Macbeth
John Greene
Professor Stiles
Composition 2
17 February 2014
Macbeth Malarkey Macbeth is a play in which the main character, Macbeth, is a prime example of a Shakespearean tragic hero. He was a daring and valiant nobleman who was possessed by greed and overwhelming ambition to become king of Cawdor. This vaulting ambition would ultimately lead to Macbeth’s demise, of which there are three main contributions: melodramatic prophecies of three witches, Lady Macbeth’s avarice, and Macbeth’s own rapacity.
Instead of caring for others, Macbeth cares only for what others think of him. He has a great ambition to look successful. This determination is amplified by the witches’ reassuring prophecies. Essentially, the witches set in motion Macbeth’s plans to murder Duncan. When they tell him “...thou shalt be king hereafter!...” (1.3.50), his greed for power is reinforced, but he decides to leave becoming king to “chance.” However, when Duncan announces that Malcolm is to receive the throne, Macbeth realizes he will have to take matters into his own hands. Had Macbeth not known of the witches prophecy, his spark of incentive to kill Duncan would not exist.
While the witches simply feed Macbeth information that cultivates his ambition, Lady Macbeth actually aids Macbeth in his efforts to kill Duncan. She wants to make him happy, and it seems to her that Macbeth’s happiness will only exist with a crown on his head. This longing for nobility creates a toxic relationship between the two; Lady Macbeth soon shares Macbeth’s greed for power. Therefore, it would make sense that when Macbeth tells Lady Macbeth of his plans to kill King Duncan, she does not dismiss them as senseless. In fact, she almost ends up executing the plan herself. However, when the time comes for her to make her execution, Duncan’s resemblance to her father scares the ambition out of her. Macbeth realizes he must take on the task himself.
Ultimately, because Macbeth is accountable for his own
Professor Stiles
Composition 2
17 February 2014
Macbeth Malarkey Macbeth is a play in which the main character, Macbeth, is a prime example of a Shakespearean tragic hero. He was a daring and valiant nobleman who was possessed by greed and overwhelming ambition to become king of Cawdor. This vaulting ambition would ultimately lead to Macbeth’s demise, of which there are three main contributions: melodramatic prophecies of three witches, Lady Macbeth’s avarice, and Macbeth’s own rapacity.
Instead of caring for others, Macbeth cares only for what others think of him. He has a great ambition to look successful. This determination is amplified by the witches’ reassuring prophecies. Essentially, the witches set in motion Macbeth’s plans to murder Duncan. When they tell him “...thou shalt be king hereafter!...” (1.3.50), his greed for power is reinforced, but he decides to leave becoming king to “chance.” However, when Duncan announces that Malcolm is to receive the throne, Macbeth realizes he will have to take matters into his own hands. Had Macbeth not known of the witches prophecy, his spark of incentive to kill Duncan would not exist.
While the witches simply feed Macbeth information that cultivates his ambition, Lady Macbeth actually aids Macbeth in his efforts to kill Duncan. She wants to make him happy, and it seems to her that Macbeth’s happiness will only exist with a crown on his head. This longing for nobility creates a toxic relationship between the two; Lady Macbeth soon shares Macbeth’s greed for power. Therefore, it would make sense that when Macbeth tells Lady Macbeth of his plans to kill King Duncan, she does not dismiss them as senseless. In fact, she almost ends up executing the plan herself. However, when the time comes for her to make her execution, Duncan’s resemblance to her father scares the ambition out of her. Macbeth realizes he must take on the task himself.
Ultimately, because Macbeth is accountable for his own