Central Character In Macbeth

Choose a play that explores the moral and psychological deterioration of a central character

Set in medieval Scotland and partly based on a true historical account, Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” charts the bloody rise to power and tragic downfall of the warrior Macbeth. Shakespeare utilises many literary techniques to create complex, central characters such as Macbeth and his wife Lady Macbeth. In doing this, the themes of ambition, power, manhood and disorder are introduced and explored. Macbeth is a general in the king 's army and originally the Thane of Glamis. He initially commits regicide in the play, but eventually goes on to order the death of close friends and women and children alike. Throughout the play, the moral and psychological deterioration

This is demonstrated in how he kills his close friend Banquo to protect his ambition. Even after he secures his place on the throne, his paranoia is prevalent and his “fears in Banquo stick deep”. Macbeth has killed Duncan to make himself King of Scotland, but he fears that it will all be for nothing in the long run if Banquo 's descendants rather than his own are destined to wear the crown. Unlike the killing of Duncan, Macbeth has no qualms about killing Banquo. He made a conscience decision to not think and act simply on impulse, like an animal. His lack of guilt and anxiety towards Banquo’s death demonstrates the degradation of his moral character. Then, after Banquo’s murder, instead of guilt he only feels anger that Fleance had managed to escape. When Banquo’s ghost appears during his coronation feast, Macbeth’s reactions are not of guilt but anger. He talks about a time where “when the brains were out, the man would die, and there an end”. He is vexed that Banquo’s ghost should taunt him when he should be out of the way, feeling no regret towards his action. Since he knows he’s going to hell anyway, he is not reluctant in committing more sins since his eternal damnation could not get any worse. No more worrying about the state of his soul; now he only worries about the security of his throne. Banquo’s ghost only proves his paranoia and loss of sanity. We can also see a character change in the way he detaches from his wife and turns to isolation. He doesn’t tell her about his plans for murdering Banquo, urging her to be “innocent of the knowledge”. He takes a more stereotypical image of a man and asserts dominance over the person who he once thought of as his equal. Additionally, Lady Macbeth symbolises the good in him and the man he was at the beginning of the play. Him turning away from his wife and putting his trust in the witches and himself signifies his turn