This dead butcher- to what extent do you regard this description of Macbeth to be fair and accurate?
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kateyandlegmailcom (student)
“This dead butcher”- to what extent do you regard this description of Macbeth to be fair and accurate?
In Act five scene nine the character of Macbeth is described to the audience as “This dead Butcher”. The aim of my essay is to explore to what extent this description of Macbeth is fair and accurate. I deem this statement to have truth at certain points within the play yet at other times Macbeth is seen to poses qualities that do show him as a “dead butcher”. All of which are the contributing factors that cause the opinions of Macbeth to deteriorate from admired and respected to malicious and ‘butcher’ like.
We first hear of Macbeth from the witches. Consequently the reader creates a link between Macbeth and the witches as they state, “There to meet Macbeth”. This association is not alarming but sufficient to raise the thought that Macbeth cannot be good if he is connected to them. The fact they are to meet Macbeth implies an alliance between them which is reinforced later in the play. However, I feel that the initial link with the witches is forgotten when Macbeth is doused with praise when we hear of his reports from the battle field.
The first impression of Macbeth as a character rather than just a name is a positive one that does not portray Macbeth as a “dead butcher”. When we hear news of the battle field from a wounded soldier we hear how having been so close to defeat Macbeth, who “disdained fortune” manages to bring a Scottish victory. This shows him as a courageous and respected warrior, marching into battle despite the odds, with the sole intention to fight. He is described by the captain as, “Valour’s minion”. The choice of language Shakespeare uses here helps to convey this noble view of Macbeth, by personifying him as its minion implies his only function is to serve valour by being brave and showing dedication to fighting for the greater good. It is within this glowing report that one might see qualities of Macbeth that could be seen as “butcher” like. He takes a very gruesome approach to killing,
“unseamed him from the nave th ‘chaps
And fixed his head upon our battlements”
This description illustrates a seemingly unnecessary and blood thirsty way of killing him, which could arguably show Macbeth possessing traits that show him as deserving of the title of “dead butcher”. However, I feel that Macbeth’s violent actions were not only the appropriate contemporary punishment for a traitor but they can be put down to his determination and passion for the battle. This I feel can support the courageous image we get of Macbeth instead of the reverse as it was done with the mind set to achieve success for Scotland and for the revenge of King Duncan.
Before the murder of Duncan it is hard to see Macbeth as the Butcher he is described as at the end of the play due to his mindset not being that of a murderer. We hear from Lady Macbeth that she believes Macbeth is “too full o’th’ milk of human kindness” to take short cuts, she states that his nature is too tender-hearted for murder. This is also supported by Macbeth when, after hearing the Witches’ prophecies he proclaims, “If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me king, without my stir” which shows how Macbeth ...
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Before the murder of Duncan it is hard to see Macbeth as the Butcher he is described as at the end of the play due to his mindset not being that of a murderer. We hear from Lady Macbeth that she believes Macbeth is “too full o’th’ milk of human kindness” to take short cuts, she states that his nature is too tender-hearted for murder. This is also supported by Macbeth when, after hearing the Witches’ prophecies he proclaims, “If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me king, without my stir” which shows how Macbeth is decided in himself that if he is destined to be king, it will happen by fate, not by his own doing. This shows how Macbeth is not prepared to kill in order to gain the title of king. With this mind set it is hard to see Macbeth as a “butcher” in this point of the play.
We also have respect for Macbeth when he tells Lady Macbeth, “We will proceed no further in this business” it shows the traits in Macbeth that were so apparent in Macbeth when hearing reports from the battle, that he is honourable and brave to stand up to Lady Macbeth. However, it takes Lady Macbeth only a small amount of manipulation and persuasion to coax Macbeth into agreeing to commit the murder at the end of the scene. It is here the reader feels sympathy for Macbeth; that he is so weak willed that he has been persuaded into the act that results in the moral and physical deterioration of him in the rest of the play.
There are however, moments when Macbeth seems to deserve the title he receives as the final decision to commit murders was always his and we can hold him responsible for them. The witches acknowledge that they can only influence Macbeth up to a certain point: they cannot force him to do anything; they can only influence what he does:
“Though his bark cannot be lost
Yet it shall be tempest toss’d”
This shows how the Witches can merely influence Macbeth to bring about negative things. This is reinforced in the language used as they compare influencing Macbeth to tossing a boat out at sea. This is something that would naturally cause difficulties to the boat, which is clearly the Witches’ intention. Despite Banquo warning Macbeth this, that:
“often sometimes, to win us our harm
The instruments of darkness tell us truths;
Win us honest trifles, to betray’s in deepest consequence”
This does not deter Macbeth in the latter half of the play from pursuing the Witches to find out more information even knowing that they have only caused him grief. Macbeth even admits to himself in his great soliloquy of the “deep damnation” that would be Duncan’s murder. This shows Macbeth is fully aware of how evil the deed. He acknowledges that:
“We still have judgement here: that we but teach
Blood instructions, which being taught return
To plague the’inventor”
This displays that he knows the consequences murdering Duncan. The choice of language with the word ‘plague’ enforces how negatively the death would impact on him as it is a word some may associate with The Black Plague; a catastrophic disease that caused the death of many.
