Scottish General: The Reputation Vs. The Man
Scottish General (The Reputation vs. The Man)
The tragedy begins amid a bloody civil war where the first introduction to the Scottish General Macbeth is given by a wounded soldier. A colourful and extensive exaltation of Macbeth’s prowess and valour in battle is illustrated. When the battle is won, largely due to the skillful leadership of Macbeth and Banquo, King Duncan honours his Generals with high praise and awards Macbeth with the title of a traitor awaiting execution, the Thane of Cawdor. Although Macbeth has not yet made his initial appearance, the audience is given a clear indication of his righteous reputation on the battlefield and with the King.
After the first meeting with the witches in Act 1 Scene III, it soon becomes apparent …show more content…
Lady Macbeth’s plan is to convince Macbeth to kill Duncan. This is apparent when she says “…I may pour my spirits in thine ear; and chastise with the valour of my tongue all that impedes thee from the golden round”. She feels that Macbeth “art not without ambition” but is “too full o’ the milk of human kindness to catch the nearest way”. Lady Macbeth plans to be the brains behind the assassination of Duncan. She clearly shares her husband’s ambition.
In Act 1 Scene VII, while alone on stage, Macbeth considers the pros and cons of killing Duncan. He sees Duncan as a fair and gracious leader for whom Scotland will weep. He sees himself as his friend and also his host “who should against his murderer shut the door”. Macbeth ponders the idea of karma and the effect his actions will have in the afterlife. The only reason he has for committing this deed is his “vaulting ambition”. At this point in the play Macbeth has concluded not to kill Duncan. The decision however, is short lived. Macbeth says nothing to his wife to substantiate his claim. He fails to communicate the ethical arguments he made against murder. Instead he merely says, “He (Duncan) hath honoured me of late”. When Lady Macbeth pulls out all the stops with a vivid analogy of killing her own baby while nursing and by insulting Macbeth’s manhood, she convinces him to carry out the deed. Here Macbeth shows a very different side …show more content…
After committing the deed he returns to his chamber, looks down at his hands and says “Will all Great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood clean from my hand? No, this my hand will rather the multitudinous seas incarnadine, making the green one red”. Macbeth recognizes that he will never be able to cleanse his hands or clear his conscience of this deed. He also hears voices that say “Macbeth shall sleep no more. Macbeth does murder sleep”. He acknowledges that only the innocent sleep and that sleep is “the balm of hurt minds”. His innocence is forever lost and his actions hereafter will be eternally tainted. Despite his many murders on the battlefield, Macbeth is too afraid to go back to Duncan’s chamber and frame the guards as per the plan. It is Lady Macbeth who must complete the crime. The psychological effect the assassination will have on the Macbeths is foreshadowed in this scene. Despite Lady Macbeth’s attempt to “stop up the access and passage to remorse” it is impossible for her and her husband to simply ignore the effects of pre-meditated, cold-blooded murder.
When the castle is awakened with the news of Duncan’s death there is a dramatic change in Macbeth’s attitude toward the murder. Surprisingly he is now able to take his wife’s advice and “look like the innocent flower but be the serpent under’t”. Macbeth’s indecision becomes a thing of the past. He is able to show false remorse for the death of Duncan and in an outburst
The tragedy begins amid a bloody civil war where the first introduction to the Scottish General Macbeth is given by a wounded soldier. A colourful and extensive exaltation of Macbeth’s prowess and valour in battle is illustrated. When the battle is won, largely due to the skillful leadership of Macbeth and Banquo, King Duncan honours his Generals with high praise and awards Macbeth with the title of a traitor awaiting execution, the Thane of Cawdor. Although Macbeth has not yet made his initial appearance, the audience is given a clear indication of his righteous reputation on the battlefield and with the King.
After the first meeting with the witches in Act 1 Scene III, it soon becomes apparent …show more content…
Lady Macbeth’s plan is to convince Macbeth to kill Duncan. This is apparent when she says “…I may pour my spirits in thine ear; and chastise with the valour of my tongue all that impedes thee from the golden round”. She feels that Macbeth “art not without ambition” but is “too full o’ the milk of human kindness to catch the nearest way”. Lady Macbeth plans to be the brains behind the assassination of Duncan. She clearly shares her husband’s ambition.
In Act 1 Scene VII, while alone on stage, Macbeth considers the pros and cons of killing Duncan. He sees Duncan as a fair and gracious leader for whom Scotland will weep. He sees himself as his friend and also his host “who should against his murderer shut the door”. Macbeth ponders the idea of karma and the effect his actions will have in the afterlife. The only reason he has for committing this deed is his “vaulting ambition”. At this point in the play Macbeth has concluded not to kill Duncan. The decision however, is short lived. Macbeth says nothing to his wife to substantiate his claim. He fails to communicate the ethical arguments he made against murder. Instead he merely says, “He (Duncan) hath honoured me of late”. When Lady Macbeth pulls out all the stops with a vivid analogy of killing her own baby while nursing and by insulting Macbeth’s manhood, she convinces him to carry out the deed. Here Macbeth shows a very different side …show more content…
After committing the deed he returns to his chamber, looks down at his hands and says “Will all Great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood clean from my hand? No, this my hand will rather the multitudinous seas incarnadine, making the green one red”. Macbeth recognizes that he will never be able to cleanse his hands or clear his conscience of this deed. He also hears voices that say “Macbeth shall sleep no more. Macbeth does murder sleep”. He acknowledges that only the innocent sleep and that sleep is “the balm of hurt minds”. His innocence is forever lost and his actions hereafter will be eternally tainted. Despite his many murders on the battlefield, Macbeth is too afraid to go back to Duncan’s chamber and frame the guards as per the plan. It is Lady Macbeth who must complete the crime. The psychological effect the assassination will have on the Macbeths is foreshadowed in this scene. Despite Lady Macbeth’s attempt to “stop up the access and passage to remorse” it is impossible for her and her husband to simply ignore the effects of pre-meditated, cold-blooded murder.
When the castle is awakened with the news of Duncan’s death there is a dramatic change in Macbeth’s attitude toward the murder. Surprisingly he is now able to take his wife’s advice and “look like the innocent flower but be the serpent under’t”. Macbeth’s indecision becomes a thing of the past. He is able to show false remorse for the death of Duncan and in an outburst