Character Changes in Shakespeares Macbeth Essay - 1344 Words

Macbeth: Character Changes This dead butcher and his fiend like queen(V.viii.80) is the way Malcolm describes Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. The characters of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth changed considerably during the course of the play, Macbeth, written by William Shakespeare. In the beginning of the play, Macbeth is seen as a courageous soldier who is loyal to the King. As the play progresses, Macbeth is corrupted by the witches’ prophecies and by his and Lady Macbeth’s ambition. Because of the weakness of Macbeth’s character and the strength of Lady Macbeth’s character, Lady Macbeth is able to easily influence him. Lady Macbeth pushes Macbeth toward evil at first, but after he realizes what he has done, it is his decision to†¦show more content†¦Throughout the play we see the character of Macbeth change, not only from the way he thinks and speaks, but from his actions as well. Killing Banquo and having Lady Macduff and her children murdered show the insecurity that is prese nt in Macbeth’s character. After the murder of Duncan, Macbeth becomes paranoid. This paranoia leads to his killing the guards to help secure the place that he has found for himself. Macbeth is also very superstitious, which becomes evident when he allows the witches’ prophecy to convince him that Banquo’s offspring would become Kings. Towards the end of the play, once Macbeth’s wife has died and the battle is drawing closer, Macbeth shows the desire for some good that may have been. He wishes for a normal life in which he would have lived to an honorable age, but he recognizes that he has deprived himself of this. Even when Macbeth hears that the prophecy of Birnam Wood coming to Dunsinane has been fulfilled, he rejects this idea and fights on until he realizes that Macduff wasn’t born in a natural birth but instead was untimely ripped(V.viii.19-20) from his mother’s womb. When Macbeth hears of this, he realizes what dastardly deeds he has done and how he has underestimated the power of the witches. He fights on, knowing it is only a matter of time before he is slain. In summary, Macbeth is a character that is strong physically but very weak mentally,Show MoreRelatedEssay on Shakespeare Alterations from the Original Macbeth851 Words   |  4 PagesShakespeare immortalized Macbeth and his life story in his famous play which goes by the very same name: Macbeth. Shakespeare used Holinsheds Chronicles by Raphael Holinshed as his primary source, the basis for the plot of the play. Shakespeare made a considerable number of alterations in the story line and form. In this essay, I will explore what changes Shakespeare made and for what reason. In Macbeth, a thane Macbeth hears a prophecy by three witches: he will be king. Macbeth decides to take helpRead MoreThe Real Macbeth 897 Words   |  4 Pagesauthors. 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