Macbeth

> "*Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under it.*"
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**The Tragedy of Macbeth** is a 1623 play by William Shakespeare. First published and performed around 1605-06, it tells the story of a Scottish general who receives a prophecy that he will be the king of Scotland and ends up killing anyone he sees would deceit him.

Like *Hamlet* and *Romeo and Juliet*, Macbeth is one of Shakespeare's most popular plays. Although it is his shortest, it is also his most intense and dramatic.

## Plot Summary

In Scotland during the Middle Ages, Norwegian forces invaded the country, and an army was formed to defend their Scottish king Duncan. One of the king's generals, a nobleman named Macbeth, takes part in the battle and successfully defeats the rebellion.

After the battle, Macbeth and his friend Banquo make their way home when they meet a trio of witches. The strange sisters made a prophecy that Macbeth would become Thane of Cawdor and one day the King of Scotland. They also prophesy that Banquo's descendants will be in line for the throne.

The two men don't believe the witches until King Duncan has the previous Thane of Cawdor executed for treason, and Macbeth is given the Thane's title for his bravery. He fantasizes about killing Duncan and becoming the king, knowing that the witches' prophecy is accurate. However, his ambition is nearly shattered when Duncan names his son Malcolm as the heir to the throne. He writes to his wife, Lady Macbeth, about everything.

After Lady Macbeth receives her husband's letter, she persuades him to kill the king, especially when Duncan comes to their home at Inverness Castle for a royal visit. It would be the easiest way to achieve his goal. Macbeth nearly backs out when he plans to murder Duncan, but his wife's manipulation and ambition win him over. That night, they kill Duncan and frame the men guarding his room. While he prepares to stab the king, Macbeth sees a vision of a bloody dagger.

The following day, another thane named Macduff discovers Duncan's body. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth pretend to be shocked when they hear the news, and Macbeth kills the drunk guards in the king's room to keep them silent. After sensing suspicion in Macbeth, Duncan's two sons flee from Scotland; Donalbain goes to Ireland and Malcolm to England to raise an army.

Macbeth is crowned King of Scotland, and Banquo is suspicious of him. Because he sees him as a threat that his heirs would seize the throne, Macbeth hires a group of murderers to kill Banquo and his son Fleance. Banquo is killed, but Fleance escapes. At a banquet later that night, Macbeth is horrified when the ghost of Banquo visits him, while Lady Macbeth tries to restrain him, and no one else sees the ghost. As a result, everyone starts to see their new king as a tyrant.

Macbeth visits the witches in their lair to learn more about his destiny. They show him a sequence of apparitions that tell him he must beware of Macduff. They add that no "man born of woman" can stop him, and he will be safe until Birnam Wood marches to Dunsinane Castle. Macbeth is relieved when he hears this, at the fact that all men are born from women and trees cannot move.

When he finds out that Macduff has left him to support Malcolm in building his army against him, Macbeth has Macduff's castle seized and his wife and children murdered. In England, Macduff is devastated after he hears the news of his family's death and vows revenge. Malcolm's army has increased, and they prepare to march with him as he returns to Scotland to challenge Macbeth's army.

Meanwhile, Lady Macbeth experiences sleepwalking and recalls seeing details of the murder, such as bloodstains on her hands. As Macbeth prepares for the siege, he hears the news that Lady Macbeth has killed herself. He becomes insane with grief, but he awaits the English forces, and he defends himself in Dunisnane, believing the witches' prophecy will make him invincible. He is shocked to see Malcolm's army coming out from Birnam Wood, using tree branches to protect themselves that were cut from Birnam's trees, already fulfilling half of the prophecy.

Macbeth quarrels in the battle, but the opposing forces all seize Dunsinane. When he finally confronts Macduff on the battlefield, the king sees him as a "man born of woman," but Macduff reveals that he was "untimely ripped" from his mother's womb (he was born from a Caesarian section). Macduff then kills Macbeth, and Malcolm is declared king of Scotland.

## Characters

Macbeth- A Scottish general in King Duncan's army, initially a thane and later the King of Scotland. After learning a prophecy from 3 witches that he will inherit the throne, he follows that ambition by killing Duncan with his wife's encouragement. But after he is crowned king, he is guilty and starts to lose his sanity. He has other people killed who he fears will stand in his way of the throne, and his tyranny becomes his undoing.

Lady Macbeth- Macbeth's wife. Ambitious, cunning and manipulative, Lady Macbeth manages to urge her husband to fulfill the prophecy by killing Duncan and seizing the crown. She copes with the murder at first, but after the bloodshed, and just like her husband, Lady Macbeth becomes overwhelmed with guilt and insanity that she will never recover from. She eventually experiences fits of sleepwalking before she commits suicide.

