How does Macbeth's character evolve over the course of the play? Comment on the following aspects:
--> Macbeth's relationship with his wife
--> Macbeth's attitude to friends and supporters
--> His reaction to noise
--> His treatment of servants
--> His doubts and fears
--> His mind
--> The language he uses (imagery)
--> The language he uses (questions and imperatives)
In Shakespeare's Macbeth, we can see a real evolution of the protagonist : Macbeth. This evolution can be related to several themes, such as his own doubts and fears.
ReplyDeleteAs far as his doubts are concerned, ce can notice that he expresses a lot of them throughout the play, especially concerning the idea of following his wife's ideas and of killing his liege, as we can read it in Act II scene 2, as he is full of remorse and doubts. However, this doubts put the light on the techniques of manipulation used by Lady Macbeth, in order to manipulate him, to make sure to satisfy his "desire" to become king. Indeed, to fight her husband's doubts, she manipulates him by putting his manhood into question, which leads him to fear her.
As far as Macbeth's fears are concerned, we can notice that though he is described as a brave soldier in act I scene 2, he has a lot of fears, regarding to his fear of the witches in act I scene 3 with the sentence "What are you ? " and his fear of supernatural, in act II scene 1 in the dagger scene, as he personifies it.
These simple fears and doubts of the first two acts evolve in something bigger since as he is afraid to lose his power, he commits several murders and enters in a vicious cycle of violence. We can see this fears and doubts as a kind of Hamartia, since they traduce an error in his judgement concerning the witches propehcy, leading him to the final catastrophe.
Hi guys, I agree with all you said except when you wrote "his fears and doubts [are] a kind of Hamartia".
DeleteFrom what dictionnaries say, Hamartia is the error of judgement or the tragic flaw of the tragic hero - in this play Macbeth himself. I wouldn't therefore say that Macbeth's fears and doubts ARE his tragic flaw. To my mind Macbeth's harmartia is either Macbeth's trust in the witches or his willingness to proove his manhood to his wife.
As I stated above Macbeth trusts upon the witches' prophecy. "Stay", "tell me more", "speak" are the infinitives that proove how well Macbeth is affected by the Sisters' predilection. He urges them to keep on telling what they know. Moreover there's a overabondance of question marks in this passage, for Macbeth craves to know more: this lack of patience shows how restless he is. In addition the hinted stage direction through Banquo's words: "look how our partner's rapt" permits the audience to stare at a bewitched, captivated and fascinated Macbeth: he cannot help but thinking of what he just heard, the Sisters' words are echoing in his head and he already wonders whether these evil creatures could somehow foreshadow the truth. This moment of the play can therefore stick to the classical term of Hamartia.
Macbeth's hamartia can also refer to the moment where Macbeth takes his courage in his hands so as to proove his masculinity to his wife who has just debased him. Macbeth indeed commands "bring forth men-children only" which is an allusion to the fact that only male heir can inherit the throne: Macbeth is thus determined to wear the crown and to bequeath it to his son. The nominal group "each corparal agent" insists on the idea that each and every muscle of his body will accomplish the deed. Besides the scene ends with a powerful rhyming couplet composed of [f] alliterations with the words "feat", "fairest", "false" x2 and "face" which enphasise this idea of ambition: now it is time to do it. "False heart must hide what the false heart doth know" is a clear reference to Lady Macbeth's words in act I sc 5 l. 61 "look like the innocent flower but be the serpent under it": the Macbeths are going to look innocent but will murder whoever hinder them to make their way to the crown. This allusion to his wife's advice emphasises Macbeth's utter admiration for his wife's determination: now Macbeth promises they will walk "hand in hand" with the same desire for power towards the throne and his masculinity will be in charge of casting Duncan off.
Victoria
THE WAY MACBETH TREATS HIS SERVANTS
ReplyDelete- Contrast between Macbeth as a thane and Macbeth as a king.
As a thane, Macbeth did not pay much attention to the servants whereas as a king, they become vital. Act 5 scene 5 reflects the attitude he used to have as a Thane; he speaks to himself without paying attention to the servant until he has something to ask. Afterwards he goes back into his thoughts, forgetting the servant again. However this can also be a contrast with the beginning, where he is afraid of people finding out what he did. In Act 3 scene 4 (l.131-132), we can deduct that his servants are his spies. Murderers can also be considered as servants even though Macbeth does not trust them and hires more murderers. They are used as tools that he gets rid of once they have done their work.
