Compromising Honor and Loyalty for Power and Manipulation in Macbeth

Dawood Shimza
Mrs. Burn
English 20­1
17 April 2015
Compromising Honour and Loyalty For Power and Manipulation William Shakespeare’s
Macbeth is a play about ambition. Macbeth is seen as a tragic hero. He compromises his honour and his morals to attain power and position which resulted in his loss of everyone he held dear. Under the influence of unchecked power, Macbeth takes actions that have serious and devastating consequences for himself and for other characters in the play. Once
Macbeth has committed an act in which he uses power for negative ends, he finds it increasingly difficult to restrain himself from resorting to worse and worse things. The play focuses around the character of Macbeth, a rich and noble Scottish thane, who meets 3 witches who prophesise he will be king. Tempted by the witches’ prophecies and spurred on by his wife, he decides to kill the king. Shakespeare, through the use of numerous techniques, skillfully illustrates how
Macbeth’s fatal decision in a particular scene impacts on the rest of the play. The theme that
Shakespeare explores his ambition and how ambition, if left unchecked, can have drastic consequences. The fatal decision takes place in Act 1 scene 7. In this scene Macbeth has a crisis of conscience as to whether or not he should kill Duncan. Throughout the scene he is adamant he will not do so, until his wife begins to manipulate him into the murder. From the moment he decides to commit this murder the entire play, his life and his relationships change.

Throughout the play so far, Macbeth has had a number of character changes. In the first

scene we can see Macbeth being portrayed as a honourable and valiant leader. All of his men respect him. Although at this point Macbeth seems a very decent man, he has one major flaw in

his character. His vaulting ambition. It is evident that Macbeth is considered noble and brave by those around him. During a battle, he is a topic of discussion for other soldiers; “Brave Macbeth!
Well he deserves that name.” (1,2,16) This dialogue illustrates quite clearly the other character’s opinions of Macbeth. The word choice of brave makes it evident to us that those who know him consider him heroic. This very much establishes for the audience the attitude that others have towards Macbeth and makes it evident to use that before the key scene he is considered to be heroic. In contrast to this, though, is another worrying description of the character and helps us better understands this character’s development. “Unseamed him from the knave to the chaps.”(1,2,22). This brutal description of Macbeth’s actions highlights for us a more sinister side to his character. This dialogue makes it evident that Macbeth has a potential to be brutal, thus foreshadowing for us the actions that will later allow him to be labelled as a tyrant. Thus, it is clear to us that even before we meet Macbeth, and before we reach the key incident where he chooses to murder Duncan, he has the potential to be incredibly barbaric. However, his ambition is not yet so strong that he feels he has to act on it.
However, when Macbeth tells his wife about what the witches had said, Shakespeare makes it clear that his manipulative wife with whom he does, until Act 1 scene 7, have a good relationship, does not necessarily believe he is capable of killing the king. After hearing of the prophecies, she considers how best to convince him; “Yet do I fear thy nature; It is too full o’ th’ milk of human kindness” (1,5,4­5). Shakespeare’s use of imagery here very much implies that
Lady Macbeth does not feel her husband is capable. This transgressive character feels that, just as milk is placid and natural, so too is Macbeth’s character, making it clear she does not feel he has it in him to commit regicide. She also illustrates her willingness, before Act 1 scene 7, to

commit any act she has to in order to help her husband achieve their ambition. The turning point of Macbeth’s character happens after his wife has called him a coward, Macbeth goes and kills
Duncan which initially triggers his evil and paranoid side, conveys her desperation for Macbeth to act on his ambition, and brings about his decision to end Duncan’s life. Having made his decision, Macbeth’s final dialogue in the key scene perfectly illustrates that he has decided to act upon his ambition. He considers the deed and says; ”I am settled, and bend up Each corporal agent to this terrible feat. Away, and mock the time with fairest show. False face must hide what the false heart doth know.” (1.7.79­82). He is echoing Lady Macbeth’s requests to the spirits; highlights to us the fact that he is now engaging with evil. He refers to Duncan’s murder as a terrible feat which has connotations of the task being awful and difficult, suggesting that he will find acting on his ambition hard but he is also clear that he is settled. Shakespeare also cleverly addresses the theme of reality versus appearance here as he conveys how aware Macbeth is of appearing to be welcoming to Duncan, while hiding his heart; that is, his intentions. The end of this key scene makes it quite clear that Macbeth’s ambition will now be his driving force and ultimately will lead to his downfall.
Consequently after Macbeth had killed Duncan he is immortally paranoid and he feels as if he will never be able to wash the memory of Duncan’s blood of his hands. Lady Macbeth says to her husband in regards to his paranoia “A little water clears us of this deed.”(2.2.68). Her dialogue here effectively dismisses his concerns and she fails to understand that while blood can literally be washed off, the blood on his hands is metaphorical of his guilt and a direct results of his ambition thus introducing the motif of blood to the play. The difference in the reaction of the characters serves to highlight the immediate impact of the decision Macbeth made in the key

scene. While Lady Macbeth is practical in her approach to their crime he is already frightened of what he has done, thus bringing about a break in their relationship as a direct cause of Act 1, scene 7. With a falling out in their relationship appearing it is evident that Macbeth’s choice to kill Duncan has resulted in a clear shift in the dynamic. When Lady Macbeth asks about his plans to murder another character he says; “Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck Till thou applaud the deed.”(3,2,47). The evidently dismissive tone of this dialogue, and the use of a pet name to appease her, shows that he is moving away from her and beginning to exclude her from his dealings. This highlights very clearly the impact of his choice in the key scene on their relationship and shows that while he is still ambitious, he now has no concerns for her ambitions and is choosing to exclude her from his life. As well as breaking his relationship it is evident that
Macbeth’s choice has had a detrimental impact on his mental health as he became paranoid and unstable. He hallucinates regularly and these can be viewed as a manifestation of his guilt. After killing Banquo he sees his friend’s ghost at the banqueting table; “Don’t shake thy gory locks at me.”(3,4,56) Shakespeare’s extensive use of hallucinations and the supernatural in the play further extends the idea that Macbeth has suffered greatly as a result of his ambition and his decision to commit murder. Not only has his relationship suffered as a result of what he chose in
Act 1, scene 7 but his cruel behaviour has now caused those who once called him brave to refer to him as a tyrant. This direct contrast is deliberately used to show how awful his life has become and exemplifies that his decision in the key scene of the play has ruined his life. The play ends on a drastic note and after Lady Macbeth kills herself, Macbeth realises he has little to live for.
He contemplates his choices and his wife’s death. “Life’s but a walking shadow”(5,5,24)
Shakespeare’s powerful use of imagery signifies to us that Macbeth has realised his life is

worthless. Just as a shadow is empty and lifeless, so too is his life and he is obviously very aware of this. This quote acts as a thought provoking reminder of the choice he made in the key scene and the disastrous effect that this choice has had on his life. It also reminds us of the theme of ambition, helping us fully understand that his ambition has left him with nothing.
William Shakespeare’s tragic ‘Macbeth’ is a play in which a key scene highlights to us the theme of ambition and the dangers of being ambitious. Shakespeare cleverly employs a number of techniques to explore the theme and helps us recognise the dangers of having ambitions that are beyond what they can do for us. It also helps the reader recognize how one event, one act, one decision we make in our life can completely change our course, and completely change us.