Abby Venhaus
Ms. Ratay
English IV
3, March 2023
Macbeth Character Analysis
The story of one man's slide into evil is told in William Shakespeare's tragedy Macbeth. Initially, Macbeth, the main character, is portrayed as a valiant and noble soldier who is well-liked by his fellow soldiers. But as the narrative progresses, we witness Macbeth's character go through a tremendous change as his greed for power and ambition lead him down a perilous path. This essay will examine Shakespeare's underlying concepts as well as the development of Macbeth's characters.
At the beginning of the play, Macbeth is a man of honor and honesty. He has fought valiantly for his country as a devoted soldier. But, his run-in with the three witches and their prophecy
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To get rid of anyone who gets in his way, he acts violently and ruthlessly. He will not let anyone come in the way of his fate for the throne. As in Act 3, Scene 2, where he says, "It is concluded: Banquo, thine soul's flight, if it reaches heaven, must find it out tonight," ordering the killing of Banquo and his son Fleance (91). With this quote, Macbeth shows how he would kill even his own friend to become king. Up until this point in the play, Macbeth's change in character was gradual. He had previously killed King Duncan, but was guilt-ridden as an effect. He hoped that he would not have to kill anyone else for the title. However, things didn't go as planned. He figured he had to kill Banqou and Fleance to complete his fate. Fleance got away, but Banqou was killed by Macbeth. It was all because Macbeth was so determined to clear anyone in his way from stopping him from becoming king. As his desire for power grows, Macbeth's behavior becomes more unpredictable and …show more content…
He eventually crumbles because of shame and terror that devour him. Act 5, Scene 5, Macbeth's lament is as follows: "Life is but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more. It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing"(179). This passage emphasizes how hopeless and dejected Macbeth has become. It is better well shown when the audience realizes that his wife, Lady Macbeth, commits suicide. He is portrayed as indifferent, and shows no remorse or humanity. He stated that she would have died anyway. This proves the idea that he was apathetic towards anything except his