- Macbeth speaks tyrannically to his servants
Once he is king, Macbeth only uses orders or insults to address his servants which emphasizes his tyranny. In Act 5 scene 5, he insults the messenger : "lier" "slave". Even the doctor who is of superior rank is given orders and spoken roughly to. In the same scene (l.30) Macbeth shouts at his servant and does not listen to what he has to say. Seyton is called on as if he were a dog. The more Macbeth becomes tyrannic the less his servants are treated as human beings.
Macbeth knows it is over, he cannot fool anyone anymore which is probably why he takes advantage of his servants to feel as if he still had power.
Macbeth is a very ambiguous character from the beginning until the end of the play, a character difficult to understand and who is always questioning himself. At the end, Macbeth appears as a real evil and cold man with a mind corrupted by ambition and power.
ReplyDeleteNevertheless, we can ask ourselves if Macbeth is deeply nefarious or if he is simply a character who made the wrong choices.
By different aspects of Macbeth’s mind, we will see that he is not totally evil but just a deeply good man, who because of his weaknesses, has been influenced by the wrong persons and trapped by power and ambition.
Let’s point out the main features of his mind:
First of all, all the play long, Macbeth’s mind is in conflict trying to answer to this question: “What I should do and what I should not do?” His mind is also confused between what’s good and what’s wrong. For instance, he is questioning himself about Duncan’s murder. First, he is ready to kill him, then he refuses “We will proceed no further in this business” and finally, he completely agrees to kill the king: “I go, and it is done; the bell invites me. / Hear it not, Duncan, for it is a knell/ That summons thee to heaven or to hell."
Therefore, we see that Macbeth is not born evil otherwise he can’t take the time to think about the situation and consider the consequences but simply act.
Then, Macbeth’s mind is tortured. Indeed, he knows, he is conscious of what he did and the cruelty of his actions. However, he also understands that he has done so much that he can’t come back as it was before: he is too involved. So in the play, we have this idea of a “vicious circle” that Macbeth can’t escape: he has killed Duncan, but to live in safety, he has to killed Banquo and then, Fleance because he is Banquo’s son…
But Macbeth’s mind is also tortured because he is always trapped between his love for Lady Macbeth and his desire to make her proud of him, and his previous good thoughts; between his ambition, his desire for power, and his “moral sense”.
Then, Macbeth’s mind reveals he is ambitious and determinate. Indeed, he decides and wants to be king and in order to achieve his goal he will do everything: for instance it is necessary for him to overcome Malcolm, the future king of Scotland: “This a step on which I must step over or fall down”; his ambition can be revealed by this quotation: “Let not light see my black and deep desires.”
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ReplyDeleteMoreover, Macbeth’s mind is full of fears all the play long. His fears partly push him to commit murders. For instance, he fears the truth (that people discover he has killed Duncan), so he kills the guards. Then, he fears Banquo and his son Fleance because of the witches’ predictions, so he decides to kill them. And finally, he fears Macduff, so hires murderers to kill his family. We can say that his fears contribute to trap Macbeth in a vicious circle.
Furthermore, Macbeth’s mind is full of guilt. We can see that thanks to his numerous hallucinations: “Is this a dagger which I see before me” or “Which of you have done this to me” (reference to Banquo’s ghost”). Moreover, he often expresses regrets or stupor regarding what he has done: ‘This is a sorry sight!”; “Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood /Clean from my hand? No: this my hand will rather /The multitudinous seas incarnadine, /Making the green one red.” (after Duncan’s murder)
Macbeth’s mind reveals a courageous and bold man. Indeed, Macbeth is, at the beginning, fighting for his country and was admired by his peers and even King Duncan himself.
Moreover, Macbeth’s mind is really linked with this idea of Fate because even if he is thinking about his acts and his future all the time, they are some things he can not have a control over. Macbeth’s mind is really the cause of all his acts of is he a bit conditioned, influenced and victim of Fate?
