Macbeth’s character is further unwrapped, as he realise that the “judgement” is still present in him to act sanely and prevent anything further from happening, or else this very conscience will come back to “plague th’inventor” with guilt and shame. He recognizes that the King is here in “double-trust”, firstly as he is his loyal subject, whom he has kept full faith in, and secondly as his host, who should be protecting him rather than “bear the knife” himself. He realises that Duncan was a virtuous and “meek” leader, and his death would result in his subjects would weep his loss like a “naked newborn babe”. Performing regicide would also lead to the heavens trying to stop him, as the “angels” would plead him to stop, simply because of the unnatural act, that he would be “damned” for eternity. The soliloquy ends with his recognition that his driving ambition “o’erleaps itself”, and that he doesn’t own the spark that will “prick the sides” of his intent, and convince to perform and act, which goes against all the virtues and innocence that he possesses.
When staging this soliloquy, I would firstly prepare the set in a particular manner. On one side of the stage, I would place Duncan, dining with other noblemen amongst pleasing, traditional, Scottish music. But on the other side, which is Macbeth’s room, we can see the troubled Thane, darting back and fro across his room evaluating the current situation. The division in the stage contrasts the moods, as Duncan is joyfully relishing his banquet, which is ironic as soon he would be at the doors of death, while Macbeth struggles between his conscience and his ambition.
His costume consists of a white top, underneath it lays a black top, and the clothing below is also black. This symbolises his confusion as to whether to lean towards his “black and deep desires” or prevent this by happening. A solitary white light follows Macbeth around the stage, again representing the conscience that he holds, but the darkness around him represents how it is surrounded by the evil of his ambition. His tone of speaking is equivalent of one person thinking aloud, as he travels through all the factors behind the prevention of this murder.
The darkness around Macbeth also links back to Banquo’s observation of there being “husbandry in heaven”, which he basically means that it was a starless, therefore darker night. This can be referred back to when Macbeth calls upon the supernatural, and asks the “Stars, hide your fires, /Let not light see my black and deep desires.” This justifies the part that the supernatural plays in this text, and shows the twisted nature of the act of regicide, as the unrest in the macrocosm, which in this case is the sky, reflects the microcosm, which in this case is the castle.
Structure has been effectively used here, as Lady Macbeth’s early predictions had now been validated, thus improving the understanding of the audience and proving her insightfulness. She mentioned that her husband was just “too full o’th’milk of human kindness”, in which the diction milk acts as a symbol for his cowardly nature and his purity, which would affect him in performing a murder of such a major individual. Such is her knowledge of her husband, that she even sees that he doesn’t hold the “illness” to attend his “ambition”, which is more or less what the contrasting Thane of Cawdor mentions in his soliloquy.
Just as Macbeth sees the senselessness of the murder he's planning, which he does with the aid of a evaluative soliloquy, his wife comes looking for him. She very forcibly points out that the King has almost finished his supper, and Macbeth should be there, pretending to be the happy host. Macbeth though pours out his intentions to stay still and “proceed no further in this business”. He explains that he wants to enjoy the honours that the King has just bestowed upon him. He enjoys the “golden opinions” he has received from all sorts of people and the reputation he has developed, which he believes “should be worn in their newest gloss”, rather than be “cast aside so soon”. In saying this, he may sound firm and reasonable, but it turns out that he doesn't have a chance against his wife's passionate scorn.
Macbeth stands still now when stating that he has no intention sin resuming with this murder. The fact that he is standing still shows that he has, temporarily, rid himself of the confusion. The lights are used effectively to describe the contrasting characters of husband and wife, as Lady Macbeth, being the fiery and wicked woman, has a red light following her and Macbeth remains with a brighter white light, which represents that he is “full o’the milk of human kindness” and that he has now obtained calm and courage.
Lady Macbeth is a seductive, attractive woman, who upto some extent can use her looks to overcome the doubts anyone has. She stands taller than Macbeth, representing her dominant power over him.
