Preview

Macbeth Good Vs Evil Analysis

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
936 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Macbeth Good Vs Evil Analysis
William Shakespeare created a play titled The Tragedy of Macbeth, which is set in Scotland. In the tale, Macbeth who is driven by the desire of power goes down a dark, bloody, and destructive path to overcome those he sees as a threat once he becomes king.Macbeth’s malicious actions later lead to his horrific murder. The essential theme is the characteristics of Good vs. Evil shown throughout the kingdom of Scotland. To begin with, Lady Macbeth and Macduff demonstrate various attributes of the topic Good vs. Evil. Lady Macbeth stood out as one who was ruthless, manipulative, wicked, and a woman of words. These traits portray her as an evil character because of her desire for power just like her husband Macbeth, which also leads to the bloody deeds she commits with him. (Act I, Scene V, Line 40-54) The next character is one who follows the good characteristics and that would be Macduff. Macduff was described as a courageous, determined, well-respected, and strong-willed nobleman of Scotland. Macduff wanted to do everything in his power to purify Scotland and the reader gets to view his traits more throughout the play. (Act V, Scene VIII, Line 6-8) In addition to the characteristics of some of the citizens of Scotland, Lady Macbeth and Macduff were not the only ones who were categorized as “good and evil.” The main character Macbeth is also a …show more content…
The reader sees that the characters personality, actions, and diction justify the significant theme good vs. evil. Both Lady Macbeth and Macbeth displayed traits of evil and corruption by wanting power and wanting to get rid of King Duncan and others that were a threat. In contrast, Macduff showed readers that he wanted what was best for his country and refused to let Macbeth destroy his homeland. After reading The Tragedy of Macbeth, one can see that everyone is not what they seem because even the “brightest angel fell from

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    In the play Macbeth by Shakespeare Macduff is portrayed as both a hero and a traitor. Through the play Macduff leaves his family, attacks the king, Macbeth, and kills Macbeth. In the play Macduff is shown as traitor in many ways.…

    • 505 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the play, The Tragedy of Macbeth which took place in Scotland, the author William Shakespeare wrote about Macbeth a nobleman of Scotland, who travels down the path of curiosity to satisfy his lustful desire of wanting to be king. In The Tragedy of Macbeth the thriving theme is about how ambitious Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are to help Macbeth become and remain the king of Scotland.…

    • 733 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Macbeth wife is manipulative, malicious and ambitious towards her goals, Macbeth has also become ruthless and violent towards his goals were as MacDuff seeks retribution but only with his morals still intact. Lastly by far their goals are different yet the same is to assure the other cannot have the throne the only difference is the means in which they did to achieve this goals. Macbeth for examples kills everyone who has the potential to rise up against him. These two character show the juxtaposition for the light and the…

    • 741 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In William Shakespeare's, Macbeth, a tragedy written 1606, Shakespeare brings to attention the complex intellect between the ideas that man must face in making decisions. This play takes place in eleventh century Scotland. Macbeth, a once noble and loyal soldier turns to evil ways for things he desires such as power and approval. He murders his precious king, friend, and other innocent civilians to become king. He takes advice from three witches and his wife, neither of whom gives just advice. He then kills and becomes a villainous tyrant, mad on his lustful and wanton thirst for power. With Macbeth's mind going and in his undulated state Macduff and Malcolm overthrow him. He dies by the hand of Macduff in a final battle. His gullibility and listening to others become the tragic hero's major weakness in the play.…

    • 541 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Fatal Influence On Macbeth

    • 1659 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Everyone as a human being has both good and bad characters, and they will also change as they grow old and some people also learn from their mistakes. In the play, “Macbeth” by William Shakespeare, the character of Lady Macbeth depicts both good and evil tendencies, particularly her evil tendencies can be seen at the beginning of the play. Over the course of time, Lady Macbeth changes adequately from the lust of power to more of an anguished person. The consolidation of the fatal influence by the witches and Lady Macbeth on Macbeth is what mustered for a disaster.…

    • 1659 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Macduff helps develop the theme of evil and supernatural. His actions towards Macbeth and his name being mentioned as a threat in the second set of prophecies make Macbeth commit one of his darkest deeds. This action shows evil because Macbeth sends assassins to an unguarded castle to kill many innocent people including Macduff’s family. Macduff helps to develop the theme of loyalty and patriotism. He does so by going to England to get the true heir Malcolm and military allies to free Scotland of Macbeth. Finally, Macduff shows guilt for leaving his family after finding out that Macbeth slaughtered his family. He…

    • 870 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Is Macduff A Good Leader

    • 540 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Macduff is a good leader in the play Macbeth. People see examples of good and bad leadership in everyday life. Each one of us has our own ideas of what good leadership entails. People are taught that a good leader is brave and skilful in battle. He works hard, respects others, obeys orders, sets a good example for his followers, and above all else is loyal. Macbeth started out as a good leader, but because of ambition and greed, he became disloyal, paranoid, and he allowed others to think he was unstable. These things made him a poor leader. Macduff is a good leader because he is motivating to his followers as well as nobel, he is also able to hold up his appearance and stay clear headed even with grief, finally he does…

    • 540 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The statement 'Macbeth was basically a good man led into evil ways' is one I agree with, to a certain extent. His evilness certainly progressed throughout the play, but his influences from the witches and Lady Macbeth and degree of goodness at the start is debatable. I shall also discuss the reasons for his destruction, which ties in the plays themes - for example ambition, order and disorder and guilt and conscience.…

