Analysis of Macbeth - Essay Example

18 July, Character Analysis Macbeth Macbeth is one of the extremely famous works of William Shakespeare. Macbeth is introduced to the audience as a wounded captain that narrates his valor in the battlefield, thus inculcating an impression that he is a very capable and bold warrior, though Macbeth’s interaction with the three witches complicates this perspective. The audience notices a huge tendency of self-doubt in him that compliments his physical courage. The mere prediction of the three witches that he will rule the kingdom creates turmoil in his heart.

Throughout the play, there is a struggle between self-doubt, aspiration, and bravery inside Macbeth. Shakespeare has employed Macbeth as a means to convey his opinion of the way aspiration and guilt affect an individual of weak character. Macbeth may be considered as irreversible evil, though the weakness of his character contrasts with other villains of Shakespeare’s plays including Edmund and Iago in King Lear and Othello respectively in that the latter are strong enough to surmount their own self-doubt and feeling of guilt.

“Probably composed in late 1606 or early 1607, Macbeth [also happens to be] the last of Shakespeare's four great tragedies, the others being Hamlet, King Lear and Othello” (eNotes). Despite being a great warrior, Macbeth is not strong enough to boldly face the psychological consequences of his crime. Macbeth is overcome by guilt and worries before murdering Duncan, so he tends to almost abort the mission but his wife’s objectivity of purposefulness makes him commit the crime. Macbeth says, “Prithee, peace: I dare do all that may become a man; Who dares do more is none” (Shakespeare 16).

To this, Lady Macbeth replies, “What beast wasn’t then That made you break this enterprise to me? When you durst do it, then you were a man; And, to be more than what you were, you would Be so much more the man” (Shakespeare 16). However, once the murder has been committed, the audience notices a disintegration of per powerful personality which comes as a severe threat to Macbeth and he becomes more alone than ever before. Macbeth gets puzzled and ends up plotting a series of assassinations with a view to securing his throne.

Macbeth wants no disguise of his natural disposition, for it is not bad; he does not affect more piety than he has: on the contrary, a part of his distress arises from a real sense of religion: which makes him regret that he could not join the chamberlains in prayer for God's blessing, and bewail that he has 'given his eternal jewel to the common enemy of man.' (TheatreHistory.com). One can sense some dignity in Macbeth’s character despite all his weaknesses till the end of the novel. It is because of his moral consciousness that Macbeth tends not to fight with Macduff.

He is made to fight Macduff by Macduff’s threat to him that he would tie Macbeth against a pole and ridicule him in public (Angelfire). In the end, Macbeth compliments his coward image by perishing in the battle. Works Cited: Angelfire. “Character Analysis: Macbeth.” n.d. Web. 18 July 2011. . eNotes. “Macbeth.” 2011. Web. 18 July 2011. . Shakespeare, William. Clark, William G., and Wright, William A. (ed.). Macbeth. 2nd Ed. NY: Clarendon Press, 1869. Print. TheatreHistory.com. “Macbeth.” 2002. Web.

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