To conclude, by these different aspects, we see that we can’t say that Macbeth is completely evil. Indeed, some aspects reveal his bravery and his sense of humanity. Therefore, we can question in which degree Macbeth is responsible for his acts and which degree is he a nefarious man.
Macbeth is the main character of the play that bears his name. All along the play he changed a lot. At first he was seen as a strong person and he was admired by all those around him. Unfortunately as the play advances he brings deception and hate by his actions and his evolving personality. His recent insidious and deceitful behavior will eventually lead him to his downfall.
ReplyDeleteMost of the changes that occur in Macbeth are caused by actions he implements because of misjudgment or manipulation.
The first but the most important change happens when Macbeth murders Duncan. Even before the crime he hesitates, he is not sure if he should do it or not, he finally does it. The consequences on his mind are instantaneous, Macbeth gets paranoid he starts to hear voices:
“Methought I heard a voice cry ‘Sleep no more; / Macbeth does murder sleep, the innocent sleep,”
Since this moment (act II scene 2) Macbeth won’t sleep anymore. He will stop feeling any kind of compassion towards other people and will become quite susceptible. Those are two very common faults in all tyrants. Macbeth is disgusted with himself for murdering Duncan. This is shown when he states:
-"I have done the deed".
At that point Macbeth feels guilty; we tend to think that he is not completely wicked because he had been manipulated by his wife.
-“I am afraid to think what I have done; / Look on’t again, I dare not.”
This quote are the words of Macbeth after killing Duncan, we sense here a certain sense of guilt (Act II scene 2).
However Macbeth’s cruelty and selfishness is not yet satisfied, Banquo who used to be his best friend becomes a threat to him because of the prediction of the three witches about his son and his presence could lead him to suspicions about the murder of the old king. In his growing madness (since Duncan’s murder) he justifies crimes to come to protect himself and also pretends that he wants to get rid of any humanity left within him:
-"Come seeling night /Scarf up the tender eye of pitiful day, /And with thy bloody and invisible hand /Cancel and tear to pieces that great bond Which keeps me pale"
For him power worth more than everything, the hard night he spent after the killing of Duncan didn’t affect him the morning after when he lied to become king of Scotland. Macbeth suffers of his treacherous acts but find a remedy in power. At the beginning Macbeth is easily led by his wife, she influences him and also seeks for power, because if she had not been there to push him with the murder then Macbeth would have probably not killed Duncan. The role of his wife is important at that point of the play, she urges him in many ways and she is a strong ally to him, but as the play progress he’s taking her out of his Machiavellian plans and gradually becomes alone against everyone.
The prophecies of the witches have a certain impact on the development of Macbeth’s character.
Macbeth gains little by little a new insurance thinking he’s invincible, since the weird sisters told him he would never be defeated until Birnam woods moves to Dunsinane hill and since a bloody child said:
-“none of woman born / shall harm Macbeth”
Knowing this new prophecy, the illegitimate king became much more ruthless and solitary; he believed that even alone he was invincible. When his wife committed suicide Macbeth remained emotionless saying:
-“She should have died hereafter”
This reaction is very surprising because she was a source of motivation earlier and a strong ally.
On the whole, there are many reasons why Macbeth changed along the play we can separate them in two main axes, the first one would be his actions (murders) and the witches’ prophecies. All these events had an impact on the development of Macbeth only because he was weak and full of ambitions. This character went from noble to treacherous because he was greedy of power and wanted to keep it for himself as a kid with his toy.
Would it have been the same if Lady Macbeth was also weak or if she never wanted to be queen? What if Macbeth was strong and less willing of power?
“The bird a nest, the spider a web, man friendship” told William Blake. Friendship is one of the timeless and recurring themes in man’s life and thus in literature and art in general. This goes also for the play of Shakespeare, Macbeth, and for the eponym himself.
ReplyDeleteThe first point to be mentioned is that Macbeth has few real friends in the play. We are going to explore the evolution of his relations with this few “friends”. In a first time, we will deal briefly with Duncan and Lady Macbeth, both family members and to some point “friends”. Then we will look at the only real and thorough friendship Macbeth has with Banquo. Finally we will take in consideration the ambiguous relation of Macbeth with the Witches and Seyton.
