macbeth paper

Macbeth In the play Macbeth written by William Shakespeare, the protagonist Macbeth was a loyal general in King Duncan’s Army and then he turned into the deceptive ruler. When Macbeth is coming home after battle, he met three witches who told him about his future. The prophecies that the witches told Macbeth are that he will receive the title "Thane of Cawdor" by Duncan, he will become the King of Scotland in the future, and that “Banquo's sons will be Kings”. He was excited about his future and the prophesies that he was told. He was so happy that he immediately wrote his wife, Lady Macbeth, a letter about their future and the rank he will achieve. Lady Macbeth was so excited about her future as a queen she started making plans so Macbeth would become a king sooner than he thought. Macbeth was not aware of what he was going to be coming home to, an insane wife that wants him to deceive his friend that he has always been loyal to. After Lady Macbeth heard about the prophesies she was only thinking about her sake of her becoming queen. Although Macbeth was also extremely excited about the prophesies, at first he was patient and wanted to see when they came true. Lady Macbeth was not patient like Macbeth was. Lady Macbeth made plans for Macbeth to receive the thrown much faster than he wanted. The plan she had was to get all of Duncan’s guards drunk and wait until they pass out, then Macbeth would go and kill Duncan with a dagger. After he killed Duncan, he would put his body by the guards, leave the dagger and smear blood on the guards, so when the guards woke up they thought they could have killed the king on accident when they were drunk. Macbeth was inspired by Lady Macbeth’s vicious plan of deception. Macbeth decided to follow through with the plan and kill King Duncan. Although he killed the king, he forgot a very important thing to leave the murder weapon with the guards. Lady Macbeth was extremely mad at Macbeth for not finishing the job. She had to go back and do it for him. When lady goes to finish macbeth’s job Macbeth tries to wash the blood off of his hands. “And thy blade and dungeon gouts of blood, which were not so before. There is no such thing: It is the bloody business that informs thus to mine eyes.” This quote symbolizes the gilt that Macbeth felt after killing his Friend that he was always a loyal soldier to.

Macbeth felt so guilty and and depressed that he stopped caring about his image as a respected soldier and individual. He felt so guilty that he wanted to confess about the murder that he conducted. He was also nervous that people were onto him and he wanted to confess before other people accused him. Although he felt bad, he was still scared and did not confess instead he followed his wife to the dark side of deception. Duncan’s sons fled the country and hid in separate countries. Although it was very suspicious of them to leave right after their fathers death, they left in fear they were next to be murdered. Which in fact they would have been if they were still around. In their absence with Macbeth as king, Macbeth kills his best friend, Banquo, and attempts to murder his son, Fleance. Fleance is the heir to the crown since Macbeth does not have and sons, therefore in Macbeth’s corrupted mind if his descendants do not get the throne neither should Banquo’s Descendants. Macduff the antagonist in the play, suspects Macbeth of killing Duncan and he wants to put a stop to his rein. Macbeth hears that Macduff wants to kill him, and Macbeth reacts by killing his family to scare him away. Macbeth’s strategy does not work and he ends up getting killed because of his actions.

The three witches told Macbeth that he would be king through a prophesy. He thought that it is fate that it would happen even if he didn’t murder groups of people. The witches planted a seed in Macbeth’s mind that he had the right to the crown and he would to do anything to make himself become king. Fate does not control our actions but if we know what is going to happen to us then we will try to make it happen as soon as possible. I think the witches predicted what Macbeth was going to do after he found out the news about himself becoming king. Even though he was a loyal General he betrayed Duncan, his best friend, just so he could be King.