Audiences and readers around the world have been thrilled by Shakespeare’s dark and sinister Macbeth for the last four centuries, and not without reason. Various scenes of parts of scenes, character developments and dialogues or soliloquies in Macbeth are particularly powerful, impactful or full of meaning and combine to make Macbeth the great, epic and enduring work that it is and places the characters of Macbeth and, to some extent, Lady Macbeth, in league with some of the greatest, richest and most complex characters in theatre history.
The play, after opening upon the three witches in a sinister fashion, quickly begins by introducing Macbeth to the audience as a brave, noble hero worthy of admiration. Through the dialogue in Act I, Scene II between Duncan, Malcolm, Donalbain, Lennox and the wounded sergeant who brings them news of Macbeth, Banquo and the battle fought against the rebel Macdonwald and the Norwegians, the audience begins to develop respect for Macbeth as the king and other men praise him. The sergeant says “For brave Macbeth—well he deserves that name--/Disdaining fortune, with his brandished steel/Which smoked with bloody execution(I.II.2).” The king, Duncan, adds, “O valiant cousin! Worthy gentleman! (I.II.2)
The bravery and valiant efforts of Macbeth on the battlefield and punishes the Scottish rebel and forces the attacking Norwegians to seek peace. As a result, Macbeth is awarded the title that had belonged to the traitorous thane of Cawdor.
Early in the play, with the vivid descriptions of the battlefield upon which Macbeth and Banquo excelled, it becomes apparent to the audience, most likely enthralled with violence as audiences throughout history are, that there will be no shortage of blood or allusion to blood and murder in Macbeth. The violence in the play is perhaps as much an attempt by Shakespeare to enthrall any audience viewing his work as it is to convey a message about the world in which he decided to set Macbeth. According to Bruckner, “Overall, the tragedy of Macbeth is the tragedy of a world so violent that grief is not giving its time (192).”
The way that Macbeth is presented at the beginning of the play is very important, as the audience finds the character, at this point, beyond reproach and all of the traits he is awarded his king and the other men are admirable and the audience can only recognize Macbeth as heroic. Shakespeare is, as the audience discovers through the progression of the play, exalting Macbeth so that it becomes even more dramatic when Macbeth begins to decline following various deeds he commits that are far from brave, noble and righteous.
Shakespeare further establishes Macbeth’s noble, righteous nature at the beginning of the play and also introduces a significant amount of foreshadowing and mystery in Act I, Scene III when the three witches interact with Banquo and Macbeth and share their prophesying with the two men. The three witches identify Macbeth as the thane of Cawdor; the audience knows that Macbeth was just awarded this title by Duncan and because of this understand that the prophesy given by the witches has at least some truth to it and ought to be trusted. Macbeth and Banquo are both confused by the witches’ message, which conveys that Macbeth will be king and Banquo’s children will be kings. When interacting with the witches, Macbeth seems fearful, while Banquo is less troubled and questions Macbeth’s reaction to information from the witches that is quite positive: “Good sir, why do you start and seem to fear/Things that do sound so fair? (I.III.6)”
Shortly after the three witches vanish, Ross and Angus bring Banquo and Macbeth the news that the king was pleased with Macbeth and had named Macbeth thane of Candor. Macbeth, continuing to demonstrate his strong goodness and as-of-yet unblemished character and innocence, questions why he has this new title, asking “The thane of Cawdor lives: why do you dress me in borrow’d robes? (I.III.7)”
After Macbeth learns more about how he acquired his new title and accepts it, he turns his attention towards the prophesy that said he will be king and Banquo’s children will be kings, eventually determining, through a soliloquy, that “If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me, without my stir (I.III.8).”
In the scene after Macbeth accepts that he may actually be destined to b eking, Shakespeare masterfully shows the earliest signs that Macbeth’s character may be beginning to slip morally and continues to pull the audience in to personally watch Macbeth’s personal transformation and struggle throughout the rest of the story. In Scene IV of Act 1, which takes place in Duncan’s palace, Duncan announces to Macbeth, Banquo and the other men present that he intends to name his oldest son, Malcolm, as successor to the crown. Macbeth stresses that his duty is to Duncan’s “throne and state children and servants” but after finding out that Malcolm is to be king, reveals to the audience, but not his companions, his secret, dark thoughts in an aside: “The Prince of Cumberland! That is a step/on which I must fall down, or else o’erleap, for in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires: Let not light see my black and deep desires (I.IV.11).”
