Macbeth's Mind Analysis

Words: 676
Pages: 3
Open Document
Macbeth’ Mind
The play “Macbeth” is a portrayal of the character Macbeth, and how his personality changes through the play. The play presents his declension from good to bad throughout the play. As Elizabeth Montagu states, “more amazing is the art with which he exhibits the movement of the human mind”. Elizabeth is refering to How Shakespeare shows the flexibly of Macbeth’s mind, and how ambition leads him to his eventual downfall. Ambition is something that everyone has experience with, and Macbeth is a powerful story of how ambition can destroy someone. Macbeth shows how people are not always surface deep; Macbeth starts out normal and is than slowly absorbed into evil. Once Macbeth's ambition is set, the play starts to turn darker until …show more content…
The play first shows this when he states "stars hide your fires, let not light see my black and deep desires” ( 1.4.50). Macbeth fears that people will spread the fact that he wants to be king and will kill people for it, so he calls upon the stars to cover their light, so no one can see what he is going through his head. The aside again shows this; the readers are the only ones who know what Macbeth is thinking. Asides show and help the audience understand Macbeth. This shows further that he has become even more drawn to darkness and evil. Macbeth’s soliloquy ,or speech, tells how he is worried about people finding his humane side. When Macbeth is alone on stage, he worries about his eternal soul, and what his religious punishment will be in the afterlife if he kills the king. He starts to think of reasons why he should walk away from his plan to kill the king. A better understanding of Macbeth’s true nature is shown when he says, "He's here in double trust: First, as I am his kinsman and his subject, strong both against the deed; then, as his host he should against his murderer shut the door, not bear the knife myself.” (1.7.12-16) This gives insight into Macbeth’s mind that he is not completely evil, but that his ambition is what spurs him on. Later in the same scene, Macbeth chooses not to kill the king; however, Lady Macbeth provokes and prods him
Show More

Related Documents: Macbeth's Mind Analysis

Essay about Analysing Soliloquy 1.7 Macbeth

deepen the audience’s understanding of Macbeth’s conflicted state of mind? POINT: Contrast of heaven and hell imagery EVIDENCE: “his virtues Will plead like angels, trumpet-tongued against the deep damnation of his taking-off”. EXPLANATION: Macbeth prefigures the spirit of Duncan to be associated with heaven, and his own actions (‘taking him off’) representative of the Devil, suggesting the unnaturalness of the action and the evil of Macbeth’s character. ANALYSIS/ IMPLICATIONS: Alliteration reinforces…

Words 1242 - Pages 5

How Does Shakespeare Present Ambition In Macbeth

ambition in the play, Macbeth? Your analysis must focus on theatrical techniques: In Shakespeare’s famous play, “Macbeth”, ambition is presented as a dangerous quality, one in which both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth fall victim to during the play. Ambition arises with the temptation of becoming King and Queen and evidently becomes Macbeths fatal flaw. The driving force of ambition ultimately results in the downfall, unhappiness and eventual death of the Macbeth’s. The presence of ambition is often exhibited…

Words 886 - Pages 4

Macbeth: Macbeth and Macbeth Analytical Essay

Polanski’s, Macbeth is characterized as a victim of fate. This is shown in Act Two, Scene Two and Act Three, Scene Six and Act Five, Scene Five. These scenes give a close analysis of Macbeth’s behaviour. Observing the juxtaposition in these two scenes with Polanski’s Macbeth with the influence of the witches, Lady Macbeth, and Macbeth’s role of ambition and his weaknesses. In Shakespeare, Macbeth is interpreted as being intrusive with evil as he and Lady Macbeth both make deliberate choices to do evil…

Words 1086 - Pages 5

Witches In Shakespeare's Macbeth

is given this opportunity and it will affect the rest of his life. Shakespeare uses dark tones, visual cues, and developing characters to portray the darkness of Macbeth. In the first four scenes, there are six main characters that help develop Macbeth’s character. These characters are the witches, Duncan, and Banquo. The witches are introduced in scene 1 and our known for their famous line, “Fair is foul, and foul is fair” (sc 1, ln. 12). The…

Words 635 - Pages 3

A Character Analysis of Macbeth and how he went from hero to killer in Shakespeare's Macbeth Essay example

A Character Analysis of Macbeth in Shakespeare's Macbeth By the end of Act V scene v it is clear that Macbeth is not going to rule his kingdom much longer. He is to be killed by a "man none of woman born" (IV,i,80) who we find out latter in the play is Macduff. Before Macbeth is to be killed we find out that he is a great warrior, a sane man, and a superstitious man. In Act I scene ii we find out that Macbeth is a great warrior. We start the scene off from a…

Words 1357 - Pages 6

Macbeth Vs Macduff Analysis

play goes, you’re either pure at heart, going to become corrupt, or dead. In this case, only one of our heroes of the great lands of Scotland gets to maintain a somewhat static personality, and it isn’t the guy this story is named after. To begin analysis, we can easily tread to the beginning…

Words 826 - Pages 4

English Assignment Essay

character, Macbeth is seen as the protagonist of the play. He is first mentioned by the three witches in the beginning of the play, though does not appear until Act 1 Scene 3 (Gibson, 1993). This creates anticipation of the character to the audience. Macbeth’s presence is initially met by the audience, as a brave loyal Scottish general while at work protecting his king from rebels of the Norwegian invaders. ‘ For brave Macbeth—well he deserves that name— Disdaining fortune, with his brandished steel,’…

Words 1331 - Pages 6

Essay On Guilt In Macbeth

caught and punished. It pushes the individual to put themselves in “panic mode” and behave irrationally. They’ll question every little thing they say or move they’ll make, and wonder if the people around them are as trustworthy as they claim to be. The mind tricks themselves into thinking that the life they’ll live from here on out is a, “every man for themselves” situation. These ideas are alluded in various pieces of literature where a guilty conscience make one seem extremely manic in that they tear…

Words 1406 - Pages 6

Shakespeare Major Paper

the psychosis of Shakespeare’s characters and what led to their insanity. The author expresses insight for not only the themes of madness in Hamlet but also helps explain the aspect of madness in one Shakespeare’s other plays, Macbeth. Through her analysis, Coddon successfully offers her readers a deeper understanding of Shakespeare’s choice to portray his characters in this way and provides the…

Words 2852 - Pages 12

Macbeth Gender Roles Essay

witches themselves are bound to an entirely different set of rules than Macbeth and other characters, their sense of morality is not the same as the others. They believe that immoral actions can be necessary in certain instances. They manipulate Macbeth’s weak sense of morals and their words eventually push him to murder Duncan to ascend to the throne. However in the witches’ moral code, even though the throne of Scotland is a “fair reward”, Macbeth committed a necessary, yet foul, action to obtain…

Words 1797 - Pages 8