Macbeth and Banquo are showed, in the play, as being great friends. Moreover, Banquo is considered as being Macbeth’s only friend. However, the dictionary’s (Oxford Advances Learner’s Dictionary of Current English) definition of friendship doesn’t really correspond to their relationship. Friends are people who know each other well and who likes each other, they show and/or express kindness. The Macbeth-Banquo relationship corresponds only to the first half of this definition, and is not named as friendship in the play. Indeed, nobody talks about friendship, it is only guessed by the audience. What are the signs of a friendship within the play, and why can we doubt of it?
The audience considers the relationship between the two characters as being friendship in the beginning of the play. To create this impression, Shakespeare developed three main points of friendship. First, the idea of trust between Macbeth and Banquo is shared, mainly in Act 1, scene 3 and in Act 2, scene 1. In the first scene, Macbeth wants to talk to Banquo about the three witches’ apparition, and in the second one, Banquo wants to talk to Macbeth. Even though they will not be able to communicate, we can see that this is a sign of trust: they talk to each other about what is in their mind and make confidences. Second, we can classify the relationship as friendship because the two characters spend time together. Macbeth is not often seen alone with another character, except from Lady Macbeth. However, in Act 1, scene 3, Banquo and Macbeth are alone on stage, between the three witches’ apparition and the entrance of Ross and Angus. In the first act, we can see that Macbeth, before he goes back to Inverness’ castle, is always on stage with Banquo. This shows that they respect the rules of friendship and spend time together, as friends would do. They appear, at the end of Act 1, scene 4, as inseparable. Third, we can consider the relationship as one of friendship’s because of the mutual respect which is shown until the end of Act 2, scene 1. Macbeth, who knows that Banquo’s heirs will take his throne one day, doesn’t think of murdering Banquo until he discovers power and starts being afraid of it. His first thoughts were about killing Duncan, although Banquo’s sons and Banquo’s knowledge of the three witches’ predictions represent a greater danger for him.
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ReplyDeleteHowever, we can doubt about the sincerity of the friendship which is showed in the play. The events which take place make us wonder about the existence of a real friendship between the two characters. Firstly, as it is the most important point, we cannot really consider the relationship as being friendship since Macbeth asks the murderers to kill Banquo in Act 3, scene 3. This shows Macbeth’s distrust in Banquo, since he knows about the predictions of the three witches and could guess who committed Duncan’s murder. It also shows a lack of respect towards Banquo: Macbeth does not want Banquo’s heirs to succeed and access to the throne. He wants the power to stay in his own family, and will not share, even with a friend. Second, we can see in Act 1, scene 3, line 49, that Banquo calls Macbeth “sir”, whereas Macbeth, in the whole play, does not say it. It shows Macbeth superiority towards Banquo, even though they are both thanes and should be equals.
Finally, we can discuss about who is in fact superior to who. We can of course consider Macbeth as being superior to Banquo. Indeed, Banquo calls Macbeth “sir” (see previous paragraph), and Macbeth becomes thane of Cawdor, and then king whereas Banquo stays a thane and is not able to gain a new title after the war. Nevertheless, Banquo is also, in his own way, superior to Macbeth. The three witches, in Act 1 scene 3, define him as so, when they tell him he is “greater [and] much happier” (lines 66 and 67) than Macbeth. Additionally, Banquo’s sons will come after Macbeth, and will be able to keep power for a much longer time. It shows, once again, Banquo superiority compared to Macbeth. Finally, in the play, Banquo is used as Macbeth’s foil by Shakespeare. By his qualities (such as loyalty, respect and love of his children), Banquo underlines Macbeth’s weaknesses. Although inferior by the title and power, he is morally stronger and more admirable.
To conclude, there is, within the play, no real friendship between the two characters. They are unequal, in power like in values. However, we can question ourselves about a possible friendship in the beginning of the play. Indeed, Macbeth is not showed as being brave and courageous, although every character speaks as if he was in the first act. This makes us wonder: was Macbeth the one he is described to be? If so, a friendship between Banquo and Macbeth would have been possible.
As we mentioned previously, Duncan and Lady Macbeth have a special position as they are more intimate with Macbeth than sample friends.