The scene ends with Duncan again praising Macbeth, completely innocent and unsuspecting of Macbeth’s thoughts and future actions, by bidding Macbeth farewell with “my worthy Cawdor!” and again praising him to Banquo after Macbeth leaves ahead of them, apparently to prepare his estate for the king’s visit, saying, “True, worthy Banquo; he is so valiant, and in his commendation I am fedIt is a peerless kinsman (I.IV.11).”
In addition to revealing the beginnings of Macbeth’s dark thoughts, Shakespeare further establishes, with this scene, the amount of trust that is placed in Macbeth and sets the stage for the continued ignorance of Macbeth’s treacherous actions.
In Scene V of the first act, Lady Macbeth learns, in a letter from her husband, about the prophesy that he will be king. In her soliloquy immediately after reading the letter aloud, Lady Macbeth worries that her husband does not have the strength of the sort required to take the throne, saying “yet do I fear thy nature; It is too full o’ the milk of human kindness(I.V.12)” and resolves that she will convince her husband to use whatever means necessary to take the throne from Duncan and, as soon as a messenger enters to bring the news that the king and Macbeth are on their way, Lady Macbeth reveals her evil designs to the audience. The first conversation between Macbeth and his wife is essentially her telling him that Duncan must be killed that night and she will make the plants. Interestingly, there is hardly any conversation and no debate on the matter at this time, highlighting the nature of both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth.
Duncan arrives at the castle and, as in all earlier scenes with him, gives the audience nothing for which to dislike him. He praises Macbeth’s castle and praises Macbeth yet again, this time to Lady Macbeth with, “Conduct me to mine host: we love him highly, and shall continue our graces towards him (I.VI.14).”
Act I, Scene VII opens with a powerful 28-line soliloquy given by Macbeth as his servants are preparing the evening’s feast. In this soliloquy, Macbeth is debating to himself—highlighting yet again that arguably the most important conflicts in Macbeth are internal—whether or not he should assassinate Duncan. He reminds himself and the audience of the gravity of regicide. This is particularly notable, as the doctrine that royal ranks were bestowed by God was prevalent both when the play was set and when it was written and Shakespeare seems to have written Macbeth in ways that would have allowed him to gain favor with his rule are the time, King James I (BBC website). In his conflicted soliloquy, Macbeth stresses the sinfulness of regicide and holds that Duncan has ruled well and been irreproachable. A crucial glimpse into his character, at the end of this soliloquy given by Macbeth, he seems to have decided that he does not want to kill his king. If, in this soliloquy, Shakespeare had made Macbeth realize that Duncan was a bad king or did not have the right to the throne, allowing Macbeth to justify his murder for any reason besides his own ambition, the character of Macbeth would likely transform much differently throughout the remainder of the play.
Lady Macbeth enters immediately after it seems Macbeth has decided that he does not wish to murder Duncan and this second conversation between the married couple is particularly important, especially for examining the characters of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, their relationship and gender roles within the play.
Lady Macbeth mocks her husband after he shares with her that he has decided to abandon thought of killing Duncan, questioning his manhood, perhaps even his ability to perform sexually, and goading him into action. Macbeth, when it is clear he has given into his wife’s drive, pays Lady Macbeth a sort of gender-related compliment about her resolve and strength, saying “Bring forth men-children only; For thy undaunted mettle should compose/Nothing but males (I.VII.17).”
The act ends with Macbeth bending under Lady Macbeth’s will and plotting Duncan’s murder. In the next act, after the King has gone to bed and Macbeth parts ways with Banquo, who tells Macbeth that he dreamed about the three sisters and their prophesy only to have Macbeth reply that he does not think of them, Macbeth launches into a soliloquy in which he has a vision of a floating dagger in front of him and reveals his mental state to the audience prior to murdering Duncan.