Macbeth knows that he will be caught for the murder as he admits “blood will have blood” and that:
“By maggot-pies and choughs and rooks brought forth
The secret’st man of blood”
This demonstrates how even thought Macbeth knows the consequences, that he will be caught, he proceeds to murder yet more people. It is for these reasons that we can hold Macbeth responsible for the deeds that cause him to gain his name of “dead butcher” despite the manipulation and influence from the Witches and Lady Macbeth as every decision made was his own.
After Macbeth has murdered Duncan we do see him showing great remorse for what he has done. He describes his hands as being a ‘sorry sight’ for they are drenched in the King’s blood. This shows regret for what he has done as he does not want to look at them. Macbeth is constantly suffering with what he has done and when he realises the disruption to natural order he’s caused he states:
“Sleep no more, Macbeth does murder sleep, the innocent sleep”
Macbeth shows himself as guilty by stating that sleep is something natural that the innocent do and now he has killed the king he shall not sleep. This conveys how much Macbeth must be racked with guilt, if he believes he will not be able to sleep. Macbeth’s guilt is also shown through him stating:
“Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood
Clean from my hand? No; this my hand will rather
The multitudinous seas incarnadine,
Making the green ones red.”
This shows that even after water has washed off the physical blood Macbeth the physiological guilt will remain with him. It seems illogical that a man with so much conscience could be called a “dead butcher”. Although it could be argued that Macbeth is so frantic to have the evidence of blood removed from his hands so he could not be 'caught red handed'. Macbeth could fear that he will not get away with the murder he has committed. Therefore, by expressing what seems like remorse at the blood upon his hands could merely fear that he will be caught for killing Duncan. Although, I am of the opinion that the former is the more accurate argument and it is these feelings of remorse that differ him from a “dead butcher”.
However, as the play progresses Macbeth abandons remorse for killing and continues to murder more, demonstrating qualities of him that show him as deserving of the title “dead butcher”. This is most prominently shown when Macbeth has Banquo murdered on the desperate basis that Banquo’s children could take the crown away from him. He does not consult Lady Macbeth in doing this which is monumental as it has been Lady Macbeth who has held the control in the situation up until this point. Now Macbeth is seen to be taking his initiative to kill himself, for reasons that are even less justifiable and necessary than the original murder. Having heard news that Banquo has been murdered Macbeth now shows no remorse but relief: “Thanks for that:
There the grown serpent lies; the worm that’s fled
Hath nature that in time will venom bleed,
No teeth for th’present”
He gives thanks that Banquo is dead and is relieved that Fleance is harmless. Having been able to send his closest friend to death shows a massive moral deterioration within Macbeth. This displays traits of a “butcher” within Macbeth as he has clearly emotionally detattched himself from killing, like a butcher does when killing its animals.
The final murders committed by Macbeth are probably the most “butcher” like atrocities that happen in the duration of the play. As the murders of Macduff’s wife, children and servants occur after he is king their deaths have no instrumental value to him. This is how they differ to the other two murders Macbeth has committed. The killing of Macduff’s wife and children is a malicious act done purely for revenge and for the emotional pain of Macduff rather than for the personal gain of Macbeth. In Act four Scene three the audience sympathises with the devastated Macduff who says he “could play the woman with mine eyes” at the news of his wife and “pretty ones” having been “savagely slaughtered” by Macbeth. They are completely unnecessary murders which show Macbeth as a cold blooded killer.
The lack of emotion within Macbeth is reinforced when Lady Macbeth is ill towards the end of the play. Macbeth is very nonchalant and merely states in an aloof manner “cure her of that” as if he is completely emotionally detattched from her suffering. Macbeth does not show any emotion when Lady Macbeth dies, because, like a butcher, he has become so used to death around him that it no longer affects him.
Therefore, it is clear to see, that without doubt Macbeth fully deserves his title of “dead butcher” that he receives at the end of the play. He mercilessly kills innocent people unnecessarily and becomes so emotionally detattched from taking the lives of others. However, as the audience have insight to the entirety of the play including Macbeth’s soliloquies, a certain amount of sympathy is felt for Macbeth. We feel sorry that such a great man could be let astray and through making the wrong decisions could end up as the “dead butcher” he becomes. It is therefore right that Macbeth is killed at the end of the play as to restore the disruption of natural order he created. It should be admirable that Macbeth never loses courage and dies as a soldier with wounds ‘on the front’ although this does not detract from how deserving and accurate the title “this dead butcher” is at describing Macbeth in Act five Scene nine.