Firstly, King Duncan is Macbeth’s cousin, his “kinsman” (Act I, scene 7). There are no indication of their relative ages. Nevertheless we can see that Macbeth is Duncan’s servitor (he is a Thane) and is loyal to him as he defended the throne for Duncan by defeating the Coup of the previous Thane of Cawdor (Act I). We can also notice that Duncan does not behave in a scornful manner toward Macbeth as he considers him as his “worthiest cousin” (I, 4) and pays him with agreeable compliments regarding his success against the Thane of Cawdor. However, as soon as Macbeth is named Thane of Cawdor, his growing ambition turns the kinsman into a rival to defeat. And since then, Macbeth ceases to be honest toward Duncan and becomes duplicitous.
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ReplyDeleteThen, let’s speak about Lady Macbeth. She can be considered as a friend, as she is the confidante of Macbeth. She goes along with him in his plan, and appeases his fears and doubts. She is his most intimate friend in this way, because love does not necessarily mean trust, understanding, guidance and so on, and especially at that time, where women and men were not “equal”. In comparison, all the other couples in the play are not so close and do not form a real “team” as the Macbeth do. They are very united. And yet, this strong tie unknots, comes apart as Macbeth craving for power and obsession to keep it arises. Indeed, he does not inform his wife of the following murders once Duncan is dead.
For their part, the witches gain quite a special status in Macbeth’s life: on the one hand, they may be considered as the factor that makes his whole life turn into a disastrous quest of power. But on the other hand, they also represent for him a kind of alternative friends. Indeed, he feels like he can rely on them, and calls on them whenever he needs help. At some point of the piece, they even represent a solution even safer than what Lady Macbeth could suggest: in Act 3 Scene 4, he exposes to Lady Macbeth that he “will […] to the weird sisters”, rather than putting more on display his plans to her.
As a matter of fact, we can figure out how Macbeth’s friendships have turned insane: although his relationship with Banquo could be put into question, it was very likely to be a friendship since they seemed at least at the beginning pleased to spend time together, when they could have real and intimate discussions. In act 1 scene 3, Banquo even wishes to express his true feelings about what had just happened (for more information, see Banquo part). On the contrary, when do we feel pleasure in the meetings of Macbeth with the Witches? They rather provoke fear and even terror to him. As a matter of fact, we can assert that Macbeth’s idea of friendship has degenerated. The more he was seeking for power, the less he cared about what we find important in a friendship: fondness, or common interest for instance. Indeed, nothing matters anymore but his own interest.
We can see how selfishness comes to lead his friendships in his relationship with Seyton, which is based on dominance. Although this thane is among the last people who still trust Macbeth, or even the one last person, all he receives from his overlord is orders and scorn. In Act 5 Scene 3, Macbeth calls for Seyton in the way he would for any servant, and this loyal vassal rushes anyway. Besides, we could wonder in what extent Seyton is beneficial to Macbeth, for this name could be pronounced as “Satan”, and so he would represent evil as well as the weird sisters do. As a matter of fact, all of Macbeth’s remaining ersatzes of friendship are linked to demonic forces, and will precipitate his fall with his agreement.
To conclude, this seems obvious that Macbeth friendships are ambiguous and he finally remains alone. None of the friendships of the beginning match entirely with the definition of friendship. The most glaring case is Banquo’s one. Then, when Macbeth becomes inhumane and goes along with the evil ones, his relationships also become “dehumanised”. He looks for his interest and finally relies only upon himself. All around, all these previous figure of “friends” perished because of him. He kills Duncan and Banquo, and Lady Macbeth dies because she helped killing Duncan and did not bear the weight of remorse then. Regarding the evil ones, they abandon him and led him to his lost.
In a way, this play echoes to any kind of society and especially ours, as it depicts how ambition can divide people. This is a very modern fact in our selfish society where ambition governs the countries and most of our daily decisions as we have to be the best to have a place and keep it in society. This is the dark side of the “self-made man” which reveals that to raise with nothing in the pocket, you have to pile up many corpse as a springboard.
