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Theme of Macbeth

            
             The presence of supernatural forces in William Shakespeare's, "Macbeth," provides for much of the play's dramatic tension and the mounting suspense. Several supernatural apparitions throughout the play profoundly affect Macbeth and the evil forces eventually claim Macbeth and destroy his morals. Macbeth's ambition was driven by the prophecies of the three witches and unlike Banquo, he was willing to do anything to assure that they actually transpire. Macbeth is horrified at the notion of killing Duncan, his King and kinsman, but he eventually succumbs to the evil forces and this leads to his downfall. Macbeth further compromises his honor by arranging the murder of his best friend, Banquo. Banquo's places Macbeth in a precarious situation; he is deeply entrenched in suspicion and there is no way out. Macbeth's vision of Banquo's ghost at a royal banquet only drives him closer to insanity.
             Macbeth has changed dramatically as a character throughout the play. Macbeth was tortured with remorse after Duncan's murder but upon hearing of Banquo's successful assassination he is elated. His vaulting ambition was driving him to extreme measures and he could do nothing to abate it. Macbeth had risked his life to attain the throne and he had no choice but to employ Machiavellian practices to retain it. The appearance of Banquo's ghost at the royal banquet horrifies Macbeth. Shakespeare brilliantly uses irony to make Banquo's emergence very dramatic:.
             Macbeth: Fail not our feast.
             Banquo: My lord, I will not.
             (III, i, ll 28-29).
             Banquo's appearance provides insight into the character of Macbeth. It shows the level that Macbeth's mind has recessed to. His morality is declining and although he is battling his conscience, the evil forces have overcome his every thought and action. Banquo's ghost only appears to Macbeth and it represents his extreme guilt. Although he may have lost his honor he still is having trouble enjoying the crown when he attained it by such vile circumstances.


Essays Related to Theme of Macbeth

1. Plant Imagery in Macbeth

... . The people were not happy with him or each other. To describe his own disillusionment, Macbeth used plant imagery in Act 5, Sc. 3, when he said, " My way of life has fallen into the sere, the yellow leaf". Shakespeare also used plant imagery to relate to the theme of Macbeth. The theme of this book is: Evil begets evil, but evil will not prevail. In Act 5, Sc. 1, the ... doctor who was supposed to treat Lady Macbeth spoke of unnatural deeds...breed [ing] unnatural troubles". Malcolm, the rightful ... king of Scotland, told his men in Act 5, Sc. 4, " let every man hew him down ... ...

  • Word Count: 661
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Grade Level: High School

2. Macbeth

Evil is when someone does something deliberate and goes out of there way to affect you in some kind of disturbing manner. In the play Macbeth, written by William Shakespeare, a lot of themes are shown throughout the play. In this tragedy, Shakespeare demonstrates a common theme in evil. The theme evil is first brought to mind in the beginning of the play in Act 1. For example the witches talk ... the castle knows what happened and isn't telling anyone. You cannot trust everybody in there because somebody killed King Duncan and committed treason. Macbeth has started his plan and the theme of e...

  • Word Count: 985
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Grade Level: High School

3. Macbeth - Final Essay

... in results in either a good or bad response. In Macbeth, Macbeth is faced with many serious choices. With this decisions, Macbeth is dealt with severe consequences. Through these decisions and consequences, Shakespeare uses the theme of justice to characterize Macbeth as a very gullible murderer, who is very conscience of what he is doing. Several times in this story, Macbeth is given the opportunity to choose good over evil ... King Duncan. He also knows that the witches warned him about Macduff. "Beware the thane of Fife." After Macduff hears of the death of his family, he vows to get...

  • Word Count: 558
  • Approx Pages: 2
  • Grade Level: High School

4. Theme of Macbeth

... he was to kill Duncan and Banquo, because Banquo's children will become king first. The plot gives the theme, of foul is fair and fair is foul, more meaning. Macbeth sees murder as a dreadful thing but because of the theme of foul is fair and fair is foul Macbeth sees this as something he must do to become king and he accepts it as something he must ... not benefit him in the long run. Macbeth's character supports the theme of foul is fair and fair is foul. Macbeth's ambition also assists in presenting the theme. Because of Macbeth's ambition he killed Duncan because of his wanting to b...