This soliloquy also brings up the supernatural element of the play, with mention of “Pale Hecate’s offerings,” mention of ghost-like movement and Tarquin, the last king of Rome who was murdered unjustly and mentioned in other works by Shakespeare (Girard 236). Adding to the ominous feel of the scene is a ringing bell that occurs during Macbeth’s soliloquy and leads him to say, “Hear it not, Duncan, for it is a knell/That summons thee to heaven, or to hell (II.I.21).”
After Macbeth kills Duncan and returns to Lady Macbeth, he immediately begins to unravel slightly. He recounts to his wife that he could not say “Amen” at the same time with the guards and that he imagined a voice saying ‘“Sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep.”’ Lady Macbeth has to leave to plant the daggers on the guards, which Macbeth failed to do, and Macbeth hears a knocking, which scares him. The knocking happens again after Lady Macbeth returns and she leads Macbeth to their chamber to wash the blood off, saying, “A little water clears us of this deed (II.II.23),” important foreshadowing for Lady Macbeth’s character.
Act III opens in the palace, where Banquo is ruminating on the three witches and the truth that has come of their prophecy. He worries, addressing an absent Macbeth, who is now king, that “Thou play’dst most foully for it (III.I.33)” but allows himself to quietly and briefly speculate that the tree witches’ prophesy pertaining to him might also come true.
Banquo meets with Macbeth, who invites him to a feast and touches on the potential problem of Malcolm and Donalbain, who fled to England and Ireland after Duncan was murdered because they knew they made logical suspects before Banquo leaves to go riding with Fleance for the afternoon. After Banquo and the court leave, Macbeth launches into a soliloquy about Banquo. He reveals that he greatly fears Banquo and has taken to heart that the three witches:
“hail’d him father to a line of kings:
Upon my head they placed a fruitless crown
And put a barren scepter in my gripe,
Thence to be wrench’d with an unlineal hand,
No son of mine succeeding. If’t be so,
For Banquo’s issue have I filed my mind (III.I.35)
After the soliloquy, Macbeth then meets with two murderers and reaffirms that they are prepared for the task, ordering them to kill Banquo and his son Fleance. He uses language reminiscent of when Lady Macbeth was mocking Macbeth and convincing him to murder Duncan, questioning the murderers’ manhood in the same way Lady Macbeth questioned his earlier.
In the scene after the murder of Banquo, Macbeth learns that although Banquo was successfully killed, Fleance escaped and this makes Macbeth realize that, despite his efforts, it seems all the more likely that the prophesy foretold by the witches will come true. Macbeth is only further shaken in this scene, when he imagines that the ghost of Banquo is sitting in his place for the feast. When Macbeth realizes that his chair is occupied by Banquo’s ghost he is shaken, alarming the guests at the feast.
Lady Macbeth again questions him with “Are you a man? (III.IV.43)”
Macbeth replies with “Ay, and a bold one, that dare look on that/Which might appal the devil (III.IV.43).”
The ghost of Banquo exits and then returns again, tormenting Macbeth.
In Act IV, Scene I, Macbeth meets with the three sinister witches, this time because he seeks them out, highlighting the way in which his character has transformed. The witches conjure up three prophesying apparitions. The first apparition conjured by the witches tells Macbeth to “beware Macduff. Beware the thane of Fife (IV.I.53).” Macbeth, who seems to have, by this point, embraced the supernatural and validity of what the three witches have gold him in the past, basically thanks the apparition for confirming what he had feared.
The second apparition, a bloody child, says “Be blood, bold and resolute; laugh to scorn? The power of man, for none of woman born/Shall harm Macbeth (IV.I.54).”
The third apparition is a crowned child holding a tree who says “Macbeth shall never vanquishe’d be until/Great Birnamwood to high Dunsinane hill/Shall come against him (IV.I.54).”
