Macbeth

Macbeth Exemplar Essay

Analyse how the choices made by the writer influenced your reactions to one or more important themes in the written text(s).

In the Scottish tragic play ‘Macbeth’ by William Shakespeare written in the early 1600s are important theme portrayed is that ‘excessive ambition, lust for power and temptations can easily weaken a man and influence him to do wrong, eventually resulting in harmful consequences.’ Shakespeare’s choices of making such a loyal and noble warrior – Macbeth succumbing to temptations of his future success predicted by the three witches, then, such a strong warrior, known to be a man of noble needs is shown to be easily influenced by a woman, his wife to commit regicide, only to die in the end testifying against the supernatural beings filled with guilt and regret. These choices Shakespeare made, influenced me to react and become very opinionated about ambition being a positive attribute and that loyal men would always stay true to their ethics and moral code has changed completely to make me think that no matter who your are excessive ambition, lust for power temptations can cause one to lose his mortal code, conscience and ethics.

In the exposition Shakespeare chooses to make Macbeth, a strong, ‘noble’ warrior weak by tempting him. A scene which shows this is when the three witches meet Macbeth and Banquo on the heath, they predict Macbeth to be successful and eventually king, this pleases Macbeth and he commands them, “Stay you imperfect speakers tell me more” this quote shows Macbeth’s hubris – his arrogance that he is of a higher status as he commands the witches, Shakespeare uses the language feature of an imperative to command the witches to tell him more. This quote shows he has been tempted as he seems to believe the witches’ predictions without much dobut but Banquo warns him, “The instruments of darkness tell us truths, win us with hones trifles, to betray in deepest consequence.” But Macbeth who already knew that supernatural beings like witches are known to bring people to ruins still believes them because the predict us are in his favour, hence he tries to convince Banquo by saying, “Do you not hope your children shall be kings?” This rhetorical question shows that Macbeth truly believes and wants to believe the predictions, Shakespeare uses this language feature to show and make the audience think how they would feel if their future was predicted to be successful, would they not be tempted? Nolan uses this scene to show that such a well known warrior who is known and rewarded for his loyalty to King Duncan and Scotland has fallen weak by these temptations, Shakespeare also chooses the three witches to tempt Macbeth so the Elizabethan audience can allude to Jesus Christ being tempted three times by the devil. This scene and Shakespeare’s choice to make Macbeth’s character so easily tempted makes me feel that temptations can change even the best of men or women. Even in society we are tempted to try various products although we know it could not work we still try it because it is meant to be beneficial forces us just like Macbeth, who believes the witches although he knows they’ll bring him to ruin.

Then Shakespeare chooses Lady Macbeth to easily convince Macbeth to commit regicide to make sure he definitely becomes king, and that the predictions come true. The scene that illustrates this is when Macbeth is thinking to himself and reasoning as to why he should kill Duncan he thinks, “I have no spur to prick the siders of my intent but only vaulting ambition that o’erleaps itself and falls on the other” he then decides, “we will go no further in this business.” But Lady Macbeth who is more ambitions than Macbeth provokes him, “Art thous afeard to be the same in thine act and valour as thou art in thine desire? Will you live a coward in your own esteem?” This convinces Macbeth to commit regicide as he was in a conflicted state of mind whether he should side with his morals and ethics and let fate take its course or listen to Lady Macbeth and his hubris and hamartia to kill Duncan. But still hesitant he says, “prithee peace…but if we should fail?” This shows Macbeth’s uncertainty but by choosing to kill Duncan he lost his morals and conscience. Shakespeare uses the first quote to show the audience his reasoning that he has no reason but ‘only vaulting ambition’, it is also a hidden metaphor that compares a rider leaping onto a saddle to Macbeth leaping on to a throne, but he leaps too much and falls over to hurt himself. This quote foreshadows that Macbeth is going to get hurt for making this decision and siding with his hubris and hamartia – his fatal flow which is his excessive ambition. Shakespeare chooses this scene to show us how and why people become so vulnerable t be influenced by others to commit a crime, it is because they are weakened first by the temptations and to get it they are easily influenced. Shakespeare made me realise how we also do the same now, we are also easily influenced by propaganda, media and society’s views to do things like smoke, drink and many other things because we are vulnerable by the temptations of wanting to fit in with society, before I had that we people were the reason but no a my reaction is that it is our fault to listen to then, we must not lose our morals and conscience because of temptations or because of being influenced by others.

In the end Macbeth realises he was wrong in losing his moral values for his hubris and hamartia. This is shown when he learns about the further predictions of his downfall. He decides to fight against fate, but realises he was wrong in losing his moral values for his hubris and hamartia. This is shown when he learns about the further predictions of his downfall. He decides to fight against fate, but realises fate always wins and so regrets his intervention with fate in the first place. When he learns ‘Birnam Woods is coming to Dunsinane’ he understands Banquo’s quote earlier that the witches should not have been trusted as he has been misled, but in reality he was misled because he was blinded by his hubris. Then when he learns lady Macbeth has committed suicide out of guilt he understands that he has lost everything. He expected being king would mean to live a loyal life with his wife and wealth, but in reality he had to commit crime after crime of the crime to keep his power and also distance himself away from his wife. He gained nothing but guilt and regret. So he battles testifying against the witches, “All these were days have lighted fools the path of dusty death…accursed be those tongues that palter with us in double sense, be these juggling fiends no more believed for they hath could my better part of man!” This quote shows that Macbeth feels ‘fooled to have believed the witches, he blames them for being the reason behind him changing from a loyal nobleman to a power lusting demon. The alliteration dusty death” emphasise, that those who commit crimes influenced by other will face a gruesome and filthy death. Shakespeare chooses Macbeth’s end scene battling, testifying against the witches and them dydidng as a way to show Macbeth’s catharsis. The Elizabethan audience would have expected such a death because the only thing that could compensate for all of Macbeth’s brutal actions is death. These choices changed my opinion and reaction of believing that ambition is a good attribute that drives one to success but in this text Shakespeare shows it drives Macbeth to his downfall, his death.

Overall in this play Macbeth was first weakened by the temptations, then easily influenced and in the end dies with regret and guilt gruesomely, this was his catharsis. Shakespeare chooses these various events to happen in Macbeth’s life to give us the theme that excessive ambition, lust for power will ultimately bring you to ruins, you will have to face the harmful consequences compensation for your brutal actions. This suggests we should always avoid being excessive in anything be it anger or ambition. This text also made my reaction about ambition being a positive attribute to change into anything in excess, like excessive ambition is always dangerous, never let it take over your moral values and conscience.

Sanjana Dudaki 2013 EOY Exam grade moderated up to 08 (i.e. high Excellence)