I believe ‘Macbeth’ is a moral play but not on society as a whole not just Macbeth’s actions. There was justice made but perhaps justice was not the point of the story. There are many clues left by Shakespeare that point to a critique on societal views and ambitions. Perhaps this story was meant to open the eyes of the reader/audience. Shakespeare’s most iconic play definitely has more than just a simple lesson to teach.
In the beginning we see how Duncan praises Macbeth and Banquo for their brutal campaign on the battle field and for winning a hard battle and turning in their enemies. In the 1600’s the Scottish people praised brutal warriors who took power by force. Looking back, we see many changes of throne and deadly dinners scattered throughout Scotland’s history. It was common to hear about a new king usurping the old one or how a wedding turned into a blood bath. So at the time, Macbeth would’ve been seen as a hero in the first half of the play. Many would even relate to him for taking the
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However, he then quickly begins to show the dark side of power. In the beginning when the witches prophesized to Macbeth and Banquo, they both had similar fortunes yet only Macbeth acted upon them. I believe Macbeth and Banquo are but two sides to a coin, Banquo is the path Macbeth didn’t take. We see how Lady Macbeth instigated a fire in Macbeth that led him to take action, while Banquo stayed dormant and didn’t act upon the prophecy even though he also thought deep about it. Lady Macbeth represents the society at the time and how they were hungry to see a bloodbath and how the pressure they put on lords and knights made them act rash. So Shakespeare presents us two protagonists that choose different paths and how the outside voices of Lady Macbeth pushed Macbeth to