Who is responsible for Macbeth’s change from Hero to Villain?
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Who is responsible for Macbeth's change from Hero to Villain?
At the beginning of 'Macbeth', the title character is a Thane, of high birth and an influential leader who has just driven away the enemy from Scotland. He is a national hero. Yet by the end of Act three, Macbeth has already murdered three people himself and has ordered the deaths of two more. The aim of this essay is to look at the three people who may be responsible for this complete change in character- the witches, Lady Macbeth and Macbeth himself.
The three witches start the first scene of the play gathered in dark, stormy weather, signalled by thunder and lightning. The weather is an indication of change and upheaval and gives us the first clue that Macbeth life will not be easy. The final words of the scene 'Fair is foul and foul is fair' are echoed by Macbeth is his first scene, when he says 'So foul and fair a day I have not seen', establishing a subliminal link between them.
The witches first encounter with Banquo and Macbeth is well timed. He is full of triumph over Scotland's victory. He tries to get the witches to stay and tell him more of what they know.
'Stay, you imperfect speakers, tell me more'.
It makes you wonder if he's already thought about what they are saying about being king. When Ross and Angus arrive with the news that Macbeth is now Thane of Cawdor, Banquo, who had remained silent and distant whilst the witches were there, says:
'What, can the devil speak true?'
Banquo, unlike Macbeth, has associated the witches with evil. But when this first prophecy comes true, Macbeth has immediate proof that the witches know the future. The witches words will always be in Macbeth's mind. The ...
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'Stay, you imperfect speakers, tell me more'.
It makes you wonder if he's already thought about what they are saying about being king. When Ross and Angus arrive with the news that Macbeth is now Thane of Cawdor, Banquo, who had remained silent and distant whilst the witches were there, says:
'What, can the devil speak true?'
Banquo, unlike Macbeth, has associated the witches with evil. But when this first prophecy comes true, Macbeth has immediate proof that the witches know the future. The witches words will always be in Macbeth's mind. The witches have planted the first seeds of ambition in Macbeth's heart. It is his wife who sees that they grow.
Lady Macbeth is unlike her husband. She is the more powerful; dominating, and manipulative. As soon as she has read Macbeth's letter, she begins to plot. She is determined that Macbeth shall be crowned.
'Glamis thou art, and Cawdor, and Shalt be what thou art promised'
She sees the impeding arrival of Duncan as almost too good to be true:
'Thou art mad to say it'.
She invokes evil spirits that they might take away her maternal insincs, love and tenderness that she might have the coldness to carry out her evil plans.
'Come, you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts! Unsex me here, and fill me from the crown to the toe top-full of direst cruelty'
She knows she must steel herself, cease to be all that is associated with a woman. She needs evil power to carry out her plans, and that is not in her nature. She knows that murdering the King is the fastest way to her goal:
'He that's coming, Must be provided for.'
She knows that that night may be the only chance they have. It becomes clear that her role is to seize the moment and facilitate her husbands rise to Kingship.
It is clear that Macbeth is having doubts about murdering the King as can be seen after she first suggests it to him:
'We will speak further'
She uses different methods to try to persuade Macbeth to change his mind. Macbeth tells her:
'We will proceed no further in this business...'
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It is her saying she can no longer love him and her taunts on his masculinity that finally breaks him.
'From this time, such I account thy love
Art thou afeared to be the same in thine own act and valour as thou art in desire?"
She also says that she knew the joy of being a mother and would have willingly given that up to become Queen of Scotland. She uses violent imagery as a shock tactic.
'I have given suck and know, how tender 'tis to love the babe that milks me:
I would while it was smiling in my face
Have plucked my nipple from his boneless gums and dashed the brains out, had I so sworn as you have done this'
She realises that Macbeth's doubt needs to be overcome quickly and this needs extreme measures. By delaying one night, the chance will be gone.
After Duncan's murder, Lady Macbeth, without warning faints:
'Help me hence, ho!'
Is this to distract attention from Macbeth? Or is she shocked by what she and her husband have done? Given her cold, calculating character, I choose to assume the first. However, given that Macbeth, on his own accord, murdered the two guards, it may be that she feels suddenly alone and very scared. Initially, she had to use all her influence to persuade Macbeth to murder. Now he has killed without consulting her at all. It seems to be frighteningly easy for him. Macbeth may also have been directing some of his angry words at her. His fury and menace would really be frightening, especially as earlier in the play, she thinks him too mild to kill the king. She is shocked by the murder of the guards, thinking that there was going to be only one death that night.
The third candidate for blame is of course Macbeth himself, and the first point I would like to make is that Macbeth willingly listened to the witches, and even tried to make them tell him more of what they knew.
'Stay, you imperfect speakers; tell me more'
After they have gone, Macbeth says to himself:
'If chance will have me king,
Why chance may crown me without my stir'
This is an indication that Macbeth is already thinking about acting on the witches prophecies, and wondering what he should do.
Macbeth almost at once moves a step closer to the kingship.
'Glamis, and Thane of Cawdor.
The Greatest is behind'
He was already excited at the witches words and when he recieves the news that he is now Thane of Cawdor he has proof that they really do know the future and begins to believe that he will be king.
Macbeth
