Lady Macbeth Essay

Macbeth

Macbeth is the main character of the play. He is the ruthless king that takes the crown by force and rules with harshness over his people. The general feel the audience has towards him throughout the play is that he is the antagonist. Macbeth is also the one that the witches have main contact with. He has much conflict throughout the play and has many tough decisions to make. His wife, lady macbeth, is basically egging him on the entire time to make the wrong choice. Macbeth changes from good to evil, and then to remorseful over the course of the play.

At the beginning of the play Macbeth is good. He is talking with the King about the execution of the Traitor thane of Cawdor. The witches had foretold him taking that title. The king admits he had bad judgement: “The service and loyalty I owe in doing pays itself” (I.iv.22) this shows that his loyalty lies with the king even though he has ill thoughts due to what the 3 sisters had told him. That in itself makes him good at heart. When first told that he is to become king he does not want to believe it. He almost sees it as a betrayal. “If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me without my stir.” (I.iii. 143) This tells the audience that if he is to become king it will not be of his doing. It almost seems like he is swearing to not kill duncan or provoke his killing in any way. If he is to become king, then it will happen by sheer dumb luck.

As the play continues, Macbeth changes to deceitful. In Macbeth's castle he and his wife were discussing the arrival of the King to have dinner with them that evening. the dinner was a way for the King to show his gratitude towards Macbeth. Lady Macbeth strongly encouraged Macbeth fulfilling what the witches had foretold: “If it were done when ‘tis done, then best it ‘twere done quickly.” (I.vii.1) Macbeth is planning on killing King Duncan when he arrives at his home. maybe not right away, but when no one is looking. Though he may have been a loyal servant, few can resist the temptation of ultimate power such as being king. His wife may have had a huge part to play in this decision as well. Later on in scene two Macbeth is contemplating actually committing the act of murder and high treason. As to be expected by any man with at least half a soul, it is taking a heavy toll on his mind: “Is this a dagger I see before me, the handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee.” (II.i.32) He thinks he sees a dagger floating in mid air when his decision to kill Duncan is official. The emotional toll its already taking is so

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Comparing Macbeth And Lady Macbeth

Comparing Macbeth And Lady Macbeth