Lady Macbeth guesses that he has suddenly been numbed by fear, and sets out to nullify his doubts by attacking his masculine ego. She accuses him of being the kind of person who can only dream of wearing kingly robes only when he's drunk, and asks sarcastically, "Was the hope drunk / Wherein you dress'd yourself? Hath it slept since?" She continues mocking him by saying that he had woken up “green and pale”, after he had unawaringly vowed to kill Duncan.
She then manipulates their relationship, and patronisingly accuses him of giving the same, fake promises in terms of their love. This obvious affects him even more because of the close, intimate relationship that they shared. She questions his pride by asking him if he were afraid to convert his big-talk ambitions and “desire” into his “own act and valour”. Her accusations of him being cowardice is ironic, as he has just returned from battle where he fearlessly eliminated the Norwegians, and even ends up comparing him with the "poor cat i'th’adage", who wants a fish, but doesn't want to get its feet wet.
The whole stage darkens now, with a bright, red light focussing on Lady Macbeth, and a dimmer, white light on Macbeth who is growing even more timid by the minute. Macbeth is crouching on his knees now, showing how his wife is suddenly overpowering him. An erratic sort of music is slowly replacing the calm, traditional music, and sounds of “thunder and lightening” play in the background, reminding the audience of the manipulative part that the supernatural, that is the witches in this case, plays in the sudden boost of her power.
The fact that a brighter light shines on Lady Macbeth is evident of how she is beginning to dominate him, and how all of his virtues are being nullified.
Macbeth, though counters her statements by rightfully explaining that he had done “all that may become a man”, and that whoever would do more “is none”. This is proven by the fact that in the play so far, he has been masculine enough in order to put his life in risk to nobly protect his King, and that if he shall murder him, he wouldn’t be a true man.
Now Macbeth begins to slowly rise from his crouching position, and his light gets brighter, representing that he does perhaps have a chance and his conscience may win this duel.
But Lady Macbeth issues a new tirade against him, and asks him if some sort of “beast” had made him break this “enterprise” to her, and that if he would willingly murder the King and claim the “golden round”, then he would rightfully be called “a man”. Her intentions are so fierce, that she evens states that she could go to the extent of killing a innocent, “smiling babe”, by horribly dashing its “brains out” while it were feeding. The theme of the unnatural arises here as well, as the thought of a mother killing its own, powerless baby isn’t normal, and this thought is used to unnaturally persuade Macbeth.
This new tirade hits Macbeth hard, as he immediately falls to the floor after his attempts to reach out to the goodness. His light begins to dim even further as it seems he has been totally overpowered after this.
When Lady Macbeth mentions the wicked thought of killing her own “babe”, a huge bolt of thunder will be echoed around the stage, just to further alarm the audience after they have already been surprised by how keen she is to achieve her goals.
When Macbeth questions her about the possibility of failure in the deed, she laughs-off this warning, and again resolutely reminds him to “screw” his fears down, and explans her plan for the day. She then proceeds to tell her husband how Duncan will be murdered and how she will make his two chamberlains appear to be guilty. She will get the guards drunk with wine upto such an extent that their memories would be smoked away like a “fume”, and that then those very “spongy”, drink-sodden officers would “bear the guilt” of regicide, rather than them.
Macbeth improves a bit on his wife’s plan by saying that they'll use the daggers of Duncan's attendants, and then smear his blood on the “sleepy” attendants, and appreciates her masculine ways. Lady Macbeth assures him that nobody will dare raise any questions because he and she will "make our griefs and clamour roar” and act extremely distraught at his deathbed.
Macbeth ends the scene with an assertion that he is now “settled” and prepared to carry out this feat, which he describes as “terrible”, proving once again that he still has a conscience, but at the same time is committed to fulfilling his promises and pleasing his wife. This is the moment of the hubris, as from know its seems inevitable that he will kill the King, and ends the scene with the quote “False face must hide what false heart doth know”.
The light shining on Macbeth turns into the same as his wife, as now they are both on the same level of thinking after he has is fully convinced to continue with this evil task.
He also rips off his white clothing, to reveal the black underneath it, which exposes the wrongdoing and evil that has taken over him. The music remains erratic, as thy share the common plan of regicide.
