The play, Macbeth, is a fascinating study of violent crime and its impact, particularly on those who commit it.
Discuss the causes and effects of violence as they are presented in Macbeth.
Although violence and murder can never be justified, its origins often .aw’ The play ‘Macbeth’ by William Shakespeare, effectively explores and captures the nature of violent crime, demonstrating the negative and rippling effects it often has. This violence is explored through the characters of Macbeth, Lady Macbeth and Macduff where their lives are dominated by acts of violence, both positive and negative, and all lead to almost tragic endings. Shakespeare explores the effects on those both directly, and indirectly involved.
The protagonist, Macbeth, demonstrates the impacts of violent crime and power by the extent he is willing to go to obtain the highest acknowledgement, king. When Macbeth is first associated with violence, it is as a noble and honorable warrior. Duncan refers to him as ‘honourable Macbeth’ and rewards him for his courage giving him the title of ‘Thane of Cawdor’. Despite this however, Macbeth’s honorability ends up being overpowered by his determination. This is seen in Macbeths next association with violence as it becomes that of a power-driven, ambitious man. His actions of killing the King, are heavily influenced by his wife, Lady Macbeth as she questions his courage and manhood ‘when you durst do it, then you were a man’. The consequences of the death of the king had an enormous impact on not only Macbeth but also many others. Macbeth is corrupted by his guilt, evident when hes says ‘Macbeth doth murder sleep’. His guilty conscious is beginning to deteriorate inside so he builds up calluses to it which essentially drives him to the murders of many innocent people. His actions only ever having a negative impact, burning houses and tearing families apart, and evidently he tore his only family apart, driving a wedge between him and his