Macbeth :: essays research papers

The notion of Macbeth being a good and noble man is indeed a matter in which great uncertainty arises; as is the notion that Macbeth was bought down by ‘his evil wife’. In Macbeth, one of Shakespeare’s’ most famous tragedies, I am uncertain of the character of Macbeth, as throughout the text, happenings which both support and put down the good character of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are apparent.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  At the beginning of the play, Macbeth seems to be true to the statement that he is a good and noble gentlemen, due to his brave acts in the war fought for his country. We hear Macbeth being referred to as “‘O valiant cousin! Worthy gentleman’(Act 1, Scene 2, Line 24) by King Duncan, who is considered noble and honest by all around him. In a retold story form of the play, the statement is made ; “It seemed that Scotland’s fate, the people’s lives, his own, were cradled in the vast courage of this warrior’s breast'; represents the picture painted of Macbeth early in the piece.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The fact that Macbeth was chosen as Thane of Cowdor is another representation of the confidence that the king and the people of the time had in Macbeth’s character. When King Duncan announced Macbeth’s rise to Thane, he referred to him as “noble Macbeth';(Line 69)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first flaw we see in the character of Macbeth and the first signs of the evil power Lady Macbeth has over her husband, come late in the first act. In this part of the story (Act 1, Scene 5) Lady Macbeth and Macbeth are discussing the murder of King Duncan planned for that night. We hear of Macbeth’s uncertainty of committing the crime, however lady Macbeth taunts him until she convinces him to commit the murder. This shows the mental weakness in Macbeth’s character.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The famous quote in Act 1 Scene 5 Line 42, where Lady Macbeth calls on the spirits to “fill me from crown to toe top-full of direst cruelty!'; shows the definite malevolent and evil characteristics Lady Macbeth possesses. As it was Lady Macbeth’s idea to Kill King Duncan, we establish at this point in the story that Lady Macbeth undoubtedly has an evil control over her husband ; Macbeth.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Before the first murder, we see the extreme unease Macbeth has about the crime which he is about to commit. Macbeth hallucinates (sees a vision) of the murder weapon before his eyes.