Lady Macbeth’s dominance in this scene can be linked to act one, scene five, when we first meet this stormy character. As the scene opens, Lady Macbeth is reading a letter from her husband. The letter tells of the witches' prophecy for him, which is treated as a certainty, because "I have learned by the perfectest report, they have more in them than mortal knowledge” He tells her about their prediction that he would become the Thane of Cawdor and the King of Scotland. Macbeth further indicates in the letter that he truly believes he will gain the throne, saying to his wife that he wanted her to know "what greatness is promised thee." He describes himself as “burned in desire”, the effective metaphor emphasising his ambition and proving that the witches have trapped him, and links to when his insightful comrade Banquo mentions how his “partner’s rapt withal”. Macbeth seems to trust the witches absolutely, because he is writing to his wife, his "dearest partner of greatness," so that she "mightst not lose the dues of rejoicing"
Lady Macbeth resolutely states that he will definitely be “What thou art promised”, but on the other hand she fears that hi nature is “too full o’th’ milk of human kindness/To catch the nearest way”. The “milk” is symbolic of his purity, which would prevent him in acting without pity. She realizes that he does have ambition, but doesn’t’ have the “illness”, that is the evil and maliciousness, to fulfil his dreams. She also emphasises on the fact that Macbeth “wouldn’t play false”, and his decency would prevent him in committing murder.
Her reaction to the letter shows that Lady Macbeth is a woman who knows her husband very well, perhaps because she shares some of his instincts. For both of them, murder is the "nearest way." In an earlier scene, Macbeth had commented that "If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me, / Without my stir" Again this line proves to us that
Macbeth does indeed have dreams, but he doesn’t have the courage to live them, as his conscience pegs him back and doesn’t allow him to play evil.
She tells her absent husband that he should hurry home so that she can "chastise with the valour of my tongue / All that impedes thee from the golden round", and draw him closer to the crown which he fears to unnaturally gain.
As Lady Macbeth is wrapped up in these murderous thoughts, a messenger comes in with the news that the King is coming to stay the night. Lady Macbeth's first reaction is almost enough to give her away. "Thou'rt mad to say it!", she exclaims. To her, it must seem that there's some magic at work, because just as she's thinking about killing the King, here comes the news that he's going to be sleeping under her roof.
Her courage and guts will indeed shock the audience because of the general domestic role that women played in the Elizabethan era. Her dominance is again evident of the abnormality behind the whole play.
She uses the portent of the “raven” to announce her intentions to kill Duncan. She exclaims that the bird “croaks” out his death so loudly, that its voice had gone “hoarse”. She insanely begins to call on supernatural elements to aid her in this evil plan. She begs the "murdering ministers" to "unsex" her, much as the three evil witches seemed both male and female, so that she can be as courageous as a man in order to go against the natural household role of women and plot a murder. This can also link to the theme of unnaturality as according to the normal law, a human couldn’t kill a king because of the “divine right” they possess.
She asks to be filled with absolute evil from “crown” to “toe”, so that this brutality can assist her in this “fell purpose”. She asks for the milk from her breasts to be replace by poisonous gall, which can also represent replacing life with death, as this very breast milk gives life to a baby, and she wishes to unnaturally reverse this process.
She then asks the spirits to thicken her blood against remorse and block all the calls from her conscience of her wrongdoing., and calls upon the “blanket of the dark”, which is the night, to hide the knife wounds and the reality of her total evil. This links to when Macbeth asks the stars to abnormally “hide” their “fires” so that his “black and deep desires” can be hidden from he trust of Duncan, an loyally of Banquo.
The entire soliloquy serves as a flashback to the first scene of the play, when the witches plotted their evil doings where the air was foul and dark. Lady Macbeth I seen to be a fierce and motivated character, who is being spurred on by confidence and ambition. It doesn’t look like she has any conscience and remorselessly plans a murder against the natural order of the era in which this play is set.
Her confidence is soaring, as she is totally under control and advises her husband to be deceptive and warmly welcome Duncan. She uses the effective metaphor for him to “look like the innocent flower but be the serpent underneath”. The diction serpent is a biblical reference to the serpent in the Garden of Eden, which caused mankind’s downfall. She feels that Macbeth is giving away too much by his appearance, and therefore he should be two-faced and deceptive.
