Macbeth Analysis 1

Title: Macbeth Analysis

Setting
Characterization
Themes

Name: Ziad Rasheed

# 21410499

Course: Shakespeare 22423

Instructor: Basim Al- Sahib

Macbeth Analysis 2

Setting

The events of the play take place in the land of Scotland in the eleventh century.

The majority of the actions take place in the land of Scotland, with a few actions take

place in England. Macbeth is the only Shakespearian tragedy that take place in

Scotland and therefore it is known as " the Scottish play". It is widely believe that the

play has written as a kind of appreciation and celebration for the new crowned king

James 1 who descended from Scotland in 1603, but the events of the play take place

in the middle ages in the eleventh century. The new king James 1 was actually fond of

Shakespeare's company and renames them as " King's Men", so Shakespeare presents

this play as a gift for the new Scottish king. A great part of the actions take place at

castle Inverness where Macbeth and his wife live . Macbeth is a dark play, the

majority of the actions take place at night or happen at dark places. Also the existence

of the three witches , the ghost and many other supernatural elements makes it an

extremely dark play.

Characterization

Macbeth

Macbeth is the main character and the tragic hero in the play whom the play

named after, he is a Scottish general in the king's Duncan army and the Thane of

Glamis, and later he was announced by king Duncan as the Thane of Cowdor due to

his victory over Norwegian army. At the beginning of the play, we have seen that

Macbeth is a powerful warrior, honorable, and loyal to his kingdom. When Macbeth

was told by the three witches that he will be the king of Scotland, he became obsessed

with this prophecy and wanted to fulfill it by killing the current king Duncan. What is

important to say about Macbeth that he is not a villain character in the play even
Macbeth Analysis 3

though he commits a series of killings for innocent people in the play. Macbeth did

this under the pressure of the prophecy and the pressure of his wife. Also, he

considers the moral consequences for the killing " if it were done when 'tis done, then

twere well it were done quickly, if the assassination could trammel up the

consequences, and catch with his surcease success; that but this blow" (p.15) 1,7. In

addition, he shows regret and remorse about what he has done and suffers

psychological disorders after what he has done, unlike the character of Iago in othello

who is a malicious person enjoys hurting people.

Lady Macbeth

Macbeth's wife, an evil and overambitious woman. She play an important role to

urge Macbeth to fulfill the prophecy and to kill the king Duncan. Lady Macbeth is

actually more ambitious than her husband and the main motivation for Macbeth to go

ahead and not to retract . Every time Macbeth shows that he will not kill Duncan for

it is immoral act, she tempts him to just go ahead to be the new crowned king.

Furthermore, she motivates her husband by questioning his courage, and accusing him

for being coward. "but Screw your courage to the sticking place" (p.15) 1,7.

Duncan

Duncan is the king of Scotland, he is a good and benevolent king who appreciates

and rewards his soldiers and army leaders. Duncan was a victim for Macbeth to

achieve his ambition to ascended to the top of the kingdom.

Banquo

Banquo is a brave general and a friend of Macbeth in the king's army. Banquo was

told by the three witches that he will not be a king but his children later will be kings.
Macbeth Analysis 4

Unlike Macbeth, Banquo stands as a contrast to him, he does not follow the prophecy

or even cares about it. Banquo was killed by Macbeth for he suspicioning that

Macbeth is the murder of the king Duncan.

Significant themes

Ambition

It appears that ambition is a significant theme in the play. The whole play is

centered around Macbeth achieving his ambition to be the king of Scotland and the

consequences he had to bear. Obviously, ambition is something good to have in life,

but Shakespeare presents it in Macbeth as a dangerous quality and the driving evil

force. " both Macbeth and lady Macbeth want to be great and powerful, and sacrifice

their morals to achieve that goal, Macbeth shows how naked ambition freed from any

sort of moral or social consciences. Unchecked ambition can never be fulfilled and

therefore quickly grows into a monster that will destroy anyone gives to it". Many

literary researchers believe that Macbeth's ambition is considered to be his tragic flow

which leads to his tragic end, and commits several killings in the play. Macbeth's

ambition is motivated by two main reasons in the play. Firstly, the prophecy of the

three witches which says that Macbeth will become the king of Scotland. Macbeth

becomes obsessed to fulfill the prophecy and to kill the current king Duncan.

Secondly, his wife lady Macbeth is the second motive in the play. Lady Macbeth

becomes more ambitious than her husband when he heard the prophecy, she did

everything possible to persuade her husband to kill king Duncan and she uses the

language of temptation to persuade her husband.

" When you durst do it, then you were a man

And to be more than what you were, you would" p.15, Act 1, Scene 7
Macbeth Analysis 5

Violence and darkness

Violence is considered to be another major theme in the play. The play is full of

many violent actions and blood scenes, and it seems that blood is everywhere in the

play. At the beginning of the play, we have seen that Macbeth and his friend Banquo

return victorious from a battle with the Norwegian army. After that, Macbeth plotting

against king Duncan to kill him in order to take his position in the kingdom. Also,

Macbeth commits a series of killing to keep his position included his friend Banquo

and the Duncan's chamberlains. In addition, at the end of the play, Lady Macbeth

commits suicide, and Macbeth was killed by Macduff. Furthermore, the actions of the

play is full of darkness. A.C. Bradley (1904) writes a book about the four

shakespearan tragedies, and he mentions that Macbeth has a black and bloody

environment. Bradley points out that " it is remarkable that almost all the scenes

which at once recur at memory take place either at night or in some dark spot, the

whole story through an ensanguined mist, and as if it stained the very blackness of

the night" (p.333).

Guilt and remorse

The theme guilt and remorse is very crucial in Macbeth. The theme is presented

through the characters of Macbeth and his wife lady Macbeth. After comitting their

immoral act and killing king Duncan, Macbeth and his wife feel guilty of what they

have done. and suffer sever psychological disorders. First of all, Macbeth says that all

the water in the ocean can not clean his dirty hand that stained with Duncan's blood,

and he will never get rid of his evil guilt. " will all great Neptun's ocean wash this

blood clean from my hand" (p.20) 2,2 . In addition, after Macbeth kills his friend

Banquo, he sees his apparition to remind him with the evil crime he has committed to
Macbeth Analysis 6

his friend. Furthermore, Lady Macbeth suffers from sleepwalking disorder as she

imagines that she marks with a spot of blood that he could not get rid of it. It seems

that blood is a symbol of their guilt in the play. Actually, Lady Macbeth experiencing

more psychological disorders than her husband because she was more determined to

kill Duncan and she tempts Macbeth to do so. Therefore, she does not bear her guilt

anymore, and her feeling of guilt propels her to commit suicide at the end.

References

Bradely, A.C. (1904) Shakespearn Tragedy. Noonday Press, 333- 336.

The theme of Ambition in Macbeth from LitCharts/ http//www.

Litcharts.com/lit/Macbeth themes. 4.11.2017.