The Three Witches- A trio of strange, weird sisters who use charms and spells to trick Macbeth into believing he is destined to become the King of Scotland. Their mischief indirectly allows Macbeth to kill King Duncan and order the deaths of Banquo and Macduff's family. Since they have supernatural powers, they may represent the Three Fates, as they can spin the fate of a person's destiny.

Banquo- A friend of Macbeth and a Scottish general. He also receives a prophecy from the witches that his children are destined to become the future kings of Scotland. He is somewhat skeptical of his prophecy but still keeps his loyalty to Macbeth after becoming king, although he starts to raise suspicions. He ends up being killed by Macbeth’s murderers, and his ghost later reappears at Macbeth’s banquet.

King Duncan- The beloved King of Scotland. At the beginning of the play, his army has just defeated the Norwegian army, and he awards his general Macbeth by giving him a new title as his gratitude for protecting his kingdom. While visiting Macbeth's home, he is murdered in his sleep by his general for his ambition to have his throne. This results in Scotland being plunged into chaos that can only be saved by Duncan's son and heir to the throne, Malcolm.

Macduff- The Thane of Fife. He was the one who found King Duncan murdered and immediately became suspicious of Macbeth after he was crowned king. He eventually flees to England to support Malcolm in raising an army against Macbeth, but while he is away, his family is murdered by Macbeth's murderers. He then swears revenge and vows to kill Macbeth, which he succeeds in the final battle at Dunsinane.

Malcolm- The son of King Duncan. He is nearly captured by the Norwegians but is rescued by the captain. He is then subsequently named the heir to the throne by his father, but after Macbeth murders Duncan, Malcolm, now fearing for his life and safety from Macbeth, flees to England to build an army. With Macduff's help, Malcolm's soldiers successfully defeat Macbeth, and he then inherits the throne and restores order to Scotland, which was shattered during Macbeth's reign of terror.

Fleance- Banquo's son. Macbeth sees him and his father as threats, and he orders them to be killed, with only Fleance surviving by escaping. The witches made a prophecy that he was destined to be the father of the future kings of Scotland.

Donalbain- King Duncan's son and Malcolm's brother. After his father is murdered, he flees to Ireland for his safety.

Hecate- The goddess of magic and witchcraft. She assists the three witches in causing mischief and trouble for Macbeth.

Lady Macduff- Macduff's wife. Macbeth's henchmen murder her and her young children in their castle after Macduff leaves them to support Malcolm with his army.

The Three Murderers- Macbeth's henchmen who are hired to kill any targets that get in the way of his reign. They murder Banquo and Macduff's family.

Angus, Caithness, Lennox, Menteith and Ross- Scottish thanes who eventually turn against their tyrannical king, Macbeth.

Porter- The drunk doorman of Macbeth's castle.

English Doctor- A doctor in England who tells Malcolm and his men that the English King Edward VI has the power to heal the sick with touch.

Scottish Doctor- A doctor in Scotland who consults with Lady Macbeth's lady-in-waiting about her mistress' sleepwalking.

Seyton- A servant of Macbeth who informs him of Lady Macbeth's death.

Siward- An English nobleman and kinsman to Malcolm. He assists him in raising his army to defeat Macbeth.

Young Siward- Siward's son and a soldier in Malcolm's English army. Macbeth kills him during the final battle.

## Writing History/Reception

Shakespeare may have likely started writing *Macbeth* in 1606-07, during the earlier years of the reign of King James I. *Macbeth* has a significant connection to Scottish history and its monarchs. King James I was initially James VI of Scotland before he succeeded to the English throne in 1603, and the play itself is a unique homage dedicated to the king. It's also worth noting that when the witches' prophecy says that Banquo will form a line of future kings, there is a connection with King James that his family claimed they were descended from the real Banquo. The king was also fascinated with the supernatural, and Macbeth includes witches and hallucinations, which are connected to the supernatural in Scotland.

*Macbeth* was first performed at Hampton Court in London in 1606 by King James VI and King Christian VI of Denmark. It would later make its Globe Theatre debut in April 1611 before the First Folio was published in 1623.

Audiences who first watched *Macbeth* had different reactions. Some showed sympathy for Macbeth's character, while others were fascinated by the supernatural themes. However, there have been times when the play was banned or viewed as cursed. In 1649, the play was banned following the execution of King Charles I since it depicted regicide. A witches' coven is believed to have cursed the play of how it defined witchcraft. It is unknown if this story is true, but the superstition affected the theatre community and attempted not to say the play's name out loud, instead referring to it as "The Scottish Play." Some may think the play is cursed, as some examples of bad luck have affected the performances over the years. In 1849, during a performance at Astor Place in New York City, English actor William Charles Macready's role as the titular character caused a riot involving the audience hissing, yelling vulgar comments and throwing food at him, which resulted in the deaths of 22 people.