Lady Macbeth leads by example as in act one, scene six, the lamb is brought to the door of the slaughterhouse. King Duncan is most gracious and kind to his hostess, who means to kill him.
The first thing to notice is the stage direction. The King's arrival is announced not with the usual flourish of trumpets, but with "Hoboys," which are the ancestors of our mournful-sounding oboes. Also, the King's followers and servants are carrying torches, to indicate that the sun is down. Both the sound of the oboes and the darkness of the hour remind us that the King will never again see the light of day.
Pausing at the gate of Macbeth's castle with his loyal followers, Duncan remarks that "This castle hath a pleasant seat [location]; the air / Nimbly and sweetly recommends itself / Unto our gentle senses." This is a clear evidence that she has totally deceived Duncan and the irony lies in the fact that the air of Inverness is really more foul than any surrounding the three ugly creatures, for the plans of Macbeth and his wife are totally vile. Lady Macbeths's total hypocrisy in the scene is evident as she greets Duncan with graciousness and praise, while plotting his murder.
Towards the end of the play, we see how a sea of guilt awoke Lady Macbeth from her ‘trans’. The assassination of King Duncan, a noble man, whose trust in the people around him was unsurpassable. Duncan believed that the people he trusted most, trusted with his kingdom, his life and his throne, thought like himself- noble and kind but never evil. His judgment was a false one. Lady Macbeth knew that she had killed not an enemy, but a friend; and because of this she felt guilt.
The death of Banquo had also come back to haunt her conscience; because his death was an un-necessary one. The fact that Banquo knew that Macbeth was to blame for the death of Duncan wasn’t a plausible enough excuse to murder him. The guilt she felt is indescribable, for the feeling of committing murder cannot be described unless experienced. We see how far her guilt had surpassed to the point, where whilst sleep walking, she re-enacted the murder scene trying to rid the corrupted stains of death from her hands.
She pauses and rubs her hands, as if washing them. When she can't get them clean, she screams, "Out, damned spot" [of blood]. She then begins to talk, as if speaking to Macbeth, and incriminates both of them in the process. "Fie, my lord...What need we fear who know it, when none can call our power to account ? Yet who would have thought the old man [Duncan] to have so much blood in him?" She continues by revealing Macbeth's part in the deaths of Banquo and Macduff's family. But her thoughts are constantly interrupted by the image of the blood on her hands, and she asks, "Will these hands ne'er be clean?....all the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand."
All of this guilt and stress mounted up so high, that it was eventually too much for her. She found the pressure overwhelming and much too painful that she couldn’t manage it. The easy way out was to commit suicide, not facing the music. She committed suicide, not because she was weak, but because she was guilty and piteous. All of these aspects that lead to her suicide were responsible for her downfall.
Macbeth on the other hand has a slightly contrasting downfall, as he changes from a well-regarded and loyal soldier of the Scottish king to a murderous tyrant. At the start of the play Macbeth is courageous, ambitious, superstitious and devoted to his wife. These characteristics are shown through the victory against the rebels, Macbeth's trust in the witches and his letter to his wife. In the second half of the play Macbeth becomes cruel and treacherous, insecure and distant from Lady Macbeth. The events that show this change are the murders Macbeth commits, his voluntary return to the witches and his reaction to his wife's death.
The witches and their prophecies are the first major influence on Macbeth’s actions. Macbeth, Thane of Glamis is content with his position, until the three witches tell him, "hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor, thou shalt be King hereafter.” After hearing this, Macbeth and Banquo, his loyal friend, find out that King Duncan has named Macbeth "Thane of Cawdor." They contemplate about how the rest of the prophecy will come true. The witches also advise them that Banquo’s son would be King one day. Macbeth writes a letter to Lady Macbeth explaining what has happened.
The fact that “two truths are told”, which he basically means that two f the prophecies are validated, Macbeth expresses his joy in the form of asides. He firstly says that the “greatest” title in his view, which is that of King of Scotland, was still to come. This aside shows Macbeth’s naivety and gullibility, as he is beginning to become vulnerable to the prediction.
