Assignment on Macbeth, Shakespeare “is interested in showing the tragedy of a potentially good man who knowingly does wrong.” Discuss with specific reference to play.

     In Macbeth, Shakespeare took a noble and good man, a man who was admired by all, and destroyed by him, not only emotionally but also physically, similar to how Greeks used to destroy their heroes. In addition to it, he transformed this noble man into a despicable mortal, maintaining him as a tragic hero, while keeping sympathetic so that when he met his end, the audience pitied the protagonist instead of detested him, and relieved to see him finally out of his misery, instead of being pleased to see him suffer. In the terms of Shakespeare: take a good man who is full of kindness and conscience, and make him a cruel person, yet ensure that the pity of audience is directed at him.

Usually, when novelists or dramatists try to create a degenerative-sympathetic plot, almost one or another issue occurs including: (1) the feeling of hatred is so strong towards the protagonist that any type of sympathy is lost and the novel or play seems to become punitive. (2) The main character is never made cruel or wicked as he seems only cruel by unsound standards. (3) In the end, the protagonist reforms and evades his punishment. (4) The play or work seems to become cruel itself. The first step in persuading and convincing audience that the fall of Macbeth is originally or genuinely tragic is to make the audience understand that there was a fall in reality. The audience must believe that the protagonist or Macbeth was a great mean whom the audience would admire, a person with great abilities. For instance, it has been shown in the beginning of play, the nobility of Macbeth reached a high point.

In the beginning of play, crown has already been coveted by him, as it is indicated by his nervous reaction to the prophecy of witches. It is likely that Macbeth has already recognised foul methods of obtaining the crown. However, instead of this wickedness, the audience has the reason of considering Macbeth as worthy of admirable. He is recognised to be a worthy gentleman, valiant, and brave. Lady Macbeth claims:

It is too full o’ the milk of human kindness to catch the nearest way.

            This verbal evidence would not have been enough for attesting to the greatness and nobility of Macbeth if there had not been sign of its validity within Macbeth. The best evidence of his nobility is his vacillation before he was murdered. In addition to it, the ensuing soliloquy of Macbeth not only seems to weight the possible adverse consequences of his act but also shows him effectively what types of moral values are involved in it. In this speech, it is again perceived, the amazing economy of Shakespeare. It is the speech that indicates to the audience how bad his act is, because Duncan has not committed any sin and he is blameless. Therefore, these signs attest to the fact that Macbeth is a good man and he knows of all the wrongs that he does.

Discuss at least three incidents from the play which involve the supernatural.

Prophecies and supernatural occurring have been the subject of unexplained mystery that have always awed nature. When creed for power and money, lust, and green overtake the man, he begins seeking assistance from the evil powers. The same strategy was adopted by Shakespeare for grabbing the attention and interest of his viewers. Shakespeare was effective making the use of supernatural prophecies and events as the fundamental play. Therefore, it can be said that the use of supernatural elements served to shape the play as a successful tragedy. In the play, supernatural events provided clues to the audience about what was going to happen to Macbeth.

The very first supernatural event that took place in the play was the appearance of three witches in the beginning of play. These witches predicted the terrible fate of Macbeth and provided audiences with the idea of what is going to happen.

When the battles lost and won.

            It indicated that Macbeth will win every battle but he will not win against time in the battle of life and soul. This prophecy caused Macbeth to rely on witches. He began to trust them and allowed them to guide him towards his fate. In this end, this blind trust cost him his life. The second event arrives when the Lady Macbeth uses her powers for gathering the evil spirits and they guided Macbeth to kill Duncan. This was yet another event that seemed to take Macbeth towards hid terrible fate. This killing caused him to eliminate another person, who suspected him of killing Duncan. A murderer was hired by Macbeth for killing Banquo. However, as soon as the news of killing were confirmed by the murdered, a ghost of Banquo was seen by Macbeth. It raised suspicions of others on him. This is the third supernatural event that occurred in the play. The ghost made Macbeth lose his senses and he began to let out what he should not have told anyone. It caused others to think of him as a potential suspect.

            The fourth supernatural event is when witches plan to make and persuade Macbeth that he could do whatever he want by depending on the prophecies and visions of three witches. The plan of witches was concerned with pushing Macbeth towards his end. Macbeth relied significantly on witches for finding their cave and even entered it to find out what lied ahead of him. This provided witches a great opportunity to control him and Macbeth lost his sense of rational thoughts. With the use of their evil powers, witches began to show him apparitions. For instance, the first apparition told him to beware of Fife. There were more apparitions and they told him that he could not be defeated by any person, born from a woman. These apparitions served to make him over-confident in his skills and abilities and they eventually led him to death. Thus, it can be said that supernatural element is strongly incorporated in the play.

Discuss the role of Lady Macbeth and the witches in the downfall of Macbeth.

            In the downfall of Macbeth, the role of witches is not that significant or great. In fact, witches merely set the stage and it was Macbeth who did everything to meet his demise. For instance, they converse prophetically to Macbeth but they do not force him or persuade him to do anything. It is Macbeth who creates the plan which leads to his downfall. Macbeth himself seems to understand that he is doing wrong and his ambition against Duncan is not right. It is later in the play that Macbeth plans the assassination of Fleance and Banquo. He feared that the throne would be stolen by Banquo and killed him. This line seems to come from the original prophecy of witches. However, it is utilised by Macbeth to convince himself that a threat is represented by Fleance and Banquo to his reign. Ultimately, it is the ambition of Macbeth that proves to be his actual demise. He cannot blame anything or anyone but himself.

            When it comes to Lady Macbeth, she is not only a contributing factor but she also plays a significant role in Macbeth’s downfall. Actually, for Macbeth, she is like a catalyst and essentially causes him to do what he would not have been capable of doing all by himself. For instance, at first, he thinks that killing Duncan would not be a right thing to do but his wife persists and she gets him to murder Duncan. Actually, it is quite important to note that Macbeth is pushed forward by her through manipulation. She pours her desire and ambition of killing Duncan into Macbeth and she is able to force him through manipulation. It can be seen clearly when she begins to question his manhood when Macbeth refuses to kill Duncan. She understands very well that Macbeth is very courageous and he would be persuaded by a challenge. Macbeth does not resist the temptation and he ends up listening to her. It would not be wrong to say that the relationship between Lady Macbeth and Macbeth is quite strong and there is significant openness and trust between the two. Even when they plot about the murder of Duncan, Macbeth is hesitant. Lady Macbeth again pushes him forward with the use of her words and he believes her.

            Thus, it can be said that the role of Lady Macbeth in the downfall of Macbeth is greater than that of witches because witches only showed him prophecies while Lady Macbeth forces him constantly to do what he does not intend to do. However, it is also important to note that no one is more responsible than Macbeth himself in falling into doom because if he had more control over his decisions and will, he would not have believed in the prophecies of witches in the first place. Additionally, if he had been strong witted and willed, he would have seen that he was doing wrong things and he should not be committing murders because of a throne (Shakespeare, 1915).

References of Macbeth Analysis

Shakespeare, W. (1915). Macbeth. Lippincott.