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How Does Macbeth Change Throughout The Play

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In Shakespeare’s notable play Macbeth, the main character Macbeth experiences a journey in which he transforms from the play's protagonist to the antagonist. Throughout the five acts, Macbeth goes from being a brave and noble man to an egotistical and greedy murderer. He betrays all of his friends and family and he puts himself above the well-being of the country he is supposed to protect, all because he wanted to be the King. This character development enhances the play because the reader has the opportunity to witness Macbeth’s path to becoming the villain, interpret it, and learn from it. Macbeth’s tragic ending teaches the reader an important lesson about power and ambition, two main themes in Macbeth. The nature of Macbeth’s villainy is very complex as he is initially influenced by a lot of …show more content…

At the beginning of the play, it is clear that Macbeth is a good man. In act one scene two, the captain describes Macbeth as “brave” and Duncan describes him as a “worthy gentleman”, proving that he is and has always been loyal and noble, as well as respected by most. However, as the story unfolds, Macbeth murders King Duncan and the guards and then hires murderers for Banquo and Fleance in order to become King. In act three scene two Macbeth states “'O, full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife!”, using the metaphor of deadly stinging insects to express how he can’t rest until he kills Banquo and Fleance. This presents a clear comparison from who he was in act one, making it undeniable that Macbeth’s craving for power has destroyed him. Without Shakespeare taking the protagonist and turning them into an antagonist, the reader would not fully understand the lesson he is trying to teach throughout the play. This character development enhances the overall takeaway of Macbeth that power and ambition combined can make you

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