Macbeth and Banquo enter into this scene of doom "so foul and fair a day I have not seen". They have just won a battle, but sense foreboding. The witches chant, "All hail Macbeth, hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor" "all hail Macbeth, that shalt be King thereafter". This line is so important as it leaves us to imagine what will go on in somebody's mind when we are told that great things will come of us.
Macbeth at first is surprised and dismissive of the witches' prophecy, but is intrigued "stay your imperfect speakers, tell me more". "Speak I charge you" he says and inwardly a seed of ambition is laid. His desire to be King is aroused and this ambition is his downfall. Banquo asks, "Why do you start and seem to fear things that do not sound so fair" already noticing a change in Macbeth. The witches prediction for Banquo that his will be "lesser than Macbeth, and greater," "Thou shalt get Kings, thou be none" leaving us with the thought that sons of Banquo will reign. In this opening soliloquy Macbeth reveals his intentions of murdering the King. This insight into his evil side and his ambitions show his mental frailty and evil intentions. However, he feels that "If chance will have me King, why chance may crown me without stir" and it isn't until King Duncan places an extra obstacle of his son Malcolm as his successor that he realises that if he is to be King then he must kill Duncan. "The Prince of Cumberland". He says "That is a step on which I must fall down, or else O'er leap, for in my way it lies". Indicating his ambition and resolve to overcome any obstacle in is way to becoming the King
Lady Macbeth is also shown initially as a virtuous, loyal loving wife who is then consumed by ambition when she reads the letter informing them of the appointment to the Thane Of Cawdor and when the servants address her "hailed me Thane of Cawdor" she feels that her position in the natural order of society has risen. She believes that Macbeth could be King. The letter goes to her head. She is wracked with ambition and you see her character change. She says" Unsex me here, and fill me, from the crown to the toe, top-full of divest ...
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Lady Macbeth is also shown initially as a virtuous, loyal loving wife who is then consumed by ambition when she reads the letter informing them of the appointment to the Thane Of Cawdor and when the servants address her "hailed me Thane of Cawdor" she feels that her position in the natural order of society has risen. She believes that Macbeth could be King. The letter goes to her head. She is wracked with ambition and you see her character change. She says" Unsex me here, and fill me, from the crown to the toe, top-full of divest cruelty, make thick my blood" this evolution from good to evil is stark and horrible. Is Shakespeare saying that this is in all who have ambition? "But without the illness should attend it". Casting off her womanly guise she feels that she will be stronger.
Macbeth wants to be King, but doesn't want to kill Duncan "First I am his kinsman and subject, strong both against the deed, then as his host, who should against his murderer shut the door, not bear the knife myself" Shakespeare tantalizes us. If he were evil would he have these thoughts? If he were evil his duty to the King would not have been a hindrance. But Lady Macbeth uses scolding and punishing words such as "and like a coward in thine own esteem" to drive away any doubts and by playing on his bravery. "When you durst do it, then you are a man". She beckons him on to commit the murder. However, she doesn't force him to do it. She uses her powers of persuasion and influences him, appealing to his inner sense of evil and ambition. For there to be a tragedy it is important that he is responsible for his actions as it shows the two sides of Macbeth's character. Lady Macbeth continues to lead him on saying "tis love the babe that milks me. I would while it was smiling in my face have pluck'd my nipple from his boneless gums, and dash'd the brains out."
Macbeth raises the dagger, which he sees as his instrument of death. This soliloquy reveals his inner consciousness and his denial of his true self. It is the dagger that would carry out the deed. "Is this the dagger, which I see before me" It is the dagger of his mind.
At Macbeth's castle Lady Macbeth says "that which has made them drunk has made me bold". "What hath guided them has given me fire". Showing her inner character and her evil coming out. She drugs their drinks so that the scene is set for Macbeth to murder King Duncan. Her change in character from good to evil in pursuing Macbeth to commit murder is clear.
Macbeth murders Duncan, but immediately after realises the enormity and horror of the deed, which contrasts to earlier in the play where he is more worried about getting caught rather than the mental and moral consequences. He is frightened and forgets to place the daggers at the side of Duncan's guards. When he returns to Lady Macbeth he looks at his hands in dismay. This is a clear technique used by Shakespeare to show the inner character. It is as if the hands like the daggers have done the deed, but he is fearful and the blood on his hands disgusts him. "This is a sorry site". "And will all great Neptune's oceans wash this blood clean from my hand?" She responds by saying "Consider it not so deeply" She shows her calculated fiendish mind, which once was of a kind and loving nature, by then taking the daggers back and smearing the guards with blood. By now Macbeth is beside himself, he says he will "sleep no more".
Lady Macbeth is shown as the architect of her desires and ambitions, while Macbeth, who early in the play was shown as brave and forthright, is now shown to be weak and snivelling and full of regret and guilt. He hears voices telling him that he has "murdered sleep". This irony makes him believe that in killing, he has killed his own ability to be at peace. His own evil is so great that "I could not say amen", but by this time he cannot turn back. "I know my deed, but best know myself," by killing the King he has assured himself of the crown. His realization that in doing so he has given up his soul makes him especially sensitive to maintain security of the crown. His thoughts now wander back to he witches' predictions that Banquo's children rather than Macbeth's would inherit the crown and he believes that Banquo may slay him to gain control of the crown. He believes that Banquo "Hath a wisdom that doth guide his valour" and even if Banquo doesn't succeed Macbeth still believes that Banquo's children and not his will inherit the kingship. Macbeth decides to have Banquo and Fleance murdered, which earlier in the play he wouldn't even have considered murdering his best friend but he goes on to conceals this act from Lady Macbeth. Phrases such as "Make our faces vizards to our hearts" tell the reader that he is now driven to control his own destiny, where once he believed it was determined by God.