These last two prophesies give Macbeth some false hope. He hears and interprets them as impossible. Because of this, Macbeth gains a false confidence and determines that he should attack Macduff’s castle because he no longer fears death at the hands of a man “of woman born.
Macbeth, in Act V, Scene V, learns of the death of his wife, who was tormented psychologically as a result of the murders she schemed to commit with Macbeth. Macbeth, upon learning of his wife’s death, launches into a soliloquy that quickly becomes passionate and full of despair. With lines like “Out, out, brief candle!” and “Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player/That struts and frets his hour upon the stage/and then is heard no more(V.V.77)” the audience realizes how important Lady Macbeth was to her husband.
Shakespeare also, by mentioning the player on the stage, gives an even deeper, transcending meaning to the soliloquy and the nature of theatre. Immediately after learning of his wife’s death, a messenger brings news that the woods at Birnum are moving, thanks to the clever army of Macduff and his companions.
The last two scenes see Macbeth and Macduff meeting and fighting in the field outside the castle. In Macbeth’s final confrontation with Macduff, he boasts that Macduff will not kill him, asserting that “I bear a charmed life, which must not yield/To one of woman born (V.VIII.80).”
The way in which Shakespeare kills Macbeth off and finishes the play is particularly meaningful. Macbeth is killed in a way that gives him an enduring title, the “Tyrant” and is killed in action by Macduff in the same way he himself became exalted by Duncan and his fellows early in the play (Clayton 85).
At the end of the play, Macduff enters with Macbeth’s head, Malcolm is declared King of Scotland and Macbeth and his wife are remembered negatively in Malcolm’s dialogue to end the play as “this dead butcher and his fiend-like queen (V.VII.82).”
It is through these many scenes, soliloquies and interactions that Shakespeare built a work that has been enjoyed, used as a teaching tool and critically analyzed for centuries. In building the character of Macbeth in the way he did, by first building him up as a noble hero with admirable morals and respect for his king and then forcing him to gradually become a villain, the audience is left unsure or troubled in the way they label the character of Macbeth. Macbeth refuses to repent when faced with imminent death at the hands of Macduff and is declared a butcher by Malcolm, vastly different labeling than he received at the beginning when Duncan and other men were lavishing praise upon him, highlighting the “sense of moral ambivalence and uncertainty that resonates throughout the play (Howell 35).
Shakespeare may have written Macbeth primarily with King James I and his court in mind, but the play has had a lasting impact on audiences and readers. Through various dialogues, scenes and other aspects of Macbeth, audiences continue to be confused about exactly what a “villain-hero” character might be and fascinated by the gore and supernatural elements that Macbeth contain. Although the descriptions and, depending on the production, the visuals of the actions in the play are graphic and bloody and there are conflicts between characters, Historic and contemporary critics and students may find themselves interested in studying the loving-controlling relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth and enraptured by the internal struggles both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are faced with as well as the broader tale of kings and fighting in Scotland.
Works Cited
Bruckner, Lynn Dickson. “Let grief convert to anger”: Authority and affect in Macbeth.” Macbeth: New Critical Essays. Ed. Nick Moschovakis. New York: Routledge, 2008. Electronic. 192-207.
Clayton, Tom. “Who ‘Has No Children’ in Macbeth?” William Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Infobase Publishing, 2010. Electronic. 85-100.
Girard, Rene. “Collective Violence and Sacrifice in William Shakespeare’s Julius Cesear.” The Ordering Mirror: Readers and Contexts. Bennington, VT: Bennington College, 1993. 221-241.
Howell, Maria L. Manhood and Masculinity in William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Macbeth. Lanham, Maryland: University Press of America. 2008. Electronic.
Shakespeare, William. Macbeth. New York: Dover Publications. 1993. Print.
“Macbeth: Background.” BBC Higher Bitesize English. British Broadcasting Corporation, n.d. Web. 15 Dec. 2013. <http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/higher/english/macbeth/background/revision/1/>.
“Macbeth: Background, Page 2.” BBC Higher Bitesize English. British Broadcasting Corporation, n.d. Web. 15 Dec. 2013. <http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/higher/english/macbeth/background/revision/2/>.