Macbeth's language : his use of questions and imperatives
ReplyDeleteQuestions and imperatives are very present in Macbeth's language from his first appearance to his death. He uses imperatives from the beginning, which shows his arrogance and hybris. He tries to give orders, to control the witches, with “speak, I charge you”, or “Stay, you imperfect speakers./Tell me more.” in Act I sc 3. Of course, it isn't possible for him to take power on supernatural things, even though he speaks directly to “stars” and asks them to “hide [their] fires, [to] let not light see [his] black and deep desires.”in Act I sc4.The questions he uses show he wants to know the truth, to know what he has to expect, such as “Why/Upon this blasted heath you stop our way/with such prophetic greeting”. He always wants to have more information, for example, when he learns he will obtain thane of Cawdor's title, he decisively wants to understand “why do [they] dress [him] in borrowed robes ?”.
However, even though questions and imperatives are present throughout the play, there is an evolution in their use in Macbeth's language. His questions show his hesitance in front of Lady Macbeth who planned Duncan's murder, when he says “if we should fail ?” in Act I sc7. Macbeth doesn't speak with imperatives to his wife at this moment : when we observe a total control of the situation by Lady Macbeth, we can wonder if he is not afraid of her. By the way, he uses a bit later imperatives to the dagger he sees, with “ come, let me clutch thee”.
But as soon as Duncan is dead, he gets more power as a future king, and on his wife too. He is now imperative with her : “Let your rememberance /Apply to Banquo[...]in Act IIIsc2. Of course he manages to take a “king tone” with the murderers and his servants, by giving strong orders. But more he gets power, more he is arrogant and self-confident, more he uses imperatives and less he asks questions. At the end, his language becames frankly violent, such as “Go prick thy face and over-red thy fear/ Thou lily-livered boy.” in Act V sc3. When Macbeth understands he is lost, he just keeps imperatives as the chief of the army, as “Give me my armour” in ActV sc3, or “arm, arm, and out” and “ring the alarum bell !” in ActV sc5.
Macbeth's language illustrates his mood, when he is expecting to know more, he asks to, when he hesitates to follow his wife he shows it with questions who ask for reassurance. As he is scared, he expresses it through violent insults to his servants, and when he is resigned to die, but to fight until the end, he just focuses, and takes the control of his army, to try to save himself.
Macbeth’s reaction to noise
ReplyDeleteThroughout the play, noise and reaction to noise are an important aspect of the action. Indeed, we can note a discernible progression of his dying vulnerability facing reverberations.
At the beginning of the play, distraught by the thoughts of murder, we experience a very susceptible Macbeth. Indeed, before the murder, we are confronted to his soliloquy in which he divulges ambivalent opinions facing the deed. Incapable of making an adequate resolution, the ringing of the bell interrupts as an excuse to murder Duncan: “the bell invites me”. Through this incongruous personification of the bell, we see the perpetuity of his longing to blame other forces for the crime that he wishes to commit, a sign of his frailty, which contrasts the first image of the valiant soldier we were presented.
Following the deliberate killing of King Duncan, Macbeth’s fear is prodigiously escapist. He yearns nothing more than to diminish into the shrouds of the darkness, which concealed his crime. This is apparent with the knocking, which contrasts the previous scene marked by silence and heightening tension as it acts as a countdown to the discovery of the death. Through this augmenting knocking, the Macbeths are reminded that they are accountable to their country, which agitates Macbeth prominently. Previously, his use of imagery: “Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood/ Clean from my hand?” had unearthed his upmost repentance and culpability tinted by obsession and trepidation. The knocking appears to be an exit according to Macbeth who wishes that its noise would have the power to wake Duncan from the dead.
Further in the play, he hears the cry of a woman and reflects that there was a time when his hair would have stood on end if he had heard such a cry. However, as his mind is now charged with horrors andslaughterous thoughts, this sound does no longer startles him. We could envision the losing of all moral compas and the overwelming malevolance and malfeasance which possesses him.
We notice, in parallel to his fading predicament facing noise, that Macbeth is gradually immunised against the culpability of murder, which had once devastated him. In this respect, sound is the revealing element of Macbeth’s reaction before and after his first murder and later in the play once he has committed the murder of Banquo and Macduff’s family.
All the play long, we see Macbeth’s character evolve. This evolution is in particular noticeable through his questions and imperatives.