This gullibility can be further seen in an evaluative aside, which follows the previous one in the same scene, as we hear Macbeth thinking. At first he's elated as he says, "Two truths are told, / As happy prologues to the swelling act / Of the imperial theme". But then he has second thoughts, as if the witches' prophecies are good, he asks himself, "why do I yield to that suggestion / Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair / And make my seated heart knock at my ribs, / Against the use of nature?” Here Macbeth is asking himself why he feels himself giving into temptation, especially a temptation that makes his heart race and his hair stand on end, and the fact that his becoming King goes against natural order as he isn’t of royal blood creates even more mental turmoil in him.
Then Macbeth pulls himself together, at least to a certain extent. He remarks to himself that if the witches' prophecies are right, he won't have to do a thing to become king. As he says, "If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me, / Without my stir" This provides assurance to the audience that he still has a conscience, and this is yet more proof of his potential, but yet we can see first signs of him admitting his desires.
In another aside after the announcement of Malcolm, Duncan’s elder son being announced as Prince of Cumberland, he begins to express the deceptive side of himself. He describes the announcement as a “step on which I must fall don, Or else o’erleap, For in the way it lies.” Here he realizes that now another obstacle has risen between him and his dreams. He then asks for the aid of the supernatural, just like his wife did in act one, scene five, as he requests the “Stars, hide the fires Let not light see my black and deep desires”. Again the theme of unnaturalality arises as it isn’t normal for stars to stop glowing, and he basically requests the “light”, representing righteousness, not to see his “black” and “dark” requests, representing his slyness and the evil behind his dreams. Again at this stage, he is aware of the wrongdoing of his ambitions, and the fact that the King describes him at worthy proves to be even more ironic because of the trust he displays. This section increases the dramatic tension, which in the process increases the dramatic interest in the audience and makes it a cathartic aspect.
Macbeth comes to the realization that for him to in fact become King, he will have to defeat recently named heir to the throne, Malcolm, the King’s son, and also prevent Banqou’s son from gaining access to the throne. Macbeth returns home and he and his wife must play host to the King. Lady Macbeth begins to contemplate what “impedes thee from the golden round”.
King Duncan is invited to Macbeth’s castle, and it is there that he will be killed. Lady Macbeth encourages Macbeth to "look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under it.". Lady Macbeth wants Macbeth to act as he normally would, to appear to be happy with the King’s visit and keep his malevolent plan in the confines of his mind. Macbeth still has reservations but, Lady Macbeth has already taken preparations towards the evil act, and his mind begins to wander. Macbeth shows signs of insanity, as he follows a dagger up stairs to King Duncan’s bedroom, "is this a dagger which I see before me, let me clutch thee." He chases it and King Duncan’s reign as King of Scotland ends. Macbeth tells Lady Macbeth the "deed is done."
But Macbeth is still not peaceful, as he is visibly and understandably shaken. He thinks he has heard a voice crying to him, "Sleep no more, Macbeth does murder sleep", a foreshadowing of his future sleeplessness. Lady Macbeth interrupts his demented thoughts and warns him to wash up and take the daggers back to the crime scene.
The troubled Macbeth answers, "I'll go no more; I am afraid to think what I have done; Look on it again I dare not." Lady Macbeth calls him a coward and takes the daggers back herself. As she departs from Macbeth, there is a loud and repeated knocking. This sound pushes Macbeth to a panic level. He looks at his hands and asks, "Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood clean from my hand?' Macbeth is clearly conscience stricken as he has performed such a horrible task. When Lady Macbeth returns, she chides her husband more, saying she would be ashamed to have a heart as white (cowardly) as his. She also leads him out towards their bedroom to wash up and change into nightgowns. As they leave, she warns her husband not to be lost "so poorly in your thoughts." His answer is "To know my deed, twere best not know myself." His guilt and fear have already commenced.
Macduff, Macbeth’s once friend refuses to attend Macbeth’s coronation to be King of Scotland. Macduff feels uneasy about the circumstances surrounding the king’s murder, and Macbeth’s rise to power. Banquo feels that Macbeth may have had something more to do with the murder as a result of trying to fulfill the prediction.