Despite the controversy and superstitious beliefs, *Macbeth* is one of Shakespeare's greatest plays, known to have more action and drama than Shakespeare's previous works.

## Themes

### Ambition

Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are fiercely determined to achieve their goals after they learn of the prophecy from the witches. However, the couple had to make their actions and desires to ensure the prophecy became a reality; in the process, they became victims of their own ambitions. Macbeth is fascinated that he seems destined to be the King of Scotland but never intends to follow his ambition by killing Duncan. Lady Macbeth manipulatively forces her husband to murder the king since he was asleep in their home and assures him that he will never leave them as he will be dead and the crown will be theirs. Macbeth's ambition then goes into his head, believing that the witches are making prophecies that would influence his next move. Unfortunately, his goals make him a paranoid, deranged maniac, and he is willing to keep killing in the name of ambition and power. He doesn't know that the murderer will face the consequences when someone is killed. Lady Macbeth becomes mentally unstable following her dangerous ambition. Macbeth hopes the witches' prophecy will make him untouchable, as he denies that trees can move and that no men are born from women. In the end, however, his reckless, ambitious actions result in his and Lady Macbeth's deaths.

### Kingship vs Tyranny

King Duncan is a devoted king, beloved and trusted by his people, as they know he makes the right decisions and actions to maintain his power in Scotland. Kingship defines a king as fair and noble, while tyranny defines a king as ruthless and power-hungry. Duncan is often referred to as "king" from his kind kingship and does exemplary acts of justice, such as when he had the previous Thane of Cawdor executed for treason during the battle with the Norwegians. On the other hand, Macbeth has a violent, furious temper and is referred to as a "tyrant." After Macbeth seizes the throne, he doesn't display the same characteristics as Duncan, as he rules the kingdom with an iron fist and only cares about himself and his leadership.

Macbeth knows Duncan is loyal and kind, and he tries to talk himself out of murdering him in his bedchamber. By murdering him, he will end Duncan's good kingship and something that will forever haunt him. Afterwards, Macbeth is the new leader, but he is a tyrant king who kills those who stand in his way of usurping his throne. He first achieves this by having Banquo and Fleance killed, but when he finds out that Fleance survived, he fears that as long as he is alive, he will threaten him. Then he has Macduff's family killed, mainly to punish Macduff for betraying him by joining Malcolm and his army to defeat him. In this case, Macbeth does not commit acts of justice. Instead, Malcolm is seeking justice for his murdered father by overthrowing Macbeth so he can take his rightful place as king and restore peace and kingship to Scotland.

### Violence

Macbeth is already a violent, bloody story to begin with. While the violence isn't always seen physically, the sounds of cannons firing, undertaking, and fireworks make it look and smell like an actual battle, either on stage or in film production. The play begins with a struggle that mostly happens offstage, but readers and audiences can sense the intense violence and bloodshed. At one point during the siege, Macbeth cut off the head of an opposing soldier as a trophy. Following the battle, the Thane of Cawdor was condemned for treason and sentenced to death. It was here that there are two types of violence: the first is the one that is justice and is done for the better of the country, and the second is when it brings chaos to everyone and tears the kingdom apart.

In addition, Macbeth realizes that committing violence creates an endless cycle: whenever a violent act is committed for right or wrong, it will eventually be repeated with the next until no more violent acts are done. There was no denying that Duncan, Banquo, and Macduff's family all died violent deaths, as they were ruthlessly stabbed to death with daggers, and what makes one even more unsettling is that a young child was killed in one of the scenes; this being Macduff's son. Macbeth will even go as far as becoming more violent when Malcolm's army arrives to end his tyrannical reign, and he desperately tries to keep up with his violence intact. However, the violence soon catches up with him as Macduff defeats the king himself by killing him offstage and bringing Macbeth's severed head to Malcolm, finally ending the violence in the play.

### Natural vs Supernatural

Supernatural plays an essential role in Macbeth, as many elements and scenes are connected to the supernatural and the unknown. This differs from natural, as it mostly exists in reality and nature. Macbeth is a natural person as he is a regular human living in Scotland's natural world in the 11th century. But when he meets the witches for the first time, and they reveal he is destined to become Thane of Cawdor and then King of Scotland, he first encounters the supernatural. The witches are mysterious women who have the power to summon spirits and create prophecies that are not connected to the natural world. Afterwards, Macbeth has another encounter with the supernatural when he sees the blood dagger before him, and he imagines trying to grab it. The dagger vision is unnatural as no physical weapon is presented before him; instead, he only sees it with his hallucinated mind.

