In the opening scenes of the play, Macbeth is called ‘brave Macbeth’ (Act 1, scene 2, line 16), he is a noble soldier who has earned great respect for fighting for his country. Although some may say that he changed throughout the play, I do not think that someone can go from being a brave soldier willing to fight to protect his country to someone who is heartless and feels nothing for his fellow man. Also, he was killing innocent people at the start of the play and was described as a hero but then he is described as a butcher for really doing the same thing. I think it is quite hypocritical for Malcolm to call Macbeth a butcher for doing the same as that which Malcolm honoured him for. I don’t agree that Macbeth could change to become the opposite of himself in the space of a few weeks, and this is the timescale of the play.
Before Macbeth was king he was a soldier, strong in body. Unfortunately, I think that this was balanced by him being weak in mind and conscience. If the witches had not spoken to him and planted the idea of being king in his mind, Macbeth might never have killed King Duncan and eventually become king anyway. I think it was less a case of Macbeth being a heartless killer and more that he was weak and the idea of power tempted him. Macbeth is another contradiction, fitting with one of the play’s main themes; he is a brave soldier but a moral coward.
Killing King Duncan was done for a purpose and I am sure that although many people would think it was wrong, they would also be able to see that he was seduced by the idea of power set forward by the witches. When the play was written I think the murder of King Duncan would have seemed worse than it does to modern audiences because they believed that there was a natural order and that the king was chosen by God. This idea of upsetting natural order is shown when it is said that the country ‘weeps and bleeds’ (act 4 scene 3 line 40) and that Macbeth’s robes ‘hang loose about him’ (act 5 scene 2 line 20) – the robes don’t fit because he shouldn’t be in them as he has displaced the natural order of the throne. I think that many would say that Macbeth ordering the murders of Banquo and his son and Macduff’s family were worse than the first murder because there was not really anything to be gained from them. I agree that they were quite pointless acts but I think that Macbeth had already sunk so low with his feelings of guilt over the first murder that he did not think he could feel any worse; I think he was feeling paranoid that he would lose his power because he had gained it in such an underhand way. He was too suspicious of those he should have trusted and yet too trusting of the witches who he should have found suspicious as people in those times believed in witches and were usually afraid of them.
What is a fiend? The Fiend is the devil; a fiend is an evil spirit or a cruel, brutal or spiteful person. I believe in this case, Malcolm was describing Lady Macbeth as being like the devil. Although she does many cruel and evil things within in the play, I do not think Lady Macbeth is pure evil and so do not agree with the statement given at the end of the play. However, I can see why many would think of her in this way, especially in the time when the play was written, as there was a greater belief in evil spirits and Christian beliefs like the devil. This is shown in the play when Macbeth is called ‘devilish Macbeth’ (Act 4 scene 3 line117) and also ‘thou call’st thyself a hotter name/ Than any is in hell’ (Act 5 scene 7). Although these quotes are not said in reference to Lady Macbeth, they are evidence of the greater belief in Christianity and evil spirits.
We see in earlier scenes Lady Macbeth trying to wash away the blood she can see on her hands as she sleepwalks with words like ‘out damned spot’ and ‘will these hands ne’er be clean?’(Act 5, scene 1, lines 42 and 48). Lady Macbeth also becomes afraid of the dark (‘she has light by her continually’ Act 5 scene 1). I think this is because she is afraid that dark spirits will come and punish her for the acts she has allowed to happen.
The blood Lady Macbeth tries to wash off her hands when she sleepwalks is the blood she said would need ‘only a little water’ to wash away, showing that Lady Macbeth likes to try and portray an image to the audience that she is emotionless and evil but in the subconscious she cannot suppress her feelings of guilt and we know that these eventually lead to her taking her own life. Another sign of this human being masquerading as evil is that when Lady Macbeth goes to kill Duncan, she cannot as he looks like her elderly father as he sleeps. Although some may say this does not balance the cruel acts she does, I think it shows that Lady Macbeth does feel compassion for others and is just unable to show these feelings most of the time. Also, those people should remember that Lady Macbeth doesn’t actually kill anyone in the play and we don’t know if she even knows or helps to plan the murders of Banquo and Macduff’s family.
Historically, the real Lady Macbeth had supposedly had many miscarriages. I believe Shakespeare used this information as a contributing factor to her driving ambition; she wanted to succeed in the areas of life that she could as she had failed so many times in this area. I also think this could have been led to her eventually going mad.
Both Macbeths are very affectionate towards each other, especially in the earlier scenes of the play. I do not think that a ‘butcher’ and a ‘fiend’ would show this genuine care for another person
Although both Macbeth and his wife commit many immoral and destructive acts I do not think that the comment said by Malcolm at the end of the play about them being a ‘butcher’ and ‘fiend-like’ is true or fair. I think that Macbeth was weak and seduced by power and both of them feel remorse for what they do. However, I can see why it was said and why many people would believe it was true as the Macbeths did kill many innocent people in their pursuit of power and what they did was unforgivable but they are not purely evil.
