How Does Macbeth Change Throughout The Play

In the play, Macbeth by William Shakespeare, the character Macbeth undergoes many changes in character as he battles fate. He continues to give in to his fatal flaw of ambition, which ultimately leads to his untimely demise. Throughout the play, Macbeth changes from honorable, to corrupt, to inhuman. In the beginning of the play, Macbeth is a good and loyal man who is loved by his country. (TS) After fighting against the enemies of Scotland, Macbeth is highly praised by the King and many captains for being a good soldier. (E) The captains describe he and Banquo as “cannons overcharged with double cracks” as a way to show admiration and praise on behalf of Scotland (1.2.37). (IQ) Such high praise from a military officer shows that Macbeth

(TS) He gives in to the corruption and temptation that stems from hearing the witches prophecies and begins to crave the power that would come with being king. (E) He is convinced by his wife, Lady Macbeth, to kill Duncan, and even believes “the bell invites [him]” to commit this murder. (IQ) He commits this heinous act with the hopes that doing so would aid him in becoming king. By killing Duncan, Macbeth turns his back on what he knows is right and good, all for the possibility of power. (A) After becoming king, Macbeth fears losing his new authority, and convinces three murderers to kill Banquo and Fleance by telling them that their “health but sickly in [Banquo’s] life, / Which in his death were perfect” (3.1.107-108). (IQ) The murder of Banquo is greatly significant as he and Macbeth had no prior qualms and were quite close. By convincing the murderers that all their problems will resolve with the death of Banquo, Macbeth once again kills for power; however, Fleance escapes, leaving Macbeth unsatisfied. (A) As Macbeth plans this second murder, he does not consult Lady Macbeth, but instead “is strong or reckless enough to execute his second murder without her aid” (Curry 333). (TS) After committing two unforgivable crimes, Macbeth no longer needs the support of his wife to be cruel for gain. (A) So as to not get caught, Macbeth becomes increasingly deceptive as the corruption inside him grows.

(TS) During his reign, Macbeth’s top priority continues to be maintaining his position of power, and to do so, he kills even more and furthers his immorality. (E) He tells Lady Macbeth that they “are yet but young in deed” as to insinuate that their life of crime and cruelty has only just begun (3.4.145). (IQ) Macbeth believes that if he continues to kill, he will eventually feel no guilt. He aims to become so immoral that he can coldly kill whenever it is convenient for him. (A) His first murder motivated by true immorality is when he leaves Macduff’s “wife and Babes / savagely slaughtered” simply to upset Macduff for not supporting him (4.3.204-205). (IQ) This crime is by far Macbeth’s most evil, as his victims are innocent women and children who have done nothing to harm him or even to prevent him from maintaining power in the future. This abominable act shows his success in becoming an immoral creature. (A) The cruelty of Macbeth’s crimes make him “a puppet of evil forces to which he has given up his will,” rather than the naturally good and beloved Macbeth in the beginning of the play (Davidson). (IQ-A*) After losing his morality, Macbeth becomes emotionless. (E) When he hears the screams of the women in the castle, he has no reaction, as he has “almost forgot the taste of fears” (5.5.9). (IQ) The screams should be disturbing to Macbeth, however he is unbothered. He knows there is danger