Preview

Shakespeare's Unanswered Questions in Macbeth

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
499 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Shakespeare's Unanswered Questions in Macbeth
Classic literature, such as the works of Shakespeare, often leaves the reader with unanswered questions. The entire theme behind every rendition of Shakespeare's Macbeth can be different because of the dynamic method Shakespeare used to write it, and how the director deals with (or doesn’t deal with) unresolved plot lines.
While many directors attempt to follow the original work as faithfully as possible, even in the casting stage they have to make decisions which Shakespeare does not readily provide a “correct” answer to. For example, there is no way to tell from reading the text who exactly the character of Lady Macbeth is. At some point in production it must be decided whether her actor must portray a truly evil character with mental problems, or instead maybe just someone who considered themselves free from morality, only to learn the opposite in the worst way possible. Both methods tell an awesome tale, but a different one. Almost every character a similar decision, and there will always be ways in which a new production will have something entirely different to say from all the other ones, providing evidence to this quotes validity. Obviously, directing this play poses many challenges, but if a director wishes to go above and beyond, he might provide an answer to one or many of the ambiguities which abound in Macbeth.
In addition to the dynamic character aspects, Shakespeare leaves us wondering in Macbeth more than he gives us resolution. Whether or not the witches actually had magic powers, whether or not that was really the ghost of Banquo, and who sent the messenger to Banquo’s family, are only a few examples where the answer is left up to our imagination. The most plot relevant seems to be how Fleance will come to take the throne. If a director wishes, he can provide hints as to how that will happen, or even if it is going to happen at all. If Fleance takes the throne through his somewhat distant bloodline, the play shows that fate is inevitable and

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    4. Macbeth’s colleague Banquo asks Macbeth why he is startled by the prophesies, which “sound so fair.” He then asks the…

    • 791 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    In William Shakespeare's story Macbeth, the hero, faces a conflict that impacts how the play will go and delivers a message within the story. The conflict starts with the prophecies of the Weird Sisters and later on gets worse from the trickery of Lady Macbeth. The result concludes a series of repeating thoughts running through Macbeth's mind, whether to kill or not to kill Duncan.…

    • 278 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    In the well-known play, Macbeth, written by William Shakespeare, we see how Macbeth’s choices combined with many other factors have a huge impact on the direction of the play and can have dire consequences. Shakespeare uses a number of different techniques to illustrate the importance of key turning points in the play.…

    • 1246 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    4. Angus remarks that Macbeth’s soldiers move only out of fear, not out of love for their king (lines 19-20).…

    • 762 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Shakespeare’s masterpiece of a play, ‘Macbeth’, carefully depicts that Macbeth’s character was not ruined by fate but rather by damaging errors in his personality. Macbeth’s dangerous quality of ambition brings about his downfall as well as his treachery against his king, his tyranny and also his imaginativeness that eventually lures him into the murder. Although Shakespeare suggests that Macbeth’s decisions were greatly influenced by other characters in his text, it was Macbeth that ultimately decided to listen to these influences due to the many faults in his character.…

    • 88 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    When the witches gave their prophesy, Macbeth's best friend, Banquo, also received a bit of information. "Lesser than Macbeth, and greater. /Not so happy, yet much happier. /Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none.(I,iii,69-71)" This is great news to Banquo. His son Fleance will become a king! But he does not jump to the conclusion that he must kill everyone in line to assure his child's crown. He thinks rationally and decides to ignore the words of the weird sisters.…

    • 488 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Renowned play, “Macbeth” written by William Shakespeare in 1606, is one of the most prestigious dramas to date. Valiant and truthful soldier, Macbeth experiences dire changes of evil, in order to gain his thriftless ambition for king. His immoral change might have been influenced by Lady Macbeth and the witches’ prophecies suggesting Macbeth is a tragic hero who had no intent of abhorrent deeds. Once honourable Macbeth pledges glory to his king and gained honour through valiant accomplishments. Fear strikes him as his mind starts to deteriorate into utter chaos by his treacherous actions. His self-conscious mind transforms him into a superstitious villain who suffers in despair as he implicates regret.…

    • 349 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The people of the Elizabethan times believed in witchcraft. Infact, King James 1 was the author of many books on the topic witchcraft. In this period of time, they saw people who fell under the spell of witches with an evil persona. Macbeth is considered evil, as he was allowed to be taken control by the witches. Some might remark that witches deceptive and vague prophecies made it good reasons to easily brainwash Macbeth. They might even say these prophecies would intrigue and eventually command anyone. However, on the other hand Banquo simply ignores the prophecy given by the supernatural supernatural. We can see from the beginning Banquo doesn’t trust the witches. “But’tis strange, And oftentimes, to win us to our harm, the instruments of darkness tell us truths; win is with honest trifles, to betray’s n deepest consequence”. Unlike Macbeth, Banquo is processing the whole picture. He understands that the witches might betray them and only lead to their own destruction. It is Macbeth’s fault he trusted and depended on witches who are often associated with words like evil, deceptive, and supernatural. After confronting with the witches, Macbeth is ambitious, where as Banquo doesn’t believe them despite the prophecy stating that his kids will become king. Even if Macbeth becomes were to become thane of Glamis, wouldn’t this position command enough power to satisfy his ambition? The fact is that Macbeth wants more. Actually, Macbeth is ambitious even without the witches. After he found out he was destined to become king, he didn’t let anyone stop him from becoming king. The witches had never told Macbeth to kill Duncan. Although we can’t deny the fact that the witches suggest him these vague visions, but it is Macbeth who interoperates them the way he wants to.…