ReplyDeleteAt the beginning of the play, Macbeth sounds to be a good person who trusts the others too much. Indeed, in act I.3.73, he says: “Speak, I charge you” and “ Stay, you imperfect speakers. Tell me more” That shows that he is captivated by what the witches tell him. But still, he sees that there is an incoherence and asks l 105:”Why do you dress me in borrowed robes ?”, which leads him to wonder l130-136 if he can trust the witches:” If ill, why hath it given me earnest of success, Commencing in a truth ?(…) If good, why do I yield to that suggestion, whose horrid image doth unfix my hair and make my seated heart knock at my ribs against the use of nature ?”. We then see a good man who is wondering either to trust people or not to. He then gives order to the natural elements, so we can guess that he still hopes that nature is on his side as he says “ Stars, hide your fires, let not light, see my black and deep desires” in act I.4.50. At this moment, he sounds sure of himself but, we can see that when he is with his wife, he uses no imperative, only, suggestions like“ we will speak further” act I.5.68. We then perceive a different side of Macbeth’s personality, a scared side which needs his wife’s advice as he asks in act I.7.59:”If we should fail ?”. Then, after murdering Duncan, he has difficulties to hide his crime and so, only says a line when the body is discovered: ”What is’t you say, the life ?”. Then, he wonders aloud “Who can be wise, amazed, temp’rate, and furious, loyal and neutral, in a moment ?”in act II.3.111, this actually sounds like a confession of his weakness to make the right choices.
From this wondering man, he then evolves to a man who sounds confident in what he plans but actually has madness fits. Indeed, he plans Banquo’s death while asking him “ Ride you this afternoon “in act III.1.21, “Is’t far you ride ?” , “Goes Fleance with you ?” and then, ordering him “Fail not our feast”, maybe to make sure he doesn’t run away until he has had him killed. Macbeth is then showing himself confident when he asks the murderers to kill his friend. He starts by asking them “Well then, now have you considered of my speeches?” so, it shows us that he actually had already all planned. He then tries to manipulate them by asking ”Do you find your patience so predominant in your nature, that you can let this go ? Are you so gospelled to pray for this good man and for his issue, those heavy hand hath bowed you to the grave and beggared yours forever ? “ in act III. 1.89. He afterwards lets them time to think:” Resolve yourselves apart”, knowing that they will do what he asks. Next, he actually gives at least one piece advice to his wife: “ be innocent of the knowledge” in act III.2.44 but we can actually wonder if he is as confident as he seems to be as he is echoing his wife’s words. Then, again, he seems to be controlling the elements as he says “Come, sealing night, scarf up the tender eye of pitiful day and with thy bloody an invisible hand, cancel and tear to pieces that great bond which keeps me pale” in act III.2.45. He then successfully plays the friendly host” You know your own degrees, sit down; at first and last, the hearty welcome” III.4.1. So everything seems to be going well for him until the murders come to make their report.
DeleteWe then can feel an impression of urge for him “ Is he dispatched ?” III.4.14. Since this moment, when he learns that Fleance is still alive and Banquo dead, things start to get worse for him. When he asks “Which of you have done this “ III.4.49, everyone thinks him mad, which ruins all his efforts to sound self-confident and make people wonder if a mad king is actually needed. Since then, he will go from lucid to mad to normal again, to even madder. When in act III.4.71 he says “Prithee, see there ! Behold, look, lo ! How say you ? Why what care I ? If thou canst nod, speak too.”, he really sounds lost but then, tries to behave normally again, jovially asking for wine “ Give me some wine; fill full ! “ III.4.88. But then, again, he turns mad in front of his guests’ eyes: “ Avaunt and quit my sight ! Let the earth hide thee !” . Besides, when he visits the witches back, this impression is reinforced. He first acts as if he were their superior “ What is’t you do ?” IV. 1.37, “Answer me to what I ask you”, but slowly turns to madness, first, by losing patience “ “Call ‘em, let me see ‘em”l.63, “tell me, thou unknown power”l.66 He then has amoment of clarity, wondering how the prophecy could be “ Then live, Macduff, what need I fear of thee ?”. But rapidly, he loses mind: “ Why sinks that cauldron ? And what noise is this ?” l. 104, “ Why do you show me this ? – A fourth ? Start, eyes ! What, will the line stretch out to th’crack of doom ? Another yet ? A seventh ? “. Then again, in act IV. 2.154, he sounds self-confident: “Where are these gentlemen ? Come, bring me where they are.”, We can guess that he is trying to take his fate back in his hands by asking the murderers to act for him again. Then in act V.3.1, he orders “ Bring me no more reports, let them fly all”, which is either too confident, either foolish. He is then obsessed by the prophecy: “ What’s the boy Malcolm ? Was he not born of woman ?”, this is another step towards madness.