    • 1653 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Human Nature in Macbeth

    • 503 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Macbeth is a play that examines human nature. During the play there is a significant amount of emphasis on the different attributes and sides of human nature. The play demonstrates that everyone has the ability to do good or evil by what choices they make and what the ramifications of these actions are, decisions are made that affect the outcome of a person’s future.…

    • 503 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    William Shakespeare’s Macbeth begins with three witches echoing “fair is foul and foul is fair,” (I,i,12) which is exactly how we first see the play’s main character, Macbeth. Macbeth is told by the witches that he will one day become king. The fair and valiant warrior, Macbeth, puts himself above all others and turns to a path of darkness, murdering the existing king for power, then ruthlessly killing anyone else seen as a threat to his reign. Eventually, the evil Macbeth is ousted by Macduff, a man who puts Scotland above all else. Both men, while total opposites, have one thing in common; their actions are driven by their ambitions. The characters ambitions shape who they are, and who they are to become.…

    • 964 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Kingship in Macbeth

    • 2065 Words
    • 6 Pages

    The character Macbeth would be the worst candidate for king of Scotland, due to his ungraceful and inhumane actions. He had been successful as a warrior, but as a king he had failed miserably. One of the king-becoming graces is the trait of mercy. As Macbeth reigned, he was seen as the exact opposite of one who gives mercy. For instance, after he had heard the witches aspirations, he becomes even more suspicious of Macduff. He says in an aside, “The castle of Macduff I will surprise / seize upon Fife, give to th’ edge o’ th’ sword / His wifes, his babes, and all unfortunate souls / That trace him in his line” (IV, I, 171-174). His plan of murdering Macduff’s family demonstrates Macbeth’s lack of mercy and sympathy. He shows the opposite of this trait in this situation, as he is showing unkindness and malevolence. Likewise, Macbeth does not show any devotion towards his country, Scotland. When a Lord is talking to Lennox about the state their country is in, he says “we may again / give to our tables meat, sleep to our nights, / free from our feasts and banquets bloody knives, / do faithful homage, and receive free honors” (III, vi, 37-40). This illustrates the chaos that Scotland is currently in, as it is being ruled by Macbeth. People have begun to starve, more…

    • 2065 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Macbeth’s innate propensity for evil and his and Lady Macbeth’s desire for power, cause them to commit the heinous murder of a king and to descend down a path of evil destruction. Shakespeare creates dark settings to mirror their evil acts and their dialogue shows them to feign goodness while secretly harbouring dark desires evinced by Lady Macbeth’s words, ‘Look like th’innocent flower, but be the serpent under’t’.…

    • 757 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Macbeth and Macduff are more similar than expected. For example, both were brave. They are both very hard workers who did their jobs well. They are different in many ways too. Macbeth thought of rewards and promotions. He wanted to be rich and have a lot of power, and he did not worry about other people. He would do whatever he had to do to get his way, and he didn’t care how it affected people around him. Macduff was different. He was very loyal to his country. He put the country and his people first. He was always willing to help and do the right thing. He wanted to please everyone. Macbeth became impatient for power. He wanted to be king and he was willing to do whatever it took to make that happen. He never felt bad when he treated people badly either. He was very influenced by others, and he didn’t always think things through. Macduff did not want Macbeth to be king. He was patient and willing to take his time to plan ways to keep Macbeth from being king. Macbeth was a deceitful, hypocritical, and treacherous King. He wasn’t a good man. Macduff was straightforward, respectful, and honest. He was a better man. Macbeth would stop at nothing to get his way and he didn’t feel bad about it. Macduff was a better person and had a conscience, and when he killed Macbeth, he felt like he had done the right thing for the people.…

    • 376 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Lady Macbeth

    • 384 Words
    • 2 Pages

    First off, I’m going to discuss Macbeth and his evil. Macbeth starts out as a very likeable character as he is promoted to Thane of Cawdor at the beginning of the book, a very respected position. After his big promotion, the Weird Sisters are the ones who encouraged Macbeth that he should not be satisfied with Thane of Cawdor, and instead, strive for King of Scotland. Macbeth’s mindset was also very influenced by Lady Macbeth, who also fueled his evil fire.…

    • 384 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Macbeth Essay on Evil

    • 1084 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Macbeth is a real tragedy written by William Shakespeare for what’s presented is a morally significant struggle, one that attempts to engage our sympathies and understanding. In this dark and powerful tragedy, Macbeth is a part of several murders, including the murder of King Duncan of Scotland. Macbeth performs these murders after he encounters the weird sisters and hears the prophecy that he will one day become the King of Scotland. But although Macbeth was the one that was directly involved in every murder, there are other influences that have an impact on his pursue for the crown of Scotland and could be responsible for the evil done in the play. When Lady Macbeth first hears about the prophecy of the witches, she immediately plans Duncan’s murder because of her ambition for her husband to become king. The weird sisters, also known as the three witches, initiates the murders because they prompt Macbeth to murder Duncan with their prophecies that Macbeth will one day become the King of Scotland. But ultimately, Macbeth is the villain of this tragedy in view of the fact that he is accountable for the murder of Duncan and also orders his subordinates to murder Banquo and the family of Macduff. Macbeth is most responsible for the evil done in the play owing to the fact that his killing of Duncan provokes the other murders and evil in the play.…

    • 1084 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays