Macbeth Changes In Character Essay

Macbeth’s Change in Character

Changes in character are very prominent in any piece of literature. In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, almost all of the main characters change in some way. Lady Macbeth changes from encouraging Macbeth to Kill Duncan, to killing herself because of guilt. Macduff changes from an ordinary thane to a hero. One of the most prominent changes in character is Macbeth’s. At the beginning of the play, he is very hesitant toward killing Duncan, but decides to do it anyway. During all the madness, Lady Macbeth constantly reminds Macbeth to calm down and just wash the guilt away because he feels so guilty. At the end of the play, the readers see how Macbeth has virtually no remorse or regret toward killing Duncan or anyone. The change in Macbeth’s character compels readers to follow his story and see how it plays out.

At the start of the play, Macbeth is looked up to by all the thanes and pretty much all of Scotland. He is seen as loyal and devoted to his country. Once Macbeth has the thought of being King of Scotland in his mind, he cannot let it go. When Lady Macbeth encourages the idea of killing King Duncan, Macbeth is very hesitant and opposed the idea. Lady Macbeth keeps pushing Macbeth to kill Duncan and finally he

At this point Macbeth has killed several people who did not deserve to die, just so that he could keep his role as king. The Macbeth in the beginning of the play would have never dreamed of doing those things. Towards the end of the play, it becomes very obvious that Macbeth does not care who he kills. Macbeth says, “I am in blood stepped in so far that, should I wade no more, returning were as tedious a go o’er” (Shakespeare iii.iv. 168-170). Macbeth says that because he has already killed so many people he might as well kill some more. Macbeth does not feel much remorse for killing as many people as he did, which is a very significant character