Shakespeare shows us a clear contrast between Banquo and Macbeth. Banquo is revealed as representing good and truth, honourable, honest and loyal. Macbeth however, is shown to start with all these qualities but as the play ensues he becomes treacherous, scheming, cruel and yet wracked with regret and guilt. Lady Macbeth and Macbeth's relationship is shown to deteriorate through the conflict and it is clearly shown at the beginning of the scene when Macbeth says, "you know your own degrees sit down." This is telling the guests to sit in the correct places according to their rank and this is ironic, as Macbeth isn't sitting in his correct place, as he is not the rightful King. You can cross-reference this to the end of the banquet scene where Lady Macbeth says, "Stand not upon the order of your going, and this shows the Macbeth's disregard for the system which he has overridden and how the hierarchy has been disrupted by Macbeth. The two quotes together also show the collapse in Macbeth's mental stamina and how he is slowly becoming more and more remorseful of his actions. From this scene you can also say that Macbeth isn't the lawful King, as he never gives a "cheer" to welcome himself and others under him, as the new King. During the banquet scene Macbeth sees Banquo's ghost and is delirious it is an important scene as it again shows the deterioration and remorse of Macbeth. There is irony at the beginning as he says "were the graced person of our Banquo present" knowing full well that Banquo is dead. The irony being that Banquo is at the banquet as a ghost. During this scene Macbeth nearly reveals himself as a murderer to the others and it is only the intervention of Lady Macbeth that saves him from himself. The banquet was to have been a success for Macbeth, but unfortunately it is not. When confronted by Banquo he says "I am in blood stepped so far". " That should I wade no more". Lady Macbeth tries to intimidate him and prick his conscience "Are you a man" she says but he retorts "Ay and a bold one that dare look on that, which might appal the devil". He overrides his thoughts of his wife and she has to ask the guests to leave.
He returns to the witches so that he may "Know by the worst means, the worst" he repeats his determination to consolidate his position, which reinforces his commitment to evil. At the start of the play he was honourable and truthful and now he is shown to be malevolent and not in control. Evil has over powered his mental capacity and he is paranoid of his position. He now turns this evil attention towards Macduff (who has fled to England to get an army to stop Macbeth) and kills his family.
By now Scotland "Is unhappy with Macbeth's" rule "It weeps, it bleeds; and each new day a gash" says Malcolm. He condemns Macbeth as a "Tyrant". "This tyrant who sole name blisters our tongues and was once thought honest," this highlights the changes that have overcome Macbeth and the opinion of him held by others. Shakespeare has shown in this scene Macbeth's transition from good to bad "Not in the legions of horrid hell can come a devil more damm'd in evil".
Macbeth has now isolated himself from everyone including his wife. She in turn has become tormented by her own guilt over her part in the murders. As Macbeth continues without her help she has become more alone and in her torment starts to sleep walk and repeatedly "thus washes her hands" as if to wash the ill deeds away. Alluding to the earlier scenes where Macbeth washes his hands of guilt. But like him she cannot. "I have known her continue in this for a quarter of an hour," in her sleep she expresses surprise at the deeds of Macbeth, who has murdered without her encouragement. She says "who would have thought the old man to have so much blood in him". Shakespeare now paints her character as one who has realised her crime and may be repentant, but not forgiven for her sins "All the perfumes of Arabia, will not sweeten this little hand", she says in the knowledge that he crimes will never leave her mind. She is insane and kills herself, later in the play unable to remove the "damned spot". This refers to the blood spilled and she is unable to remove this whereas earlier she thought she had enough power to resist anything and earlier stating "that a little water shall clean" her of this deed.
When Lady Macbeth dies Shakespeare has shown that they were both driven apart by avarice, ambition and evil. Macbeth is now shown to be indifferent to her death. "She should have died, hereafter" and " Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow". By now soldiers are at the gate. He realises the futility of his situation and resigns himself to his fate without fear "I have almost lost the taste of fears". " At least we will die with harness on our back". This gives the impression that he at least wants to die in honour as a soldier, But whilst accepting his fate he regains some of his earlier valour and remembers the witches words "Fear not Macbeth, no man that's born of woman shall ere have power over thee". This temporary confidence boost is dealt a blow when in the final fight scene when he learns that Macduff was " from his mother's womb untimely ripp'd". He now feels vulnerable. During this fight scene he is shown to have some remorse not wanting to take Macduff's life, but now he feels unprotected and Shakespeare shows that his confidence has deserted him, but that he still has some pride not wanting to give in to Macduff and be pilloried and "Baited with the rabbles curse". He fights on and dies in disgrace, "a butcher with his fiend-like queen."
At he start we are all lulled into liking Macbeth, but this tragedy moves on very quickly to the evil in man, progressively worsening his fate and circumstances until death seems the only way out. Macbeth is seen to be a "butcher" and his wife a "fiend." Both are driven by avarice and ambition and greed and an arrogance of their situation protecting them from all. However, good is shown to eventually prevail and evil is finally slain. Both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth become brutal murderers, conniving, scheming and yet vulnerable. They have succumbed to ambition and evil and whilst their inner characters are shown to be good, they are still a "butcher and a fiend."
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Alexander Ford 11L