    • 834 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the beginning of this play Macbeth and his good friend Banquo come into contact with three witches. These witches tell the two of them there future. For Macbeth it was you're going to be a king and the king of all kings. As for Banquo it was as good for him but for his children it is very promising. He will be the father to a great line of kings. When Macbeth heard of this at first he wasn't going to do anything to force this fate he was just going to let it happen. Then he…

    • 608 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    1. The witches plan to meet upon the hill and prophesize Macbeth’s future and their intent is to cause harm. 2. King Duncan decides to give Macbeth Cawdor’s land/title as a reward for saving the nation. 3.…

    • 498 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Macbeth's Ruthless Quotes

    • 717 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Macbeth is paranoid of losing his position, he wants to keep it to himself as well as to his descendants. As the three witches described Banquo: “Lesser than Macbeth and greater, not so happy yet much happier, thou shalt get kings, though thou be none.”, implying that Banquo is the root of many kings, Banquo and his son is a threat to Macbeth’s crown(1.3.68-70). Macbeth plans an assassination of Banquo and Fleance while they are on a ride before the dinner at Macbeth’s castle(3.1.129-144). Banquo is murdered and Fleance flees(3.3.29-30). Banquo’s ghost shows up at the dinner and scares Macbeth. Even though Macbeth doesn’t regret killing Banquo, he is still conscious of his terrible actions and the guilt of bringing Banquo to the end of his life. Macbeth at this point has become ruthless enough to murder his close…

    • 717 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the beginning of the play the witches told Macbeth that he will become Thane of Cawdor, and later on King of Scotland, before this knowledge Macbeth had no thoughts or intentions on becoming king, not even Thane of Cawdor, but these prophecies implanted the thought and ambition Intro his mind, thus leading to the murder of Duncan. In the beginning Macbeth was also told that Banquo's descendants shall become kings, Macbeth wanting none other than his blood to have the throne after him, murdering Duncan in hope that the prophecy would perish, and his blood would claim the throne after, thus the witches influencing the second great crime. Later on in the play after Macbeth’s second encounter with the weird sisters, he is told to beware of Macduff, he gets the family of Macduff murdered, therefore the witches influenced Macbeth into committing the third great crime. The witches influencing Macbeth into the three great crimes of the play, in essence leading Macbeth to his ultimate downfall. When Banquo and Macbeth encounter the three witches they speak, “All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter! (1.3.03)”. In this passage from the play the witches are speaking the prophecies that they have predicted, conveying his future, and that his fate is to become king. When Banquo’s skeptically requests for his fate, the witches say "Lesser than Macbeth, and greater (1.3.68).” "Not so happy, yet much happier (1.3.69).” "Thou shall begets kings, thou be none (1.3.70). In the first quote the first witch speaks that Banquo will be lesser than Macbeth in royal ranks, but greater because he will be the father of future kings. The second quote is spoken by the second witch, and prophesizes the fact that…

    • 776 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    While Macbeth was plotting Banquo's death, he left Lady Macbeth out of it. Macbeth did not perform the deed directly, he ordered the murderers to kill Banquo; therefore, he is just as guilty because he ordered the plan. Although Macbeth feels guilty, the witches prophecy was that Banquo would father a line of kings. The murderers did not kill Fleance, luckily he escaped. Macbeth feels that even though Fleance is a young boy, he would one day grow up and avenge his father's murderer, and take Macbeth's place on the throne.…

    • 414 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    What are Macbeth’s children supposed to be? They will surely not be kings because of Banquo’s children and that's why Macbeth wants to kill Banquo.Banquo tells Macbeth that he had a dream about the three weird witches and they showed some truth. Macbeth doesn't know that the witches are really doing harm to him and that they changed an innocent man to a man that destroys, kill and harm innocent human beings. That’s why Macbeth wants to kill Banquo because he wants his kids to be king and not Banquo’s. So the murderers got to Banquo’s house and killed Banquo but Fleance was able to get away because Banquo told him to run so he wouldn’t get harmed like he did. Macbeth is blaming it on Fleance because he ran away to not be killed and be safe. When it was really Macbeth’s murderers that was the one who killed…

    • 888 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Macbeth Soliloquy Analysis

    • 1202 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Even in the coolest breeze your body will turn to a ferocious sweat, your face starts burning an inferno red yet looks a ghastly white, your heart may skip a few hundred beats and you begin to feel it in your throat, the pounding intensifies with every step you take and your feet feel cemented to the ground, unable to blink, turn back and erase what you have done, everything from this point on is a downward spiral and it is too late to undo your actions, the word regret haunts you eternally. In the soliloquy, found in Act I, scene vii of Shakespeare's Macbeth servants can be found scurrying inside the castle to prepare the table for the evening's feast with the King while Macbeth, Shakespeare's title character, hesitantly paces debating the…

    • 1202 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays

Related Topics