Summary
Macbeth is the main protagonist and tragic hero of William Shakespeare's play of the same name. He is a Scottish general who receives a prophecy from three witches that he will become the king of Scotland. Consumed by ambition and spurred by his wife, he murders King Duncan and takes the throne for himself.
However, his guilt and paranoia lead him to commit more crimes and become a tyrannical ruler. He is eventually killed by Macduff, a nobleman who opposes his reign. Macbeth is a complex character who shows both courage and cowardice, loyalty and treachery, and greatness and weakness. He is influenced by external forces, such as the witches and Lady Macbeth, but also by his own flawed nature. He represents the dangers of ambition without morality and the consequences of regicide.
QUOTES
QUOTE 1:
"Is this a dagger which I see before me, The handle toward my hand?"
(Act 2, Scene 1)
This quote is spoken by Macbeth in Shakespeare's tragedy Macbeth, as he is about to murder King Duncan in his sleep. The quote reveals Macbeth's inner conflict and hesitation before committing the crime. He sees a vision of a dagger floating in the air, pointing the way to Duncan's chamber. He wonders if the dagger is real or a hallucination, a product of his fevered imagination. He also questions if the dagger is a sign from fate or a trick from the devil, tempting him to do evil. The quote shows that Macbeth is not a cold-blooded killer, but a man who is tormented by guilt and fear. He is aware of the moral consequences of his actions, but he is also driven by his ambition and his wife's influence. The quote foreshadows Macbeth's downfall, as he will be haunted by the blood on his hands and the ghosts of his victims.
QUOTE 2:
"Out, out, brief candle! Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player."
(Act 5, Scene 5)
This quote is from William Shakespeare's tragedy Macbeth, spoken by the protagonist Macbeth after he learns of his wife's death. The quote expresses Macbeth's despair and nihilism, as he compares life to a candle that can be easily extinguished, a shadow that has no substance, and a poor actor that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more. Macbeth feels that life is meaningless and full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. The quote also reflects Macbeth's loss of ambition and motivation, as he realizes that all his crimes and achievements have led him to nothing but loneliness and doom. The quote is an example of Shakespeare's use of imagery, metaphor, and alliteration to convey the theme of the futility and brevity of human existence.
THEMES
AMBITION
Ambition is one of the main themes in Macbeth, a tragedy by William Shakespeare. The play explores how ambition can drive a person to commit evil deeds and ultimately lead to their downfall. Macbeth, the protagonist, is a loyal and brave warrior who receives a prophecy from three witches that he will become the king of Scotland. However, instead of waiting for fate to fulfill the prophecy, he decides to take matters into his own hands and murder the current king, Duncan, with the help of his wife, Lady Macbeth. This act of regicide sets off a chain of events that plunges Macbeth into a spiral of guilt, paranoia, and tyranny. He becomes obsessed with securing his throne and eliminating anyone who poses a threat to his power, including his former friends and allies. He also becomes increasingly isolated from his wife, who suffers from remorse and madness. Macbeth's ambition ultimately destroys him, as he is killed by Macduff, a nobleman who seeks to avenge his family and restore order to Scotland. Macbeth's tragic flaw is his inability to control his ambition and resist the temptation of evil. He is a tragic hero who falls from grace because of his own actions and choices. Macbeth shows how ambition, when unchecked by moral constraints, can corrupt a person and lead to their ruin.
GUILT
In the beginning of the play, Macbeth is a loyal and brave general who has just won a great victory for his king. However, he is tempted by the prophecies of the three witches, who tell him that he will become the thane of Cawdor and later the king. When he learns that he has indeed been made the thane of Cawdor, he starts to believe that the witches' words are true and that he has a destiny to fulfill. He also receives a letter from his wife, Lady Macbeth, who urges him to seize the opportunity and kill Duncan, the current king, when he visits their castle. Macbeth is conflicted by his moral conscience and his ambition, and he hesitates to commit the murder. He says, "If it were done when 'tis done, then 'twere well / It were done quickly" (1.7.1-2). He is afraid of the consequences of his actions, both in this world and the next. He says, "We still have judgment here, that we but teach / Bloody instructions, which, being taught, return / To plague the inventor" (1.7.8-10). He also acknowledges that Duncan is a good and virtuous king, who does not deserve to die. 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, / Who should against his murderer shut the door, / Not bear the knife myself" (1.7.12-16).
However, Macbeth is persuaded by his wife, who questions his manhood and his courage, and who assures him that they will not fail if they are bold and resolute. She says, "But screw your courage to the sticking-place, / And we'll not fail" (1.7.60-61). She also tells him that she will drug the guards and lay the blame on them, so that no one will suspect them. She says, "Who dares receive it other, / As we shall make our griefs and clamor roar / Upon his death?" (1.7.80-82). Macbeth finally agrees to go along with the plan, and he says, "I am settled, and bend up / Each corporal agent to this terrible feat" (1.7.79-80).
After Macbeth kills Duncan, he is immediately filled with guilt and remorse. He says, "I have done the deed" (2.2.14), with a tone of regret and horror. He is unable to say "Amen" after hearing a voice cry "Sleep no more" (2.2.32-33), which suggests that he has lost his connection with God and his peace of mind. He is also haunted by the sight of blood on his hands, which he thinks cannot be washed away. He says, "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" (2.2.58-61). He is so shaken by his crime that he forgets to leave the daggers with the guards, and he refuses to go back to the scene. He says, "I'll go no more: / I am afraid to think what I have done; / Look on't again I dare not" (2.2.51-53). He relies on his wife to complete the plan and to calm him down. She says, "A little water clears us of this deed: / How easy is it, then!" (2.2.66-67). She also tells him to stop dwelling on his guilt and to be strong. She says, "These deeds must not be thought / After these ways; so, it will make us mad" (2.2.33-34).
As the play progresses, Macbeth's guilt becomes more intense and more destructive. He is plagued by visions and hallucinations, such as the ghost of Banquo.