  • Word Count: 413
  • Approx Pages: 2
  • Grade Level: High School

5. Macbeth and King Lear

... great Neptune's ocean wash this blood Clean from my hand?(Macbeth.II.ii.59-60). Another example of the theme of madness that is characterized by Macbeth is found in act three, scene four - the climax of the play. Immediately guilt ridden from ordering the murder of Ban-quo, Macbeth reaches his pinnacle of madness; exemplified by his delusion of Banquo's ghost. Showing that he can no longer differentiate between ... eyes Which thou dost glare with (III.iv.93-97). Ross responds to him, What sights, my lord(III.iii.118). The Insanity of Macbeth is shown in these quotes. Shakespeare's descr...

  • Word Count: 1354
  • Approx Pages: 5
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: High School

6. Macbeth

... Thus she resolves her problems by committing suicide, or "sleeping" permanently. [T] Another motif used to exemplify Shakespeare's theme is blood. [S] Shakespeare used the image of blood to portray the central idea of Macbeth, King Duncan's murder. The crime is foreshadowed in the second scene of the first act. The king shouts, " What bloody man is that?" He is referring to a soldier coming in ... the blood away, his fate may have been sealed The blood on their hands symbolizes their inability to annul the murder from their memories. [T] The motif of darkness also helps illustrate the th...

  • Word Count: 2918
  • Approx Pages: 12
  • Grade Level: High School

7. Macbeth Themes

... evil explicit themes. First, The theme of temptation is an apparent theme. The witches create temptation by giving Macbeth the prophecies. At first Macbeth acknowledges that killing the king would create "deep damnation." However, Macbeth succumbs to temptation when Lady Macbeth calls him a "coward in thine own esteem." Next, Deceit is a major theme throughout the play. Macbeth trys to hide the murder of the king by wearing a " ... false face". His vindictive plan is to "mock the time" and fool the noblemen of his evil doings. Macbeth also deceives Banquo by lying to him ... about not th...

  • Word Count: 458
  • Approx Pages: 2
  • Grade Level: High School

8. Comparative essay-Frankenstein, The Secret Sharer, Macbeth

... that display this parallel in themes effectively are Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, Joseph Conrad's The Secret Sharer, and William Shakespeare's Macbeth. The paralleled themes within these novels are quite evident, being used to portray the many faces of man and society's morality. The theme of social order can easily be seen in the novels in question. Both Victor and the Creature compromise the social order ... on the ship, mutiny. By killing a shipmate, he destroys the social order of the ship. The theme of social order is best depicted in William Shakespeare's Macbeth. Macbeth, the cou...

  • Word Count: 1422
  • Approx Pages: 6
  • Grade Level: High School

9. The evil and ambitious themes of Macbeth

... to kill a woman and her children. Even though Macbeth's evil ways make him a hated character, it's his ambition that pushes him to his evil ways. The second theme William Shakespeare displays in Macbeth is ambition. The evil ways of Macbeth's personality powers his ambitions to become successful in his surroundings. This would be affirmed when Macbeth utters, ["Stars hide your fires; let not ... light see my black and deep desires." (Macbeth I, 4, 311)] This quote tells the reader about Macbeth's desires of becoming the king. His ambitions push ... on to other people without even trying ...

  • Word Count: 587
  • Approx Pages: 2
  • Grade Level: High School

10. Macbeth

... play and each image undoubtedly helps make obvious the theme of appearance versus reality. The image of clothing helps portray the idea that Macbeth's new garments (the royal garments of the king) are used to hide the evil side of Macbeth. Shakespeare describes Macbeth's clothes not as regal and fitting for Macbeth, but as a way to hide Macbeth's disgraceful self from his own eyes and from others. Shakespeare wants to ... is everywhere - from the three witches, to the guilt in Macbeth's soul, to the dark skies. The image of darkness, then, is used most often to hide the appearance of gu...

  • Word Count: 1140
  • Approx Pages: 5
  • Grade Level: High School

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