After he is named king, Macbeth’s misery and eventual downfall is caused by his own insecurities and misguided determination to take control of his future. The witches’ prophecy concerning Banquo’s descendant’s and Macbeth’s feeling of inferiority to Banquo lead Macbeth to arrange for the murder of Banquo and his son Fleance. Having Banquo around reminds Macbeth of the evil deed that he had committed. Also, the thought that it will be Banquo’s son to take over the thrown from Macbeth rather than his own children makes him very angry. Macbeth believes that "none but he [Banquo]…I do fear."
At a banquet, Macbeth sees an apparition of Banquo and speaks to him amongst his guests. Lady Macbeth makes light of the situation and asks that her guests leave and that Macbeth retire to his room. Macduff does not attend the feast and this sparks suspicion in Macbeth, he wishes to have him killed, not knowing that Macduff has gone to England.
Macbeth goes to visit the three witches. He asks them questions and three ghosts give him the answers: "beware Macduff, laugh to scorn the power of man, for none of woman born, Great Birnam Wood…shall come…" Macbeth feels that he does not have to fear any man, because all men are born from women, and trees cannot walk. He also asked the apparitions if Banquo’s sons would take over the throne, and they showed him a string of eight kings, the last one with a glass in his hand, reflecting the image of the line of kings continue to go on and on.
When Macbeth learns that Macduff is in England, he makes a cowardly decision to get revenge upon Macduff’s family, by murdering them. During the time that Macduff is in England, he meets with Malcolm, and the two decides to wage war on Macbeth. They fear that he is ruling Scotland under tyranny, and will assist in the demise of the country. Macduff wants action, but Malcolm wishes to wait in order to test Macduff’s loyalty. They plan to go to Scotland.
Macbeth’s sanity is deteriorating and his wife, Lady Macbeth, is slowly going mad herself.
Macduff and Malcolm are going to Scotland and are going to try to get Macbeth off the throne. His lack of sanity and reason are factors for his weak leadership. They are going to meet in Birnam Wood. They know that Macbeth is scared about how the prophecy will come true. He will however, fight, 'til from my bones my flesh be hack'd." and then he asks for his armour. He also asks that the doctor cure his wife of her ailment. Macbeth is told that the forces are coming.
The men are preparing for battle and then they hear a "cry of a woman." Macbeth is told, "The Queen, my lord, is dead." Macbeth is so enthralled in the imminent battle that he has little concern for his dead wife; he wishes that she had, "died hereafter, there would have been time for such a word." He wished her to die at a more convenient time. He feels that death is, "told by an idiot, full of sound and fury." and signifies nothing. At this point in the play, Macbeth does not care about death, he cares only for the battle. Death signifies nothing to him, whereas the approaching battle means so much to his own future as King.
One of Macbeth’s people comes in and tells him that he though he saw the "Wood begin to move." Macbeth now knows that the end is near. Macduff comes to his castle and the two fight. Macbeth feels that he has nothing to fear of Macduff because he was born of a woman, however "Macduff was from his mothers womb. Untimely ripp’d." Macbeth now knows that it is Macduff that will kill him, and so he does.
Macbeth entire demise was due to his pursuing his goals. The witches, whom he describes as “juggling fiends before his death”, awakened Macbeth’s ambition and Lady Macbeth encourages the crime necessary for his ambition to be realized. Both of these influences helped lead to his failure and death. His insecurities paved the way to fast decisions and rash actions to get rid of his perceived enemies, actions that he later often regrets.
Only at the end does he realize that he has made mistakes. Much of his life was based on, "Fair is foul, foul is fair," meaning that you can disguise how things really are. He disguised his whole life; the evil that he caused, his insanity, his wife’s mental health condition, and the fact that he murdered people and destroyed lives, just to guarantee a seat on the throne and play King of Scotland. This also shows that time catches up with, even when the "perfect crime" is committed, eventually you will suffer, by your own doing, and the facade that you once hid behind, will crumble.
English Coursework : Macbeth
