Macbeth

Devon Owens
Dr. Davis
English 2
P.6b

Macbeth Character Analysis After Reading a couple sections of “The Tragedy of Macbeth” I have seen some massive change in Lady Macbeth and Macbeth. Lady Macbeth was a ruthless woman who manipulated her husband into murdering,but her character has shifted to a guilty,anxious person. Macbeth was a man who contemplated being evil or not.He ended up killing Duncan and was immediately remorseful and paranoid.Then he isnstantly began performing acts of malice in order to cover up his crime. Allow me to share more about this analyzation I have made. I saw that Lady Macbeth was a very ill minded person.She asked for thoughts of malice to help aid in the murder of Duncan from spirits. “Come, you spirits That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, And fill me from the crown to the toe top-full Of direst cruelty. Make thick my blood. Stop up the access and passage to remorse, That no compunctious visitings of nature ,Shake my fell purpose, nor keep peace between The effect and it! Come to my woman’s breasts, And take my milk for gall, you murd'ring ministers, Wherever in your sightless substances You wait on nature’s mischief. Come, thick night,And pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell, That my keen knife see not the wound it makes, Nor heaven peep through the blanket of the dark To cry “Hold, hold!”’(1.5 ,47- 60 )In this Quote She is clearly asking for the spirits help her find a way for herself and her husband to kill King Duncan and to help her not feel bad when it happens. Another way is How Lady Macbeth is evil is how she treats her husband. She would do anything to get what she wants including manipulating her husband. “Were you drunk when you seemed so hopeful before? Have you gone to sleep and woken up green and pale in fear of this idea? From now on this is what I’ll think of your love. Are you afraid to act the way you desire? Will you take the crown you want so badly, or will you live as a coward, always saying “I can’t” after you say “I want to”? You’re like the poor cat in the old story.” She basically called him a coward because he didn’t want to kill Duncan initiately but he ends doing it because of the manipulation of Lady Macbeth. After a while the evil that was being done beause of the Macbeths started effected her thoughts and started driving her crazy . In(3.2, 6-9), it says“Naught’s had, all’s spent, Where our desire is got without content. 'Tis safer to be that which we destroy Than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy.” This quote shows how these murders have taken a toll on Lady Macbeth and how she wants it to stop but she can’t.She has has a change of heart to the idea of killing people because the anxiety and paranoia is eating her up. Macbeth started off as a noble man with a very courageous personality.But as time went on,and decisions started to be influenced, Macbeth turned into a very nasty person. Macbeth was very nervous and actually wasn’t going to kill Duncan. But after he was forced into doing it,he felt really anxious. In(2.2 67-69) it says “I’ll go no more: I am afraid to think what I have done; Look on ’t again I dare not.” This quote shows how Macbeth is scared and paranoia is setting in. He is acting like a punk and he is really scared about what is going on .I think it’s safe to say that he regrets killing Duncan.Then the character deleopment takes in. He kills the guards,then lies about his motives for killing the guards in order to avoid the consequences. In (2.3 124-125)“O yet I do repent me for my fury,That I killed them” This shows how Macbeth is slowly becoming a malicious being who is starting to have no regard for human life.He kills the guards just cover up what he has done. But it gets worse. He orders that certain people are killed because he suspects that they know what happened,for example (3.2 ,146-158) says Your spirits shine through you. Within this hour at most I will advise you where to plant yourselves,Acquaint you with the perfect spy o' th' time,The moment on ’t; for ’t must be done tonight,And something from the palace; always thought That I require a clearness. And with him—To leave no rubs nor botches in the work—Fleance, his son, that keeps him company, Whose absence is no less material to me Than is his father’s, must embrace the fate Of that dark hour. Resolve yourselves apart. I’ll come to you anon.” This quote Shows Macbeth at his most deviant and malicious form. He orders Murderers to kill Banqou and Fleance. The men have trust in Macbeth and they don’t expect this to happen. Macbeth shows here that he is no longer afraid of killing or death. These are examples of how I feel both Macbeth and lady Macbeth have changed.They both have shifted in character.Lady Macbeth has gone from the ruthless , heartless ,malicious character to the anxious, nervous Character and I have seen vice versa for Macbeth who has become a very ill minded man. It’s going to be interesting on how these characters evolve.