Theme Analysis: Macbeth

Bri’Ana Meriweather AP Literature- Ms. Riley
November 26, 2012 4th Period


Eleanor Roosevelt once said “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” No one controls you better than you. Your feel of belittlement or inferiority is through your own perception. You allow others to do what you let them. In the Book Macbeth by William Shakespeare, Macbeth allows power to corrupt his mind. It badly affects his close friends and the significant people surrounding him. The corruption within Macbeth caused a commitment to evil deeds, guilt, and a host of repercussions. Always stick with your first mind, it’s usually what’s best.
Macbeth contains many evil deeds, however, evil deeds don’t necessarily mean an evil soul. Macbeth did not begin inherently evil, it was the comments that his wife (Lady Macbeth) said to him to make him feel inferior and less like a man. Before their first evil act, they had major doubts. “We will proceed no further in this business. He hath honored me if late, and I have bought golden opinions from all sorts of people…” (I.VII. 32-35). Macbeth at first had high contemplation to back out of what would be the start of his corruption. As the first evil act of killing the king is done, Lady Macbeth goes on to say “A foolish thought, to say a sorry sight” (II.II.19) to warn Macbeth that they must act like a true evil-incarnate would. Lady Macbeth insults Macbeth “My hands are of your color, but I shame to wear a heart so white” (II.II.61-62) to warn him that he must suck it up and show no evidence that they even thought about killing the king. Macbeth then desired to overcome the inferiority that Lady Macbeth were making him feel and became increases his intensity of evil. “So is he [Banquo] mine; and in such bloody distance that every minute of his being thrusts against my near’st of life. And though I could with barefaced power sweep him from my sight…” (III.I.117-119) Macbeth says. Macbeth arranges for Banquo to be murdered and he kept it a secret from his wife. Apparently, he doubts that she can either keep the secret, or that she will go along with his plan. Macbeth showed no remorse or regret for the killing and each day he is destructing those he think are in his way of a higher power. Macbeth is becoming and performing more evilness as they come.
Macbeth’s guilt prevents him from fully enjoying his ill power gains. Just before the murder of Duncan, Macbeth’s guilt materializes in a hallucination of the bloody dagger that leads him into Duncan’s chamber. As Macbeth reached for his guilt [dagger] he says “Is this a dagger which I see before me, the handle toward my hand…A dagger of the mind, a false creation, proceeding from the heat oppressed brain…” (II.I.33-40). Macbeth was led to Duncan. After the killing of Duncan, Macbeth worries “Methought I heard a voice cry, ‘Sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep’ - the innocent sleep, sleep that knits up the raveled sleave of care… ‘Macbeth shall sleep no more.’ (II.II.33-41). Macbeth’s guilt has led him to believe that he is hearing the servants have a conversation about him. The guilt is only the beginning of the overpowering his character. During the royal dinner, Macbeth gets up to entertain his guest, suddenly he says “Prithee, see there! Behold! Look! Lo! How say you? Why, what care I? If thou canst nod, speak too…” (III.IV.69-72). Macbeth’s guilt has gotten worse that now he’s seeing Banquo’s ghost. He went as far as talking and shouting out to the ghost, almost revealing that he is suffering from a guilty conscience from killing to noble men. Rather than resist the horror, Macbeth enables it for further empowerment. Even though Macbeth has begun to witness horrible things he still decides to let power and ambition desire to corrupt his mind.
Punishments, sometimes called karma, arrives any time that you are doing something that isn’t applicant to you. Macbeth admits his awareness of not being at peace when he says to Lady Macbeth “…ere we will eat our meal in fear, and sleep in the affliction of these terrible dreams that shake us nightly. Better be with the dead, whom we, to gain our peace, have sent to peace, than on the torture of the mind to lie in restless ecstasy. Duncan is in his grave. After life’s fitful fever he sleeps well…” (III.II.19-25). Macbeth admits to himself that he cannot sleep properly and he speaks of “terrible dreams” and “torture.” He is saying that he is not at peace like the dead and Duncan has earned his benefit “he sleeps well”, while Macbeth is being irritated by his fears. Macbeth at first was well looked up to “This is the sergeant who like a good and hardy soldier fought ‘gainst my captivity. Hail, brave friend [Macbeth]! Say to the king the knowledge of the broil as thou didst leave it” (I.II.4-7). Now people despise him “…devilish Macbeth by many of these trains hath sought to win me into his power, and modest wisdom plucks me from overcredulous hate” (IV.III.119-122), Malcolm says as he vents to Macduff about how he feels about the new “power corrupted Macbeth.” There’s a price to pay with everything and Macbeth now has to ultimately explore the tortured mind of a criminal.
With a start of fear at the prophecy of a crown, Macbeth relies on murdering innocent people because his mind has been corrupted by the thought of a higher power. Mainly influenced by others, Macbeth bluntly accepted and jumped at the thought of whatever the witches, his wife, or his mind threw his way. Because of the corruption Macbeth were revealed to commit to evil deeds, a terrifying guilt, and repercussions that weren’t anything nice. If Macbeth had have stuck to the fear in his eyes and not the unnecessary desire for more power, everything could have been avoided. Macbeth not only harmed himself in the process but a host of significant others as well.