From National Hero to Vicious Tyrant: Macbeth's Fall from Grace
GCSE English and English Literature Coursework Assignment: Macbeth
From national hero to vicious tyrant: Macbeth’s fall from grace.
Macbeth is a dramatic tragedy written by William Shakespeare in the early 1600’s. The play opens with three witches, who decide to confront the Scottish general, Macbeth, on his return from the war between Scotland and Norway, in which he was victorious. The witches predict that Macbeth will become Thane of Cawdor and, later, become king. They also predict that Banquo, another Scottish general, will not be king himself but an ancestor of kings. Later Duncan, the king of Scotland, decides that he will award the title of Thane of Cawdor to Macbeth, exciting him as he now considers the possibility of becoming king. Macbeth returns with Duncan who is to stay with them overnight. Lady Macbeth convinces Macbeth to murder Duncan, as she is determined for Macbeth to become king. Macbeth kills Duncan and smears blood on the guard’s daggers, framing them for the murder. Macbeth is now made king as Malcolm, Duncan’s son, flees Scotland. Macbeth now try’s to murder Banquo and his son, Fleance, but Fleance escapes. Banquo’s ghost returns to haunt Macbeth so Macbeth returns to the witches once more. They tell him to be wary of Macduff, Thane of Fife; that he cannot be harmed by one ‘born of woman’ and that he will never be defeated until Birnam Wood moves to Dunsinane. Macbeth orders the deaths of Macduff’s family, whilst he is visiting Malcolm in England, for not cooperating with him. Malcolm and Macduff now lead an army to Macbeth’s castle at Dunsinane. Lady Macbeth has gone insane and commits suicide. Malcolm’s army use the tree’s of Birnam Wood as camouflage and manage to defeat Macbeth’s army. Macduff, who ‘was from his mother’s womb untimely ripp’d’, kills Macbeth and Malcolm is now made King of Scotland. The purpose of my essay is to describe the main causes of Macbeths decline from the noble hero he is portrayed as at the start to the
From national hero to vicious tyrant: Macbeth’s fall from grace.
Macbeth is a dramatic tragedy written by William Shakespeare in the early 1600’s. The play opens with three witches, who decide to confront the Scottish general, Macbeth, on his return from the war between Scotland and Norway, in which he was victorious. The witches predict that Macbeth will become Thane of Cawdor and, later, become king. They also predict that Banquo, another Scottish general, will not be king himself but an ancestor of kings. Later Duncan, the king of Scotland, decides that he will award the title of Thane of Cawdor to Macbeth, exciting him as he now considers the possibility of becoming king. Macbeth returns with Duncan who is to stay with them overnight. Lady Macbeth convinces Macbeth to murder Duncan, as she is determined for Macbeth to become king. Macbeth kills Duncan and smears blood on the guard’s daggers, framing them for the murder. Macbeth is now made king as Malcolm, Duncan’s son, flees Scotland. Macbeth now try’s to murder Banquo and his son, Fleance, but Fleance escapes. Banquo’s ghost returns to haunt Macbeth so Macbeth returns to the witches once more. They tell him to be wary of Macduff, Thane of Fife; that he cannot be harmed by one ‘born of woman’ and that he will never be defeated until Birnam Wood moves to Dunsinane. Macbeth orders the deaths of Macduff’s family, whilst he is visiting Malcolm in England, for not cooperating with him. Malcolm and Macduff now lead an army to Macbeth’s castle at Dunsinane. Lady Macbeth has gone insane and commits suicide. Malcolm’s army use the tree’s of Birnam Wood as camouflage and manage to defeat Macbeth’s army. Macduff, who ‘was from his mother’s womb untimely ripp’d’, kills Macbeth and Malcolm is now made King of Scotland. The purpose of my essay is to describe the main causes of Macbeths decline from the noble hero he is portrayed as at the start to the