How does Shakespeare create sympathy for Macbeth in the play?

she uses personification which is another of her manipulative skill which reminds him

about his ambition to be the Thane of Cawdor because drunken people often forget

things. The audience see Lady Macbeth do this several times during Act1 scene 7

when she insults his sanity. For example, she says to “screw” his “courage” which

leaves Macbeth to be feeble and accede what Lady Macbeth say him to do.

Secondly, Shakespeare presents Macbeth as a victim of the scary encounter of

Banquo's Ghost. Firstly Macbeth ordains the ghost to “never shake Thy gory locks at

him!” when he first catches the sight of the ghost. Macbeth's use of the imperative his

fatal attempts to take control of the supernatural, revealing a glimpse of the brave

soldier the audience meet at the beginning of the play. He uses abominable imagery

which portrays the disgusting and scary looks of the ghost as the audience wouldn’t be

able to see the ghost in the play. Furthermore the use of exclamation mark depicts

Macbeth's horror and fear, this is ironic as he was the one who got Banquo

Murdered, also Shakespeare presents Macbeth as overthrown by Banquo and that

Banquo was supposed to be the king as in the stage direction it says that Banquo

ghost is sitting in Macbeth's place ,showing how Macbeth doesn’t deserve his place

making him an outcast rather than a powerful king.

Furthermore, Shakespeare portrays how Macbeth is an ordinary man who is

desperate for more normal life. Macbeth mentions how he wants “love, obedience,

troops of friends” which lacks in his life. He uses long sentence filled with a list of

things a king would have had and also which a are really essential for every human.

Macbeth's use of the word 'obedience' which he once had when he was a loyal soldier,

recalling his past gives a glimpse of Macbeth's regret over his nefarious actions. In

addition, this is showing that he is tired of living the way he is and suggesting his

love for lady Macbeth which has not returned to him as the audience can't see this

throughout the play. Moreover, when he finally loses Lady Macbeth when she kills

herself, audience can then see that his chance of getting “love” is lost as he has lost

everything he has.

Moreover, Shakespeare creates a contrast between 'noble Macbeth' at the beginning

and 'devil Macbeth' toward the end of the play when Macbeth has become an odious

tyrant who doesn’t show any remorse in even killing his own best friend or even killing

innocent Macduff's baby. Shakespeare gives Macbeth a title “noble Macbeth” which

not every soldier or king would often get he and he receives this by the king himself.

He goes against the divine rights of a king which states how a king is equal to god but

Macbeth goes against this with the help of his wife Lady Macbeth even though his

conscience reminding him that he was overstepping the mark. Shakespeare’s use of

diabolical imagery is taking the reference of how devil who was initially a really

good angel but because of his pride and going against god he was forcefully sent to

hell, likewise Macbeth's was initially a really good person but because of bad influence

he is turned into the person he is. Shakespeare makes so many biblical references of

Macbeth forced being like the devil throughout the play like when Lady Macbeth

says him to be the 'serpent underneath'which

is a reference to the snake in the

creation story, which helps the audience refer to this and understand more easily as

they would have really similar to these concepts.

In conclusion with the use of Lady Macbeth Shakespeare creates sympathy for

Macbeth as she was the one who first heightened his ambitions. He knows and

relishes what is good, but he has chosen the opposite making his life a tragedy.