The supernatural forces that plague Macbeth would ultimately allow him to commit murder and tyranny. Ghosts also plague Macbeth and drive him mad with fear. During a feast the same night Banquo is murdered, his ghost appears and sits at the table, which frightens Macbeth. Only he was the one who saw the spirit, and no one else did. The witches again use their supernatural powers by creating visions in front of Macbeth that predict his destiny, which he considers unnatural until it becomes a reality. Lady Macbeth is the most affected by the unnatural, as she experiences sleepwalking and losing her mind. In Shakespeare's time, sleepwalking and sleepwalking were considered supernatural events as nobody could explain how they happened or what caused them. The doctor and servants are appalled by her actions and don't know how she can be treated, and it becomes clear that the unnatural forces eventually drove Macbeth and Lady Macbeth to their downfall.

## Symbols

### Blood

Blood symbolizes guilt. After Macbeth kills King Duncan, he is ridden with guilt when he sees his hands blood-stained and afraid they won't be washed off. Later, Lady Macbeth experiences visions of the murder and desperately tries to wash off her hallucinated, blood-stained hands. No matter how hard Macbeth and Lady Macbeth try to get away with murder, the blood will always leave a permanent stain of their cruelty and guilt.

### Macbeth's dagger vision

Just before murdering King Duncan, Macbeth sees a vision of a bloody dagger and even tries to grab it. The dagger symbolizes his destiny and fate, as the blade is a red flag that he will kill innocent people and the bloodshed that will be spilled. In addition, the dagger is also pointing to the king's bed chamber, as if it is persuading Macbeth to get over his anxiety and commit murder.

## Foreshadowing

* The previous Thane of Cawdor betrays King Duncan by leading a rebellion to seize the throne for himself. Foreshadows Macbeth inheriting the Thane's title and will eventually become a tyrannical traitor for the Scottish throne.
* The witches predict Macbeth becoming Thane of Cawdor and then King of Scotland. Foreshadows the events that are about to come.
* Macbeth hears a voice cry out, "*Sleep no more!*" when describing his wife about killing the king. Foreshadows Macbeth losing his insanity and will never rest easy again from his guilt.
* Banquo remembers the witches' prophecy and suspects Macbeth killed the king to claim the throne. He also remembers that his descendants will be kings. Foreshadows Macbeth's bloodthirsty acts to save his crown, and Banquo's life is now in danger.

## Adaptations

A film adaptation was released in 1948. Directed by Orson Welles, who also portrayed Macbeth, it features Jeanette Nolan in her film debut as Lady Macbeth, Edgar Barrier as Banquo, Dan O'Herlihy as Macduff, Erskine Sanford as King Duncan and Roddy McDowell as Malcolm. The film had minor changes from the original play, such as Welles wanting everyone to speak in Scottish accents.

A film adaptation was released in 1971. Directed by Roman Polanski, it featured Jon Finch as Macbeth, Francesca Annis as Lady Macbeth, Martin Shaw as Banquo, Terence Bayler as Macduff, Nicholas Selby as King Duncan, and Stephan Chase as Malcolm. The film was controversial due to its graphic scenes of violence and nudity, and the events span over a couple of years rather than a short period in the play.

A TV film adaption was released in 1979 on the ITV network. Directed by Philip Masson and written by Trevor Nunn, it features Ian McKellen as Macbeth, Judi Dench as Lady Macbeth, Griffith Jones as King Duncan, Bob Peck as Macduff, and Roger Rees as Malcolm.

A TV film adaption was released in 2010 on the BBC Four network. Directed by Rupert Goold, it features Patrick Stewart as Macbeth, Kate Fleetwood as Lady Macbeth, Martin Turner as Banquo, Michael Feast as Macduff, Scott Handy as Malcolm, and Paul Shelley as Duncan. Stewart was awarded a Peabody Award in 2011 and nominated for a Screens Actor Award.

A film adaptation was released in 2015. Directed by Justin Kurzel, it features Michael Fassbender as Macbeth, Marion Cotillard as Lady Macbeth, Paddy Considine as Banquo, Sean Harris as Macduff, Jack Reynor as Malcolm, and David Thewlis as King Duncan.

A film adaptation, titled *The Tragedy of Macbeth*, was released in 2021. Directed by Joel Coen in his first directing film, it features Denzel Washington as Macbeth, Frances McDormand as Lady Macbeth, Bertie Carvel as Banquo, Core Hawkins as Macduff, Harry Melling as Malcolm, and Brendan Gleeson as King Duncan. It was nominated for an Academy Award and Golden Globe for Best Actor and nominated for Best Cinematography and Best Production Design.

## References

1. ↑ The Middle Ages (500-1500 AD) was a post-classical timeline that occurred after the collapse of the Western Roman Empire and ended with the Renaissance.
2. ↑ https://www.coursehero.com/lit/Macbeth/context/
3. ↑ https://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/macbeth/movie-adaptations/