Shakespeare here compares Macbeth to the husband of the roman goddess of war, giving him a godly appearance to the audience by this point.
He is looked upon greatly for his war performance and classed as ‘brave’.
Fortunately for Macbeth it is his ‘bravery’ in battle that awards him the title of Thane of Cawdor as given by King Duncan.
Although, before all of this occurred, on his return from the battle, Macbeth comes upon the three witches who manipulatively great him, "Hail Glamis, Hail Cawdor, and who halt be King hereafter." They speak in rhyming couplets giving their words a poetic and mystical tone, asking rhetorical questions, “When shall we meet again?...where the place?” skipping between witches on each line giving it a pile on effect. Macbeth is bullied into listening to them. At first it appears Macbeth does not take them seriously.
When he receives word that he is now the Thane of Cawdor he begins to think about what has been said by the witches. "Why should they give me two predictions commencing with a truth, I am the Thane of Cawdor." The first truth awakens Macbeth’s ambition, prompting him. He is now more willing than ever to hear what the witches know. When Malcolm receives word that he will become king, Macbeth starts foreseeing Malcolm as an obstacle and something that must be overcome. This is where the first thoughts of murder enter Macbeths head.
When he and Lady Macbeth are about to kill Duncan, Macbeth thinks to himself about the reasons for the murder, he comes up with many reasons against but only one; "vaulting ambition," for, Macbeth then tells his wife that, "I shall have no part in this evil business," Lady Macbeth insults him and says, “Art thou afeard to be the same in thine own acts and valour, as thou art in desire?”
Macbeth, after a torrid of insults from Lady Macbeth, gives in and agrees to carry out the murder. This shows not only Lady Macbeths ability to manipulate through her persuasive use of language but also Macbeth’s arrogance and failure to see it. He prefers to commit a sin before heaven than be seen as a coward in the eyes of his wife, “I dare do all that may become a man.”
In the next scene, Shakespeare places Macbeth in a soliloquy (onstage solely), giving a deeper insight to his real feelings, Macbeth visualises lifting a dagger, Shakespeare allows him to perceive the object in great detail, as he describes his bidding and his weapon, “it is the bloody business which uniforms thus to mine eyes” he goes on to say “hear it not Duncan, for it is a knell that summons thee to heaven or to hell.” This is possibly a resurrected trail of emotions running through Macbeths head that could possibly have come from his days of fighting on the battlefield; he is once again ruthless and barbaric, at one with his weapon.
After the murder of Duncan, Macbeth suddenly changes faces again. “I’ll go no more. I am afraid to think what I have done; Look on’t again, I dare not”
Once Duncan has been killed Macbeth immediately regrets it, "Wake Duncan with thy knocking, I would'st thou could'st." When the inquest into Duncan's murder has begun and it is announced that Macbeth will become the new King we start to see a change in him. Macbeth employs murderers to kill Banquo and Fleance, as the witches said to Banquo, "You shall have Kings." Macbeth did not want to see anyone but himself on the throne, Macbeth had Banquo killed he knew everything that had happened with the witches, therefore making him a threat.
In addition to Macbeths spree of savage slaughter, is the assassins sent to kill Macduff’s family without reason, this is possibly the most evil and unintelligent deed Macbeth has committed in the play as it is done without thought of what the repercussions Macduff would bring as a result.
However, it is also Macbeth’s ambition and his trust in the witches which ultimately change him. His Christian beliefs and teachings pressed upon his conscience, but slowly and surely he obtained a taste of evil and was forced to let it overtake him. Macbeth is also very superstitious and this is shown when he believes the prophecies. This was a very typical outlook on the supernatural during 17th century when the play was written.
At the following banquet to celebrate his coronation Macbeth is haunted by the ghost of Banquo and the guests think that he has gone mad. Lady Macbeth has to jump in and get rid of the guests before Macbeth reveals to them the murders. She attempts to calm Macbeth in this tense situation, “O proper stuff! This is the very painting of your fear!”
Although Lady Macbeth seems to have a stronger mental constitution at the start of the play, she begins to suffer from remorse and confusion. She begins sleep walking, washing her hands and writing notes discretely. Deep down she feels unclean. She feels, “Tis safer to be that which we destroy than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy”. Lady Macbeth describes her, “destruction”, and she refers to her royalty and wealth as, “doubtful joy”, this quote from Lady Macbeth shows the audience how these actions have brought no solace. The alliteration combined with deep “d” sound emphasises her despairing mood.
Lady Macbeth soon feels the need to take her own life, which does not seem to affect Macbeth at all showing his darker side. He is more concerned about the attack Malcolm has organised on his castle. Macbeth at first nobly makes the decision to reject Macduff’s offer to fight as he states that his sword carries enough of his family’s blood as it is. In response to this, Macduff explains to Macbeth of how he was born by caesarean, “...Macduff was from his mothers womb untimely ripp’d” as the witches’ stated that no man born of woman could harm him, this placed Macduff out of this rank and eligible to kill Macbeth.
. Macduff then states “then yield be a coward...”
Macbeth falls once again for a manipulative attempt to reverse his own decision, ending in his death as Macduff goes on to end his reign over Scotland.
Although Macbeth died nobly fighting a battle he knew he could not win, through; ambition, and manipulation from others, it is possible to say that he drove himself to his own death... At the start of the play Macbeth is portrayed as a tactful and intelligent soldier and in his final battle some of these heroic traits re-emerge. In his final battle, he fights on bravely, despite his lack of hope. He doesn’t kill Macduff when he gets the chance to, instead, he shows mercy. It is through fear of humiliation and ambition, which leads Macbeth to a path of self destruction.