The Many Different Faces of Macbeth

While Macbeth is considered one of Shakespeare’s most dramatic characters, he’s not a hero but he isn’t a villain either. Macbeth had noble qualities as well as tragic flaws. Macbeth’s feelings and actions towards certain things change throughout the scenes after evil pursued Macbeth’s loyal and honest character. Macbeth’s character has a rising and falling action with the weird sisters who plot against him. Throughout the scenes, Macbeth’s appearance changed internally as he grew more and more ambitious for power.

The shift in his character could be blamed on evil pursuing innocence.

As a teenager in modern America, teenagers today face many challenges, bad temptations, and opportunities similar to the way Macbeth did. As an individual, Macbeth had the option to respond in many different ways. Macbeth’s way of responding to situations is quite different than normal. He had influences upon him that relatively lead him to making terrible decisions.

In Macbeth, beauty is side by side with evil. Macbeth established the first blow of evil (Knight). As the witches introduce the prophecies to Macbeth, the more and more he thinks about them, the more he begins to believe the fate. The first example was becoming Thane of Cawdor, the witches first prophecy. Macbeth adds meaning to the witches prophecy by deciding to take part in abnormal acts to become king. A terrible image of temptation, lures Macbeth in; as if the witches held a dagger toward his hand and urged him forward (Snider).

As the opening scenes of the play portray Macbeth as loyal, ambitious, and kind, readers begin to see a change in Macbeth’s character as he becomes willing to do almost anything for power and wealth. Despite Macbeth’s regret, he does nothing to fix what he has done, instead he continues to make unearthly choices. He blames the guards and kills them before they can prove innocent (Pilkington). Macbeth’s has a strange way of processing thoughts. He believes that two wrongs choices make a right. Inevitably, the course of events prove this statement to be false. Murder becomes Macbeth’s way of gaining and obtaining leadership. Through this, Macbeth becomes disappointed in all aspects of his life. The evil within Macbeth destroys him from the inside out. After Macbeth realizes he is destined to fail, he still battles against Macduff. Further proving the point that Macbeth would do anything for power, even if the power of God was against him.

As Macbeth’s true character begins to fade, he starts suffering more and more. Macbeth must remain silent about the sudden choices he had made. He can not tell anyone he murdered Duncan and the guards. While remaining quiet, the lies and suffering begins to consume Macbeth’s soul. His ambitiousness lessens and molds into fear. Fear for his life, his character, and his future. Fear is the key reason why Macbeth continues to murder: fear is the source of Macbeth’s crime (knight). The fear Macbeth feels come from deep within. He understands the situations he may have gotten himself into, but he does not understand what his inner self has become of this. Within the case of Macbeth, it is plain that the Weird Sisters mirror his internal thoughts (Snider). Macbeth is concerned with his manliness as he advances from a state of honor and soul to a state in which he becomes distracted with desire and power. After Macbeth is assured of his greatness, he decides to accomplish his prediction. The after effect of the desire to have power resulted in several murders.

Macbeth had no feelings for others; he only cared about what others would think of him. The witches’ prophecies encouraged Macbeth’s ambition. As the witches symbolized his thoughts but were formed to reality. Macbeth had already thought of murder.Macbeth had no feelings for others; he only cared about what others would think of him. Macbeth suffers lampoon and dishonor in his tragic fall (Long). During the beginning of the scenes, Macbeth is portrayed as having a close relationship with his wife, as he shares his feelings and secret plans. This shows the trust he has in Lady Macbeth. At the end of the play, he is distant to his wife. Macbeth stops asking her for advice. When Lady Macbeth dies, Macbeth reacts unconcerned and unbothered. As Macbeth’s character evolves throughout the plot, readers begin to realize and understand the several different obstacles that were thrown at Macbeth. Macbeth’s change in character is equivalent to a busy highway with constant travelers. As time passes, both the highway and Macbeth change as they are both getting worn down.

By the end of Act five, Macbeth’s consequences result in his downfall. Blind ambition, guilt, and false hopes are Macbeth’s tragic flaw. Shakespeare’s tragic heroes are well influenced characters, but all suffer from tragic flaws (Long). As the plot develops and decisions are being made, flaws and characteristics are being shown through actions (“Macbeth”). Macbeth’s reaction to prophecies, lies, guilt, and opinions are what leads him to suffering. Macbeth’s character transforms from a noble fighter to a psychotic killer. Unstable emotions and wrong leaders lead Macbeth to his death. Lady Macbeth uses Macbeth’s manliness against him. She guilts him by portraying him as vulnerable, sensitive, and unworthy of the throne (“Plot Summary: Macbeth”). Macbeth is lured to murder by hallucinations of daggers and the innocent asleep (Snider). Macbeth’s lack of sleep, overpowering guilt, and blood beating audience opinions caused him to hallucinate. He imagined himself holding a dagger and comparing it to his own. As this proves Macbeth’s incompetent mind, belittled to almost nothing. Macbeth had lost all morals and respect. He only wanted power.

In conclusion, Shakespeare’s play is developed around the theme of good versus evil. As Macbeth gains power through the forces of evil, the light in every situation is destined to reveal itself. Macbeth is killed by the portrayer of ‘good’, Macduff. Macbeth grew more and more distant with the friends and family around him as he grew closer to the temporary throne.

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