DeleteHe is then disdainful with his servant in act V. 3 and seems to have lost all his humanity. He no longer sounds friendly to the audience : “ Where got’st thou that goose-look ?” “Geese, villain ?” “What soldiers, patch ?” “What soldiers, whey-face ?” “Take thy face hence!”. He is contradicting himself by asking “What news more ? “ l.30
DeleteThen, as his situation seems to be out of control, he starts giving orders “ Give me my armour” “Send out more horses; skirr the country round. Hang those that talk of fear. Give me mine armour” ”Cure her of that” ”throw physics to the dogs, I’ll none of it. Come, put mine armour on; give me my staff- Seyton, send out”. Giving orders gives him the impression of control but he is just postponing and he knows there is nothing he can do. And then, things get even worse, he loses his wife and seems to be scared again:” What is that noise ?”V.5.8, “Wherefore was that cry ?” l.14. And again, madness when he learns the news: “Out, out, brief candle”, now that he has embraced darkness, he can’t stand light anymore. But, even when he learns that he is condemned, V.5.50, he decides that he will fight “ Ring the alarum bell! Blow wind, come wrack; At least we ‘ll die with harness on our back.” We understand that he has actually set himself free of the prophecy and will fight. But again, in act V.7.3, he asks “ What’s he that was not born of woman ?” so, again, he is trapped. But again, facing death, he has courage “ Why should I play the Roman fool and die on mine own sword ?” V.8.2, and decides to fight, “ Lay on, Macduff” V.8.33.
Oscillating from mental sanity to madness all the play long, Macbeth’s character
moves us because his weakness is human, he was a good person who did not give up all hope and dignity in the end and was just overly manipulated all the play long.
Pascaline and Louise.
DeleteMacbeth's relationship with his wife
ReplyDeleteThe main topic of Shakespearian tragedy « Macbeth » is the relationship of the main character with his wife – Lady Macbeth. At the very beginning of the play they were really close to each other.
Macbeth called her “[his] dearest partner of greatness” and “[his] dearest love” . By telling her about all his nuisances, he demonstrated that he really trusted her. Also when he told she should “lay it to [her] heart”, he proved that she was a very important person to him, not only a wife, but also a dear friend who knew all his innermost secrets. Nevertheless, Lady Macbeth treated his husband as a little child. Trying to make him scared and planning everything for him “Leave all the rest to me”, she emphasized the fact that she was worried about him and his meager courage, [his] nature, (…) full o’th’milk of human kindness”. That is why she used a lot of different techniques to persuade him to do what he has to do in order to achieve his (their? her?) goal. She was playing with the words to manipulate him by hurting his ego and offending his manhood. Meanwhile, Macbeth seemed to be less mannish then his wife was. He was incessantly confused, but finally Lady Macbeth managed to build his certainty of success. She dominated her husband and took control over the situation.
But after the murder of Duncan, their relationship had gone through many changes, like for example return to the gender roles. Macbeth started to take all the decisions on his own and they were no more as confidential to each other as they were at the beginning of the tragedy. Lady Macbeth tried to do everything possible to protect herself and her husband from suspicion, but he didn’t care about her opinion anymore. Without asking about her appraisement, he arranged Banquo’s murder. When she tried to give him a piece of advice, he stated she should "be innocent of the knowledge, (…) Till [she] applaud[s] the deed", what means that he became the superior one in their relationship. Even when she fell into the black depression, he did not hold out much hope that she could be cured so he ordered the doctor to “cure her of that” with no belief that it might happen. Finally, when Macbeth had got to know that she has died, he had only replied that "She should have died hereafter; There would have been a time for such a word".
To sum up, the relationship of Macbeth and his wife has totally changed while their situation in the tragedy started to become more and more complicated. Their mutual trust exposed to the danger, was not strong enough to survive all the adversities they had to face with.