Introduction:
Macbeth is a play written by William Shakespeare from approximately 1603 to 1607. It is possible that it was specifically written to attract the attention of King James I who had a well-known interest for the supernatural, so much so that he wrote a book on it. Shakespeare captures the King’s interest by producing a large role for the three witches. Although, in this period of time witches were believed to have existed and the practicing of witchcraft was a capital punishment; so by using witches in his play Shakespeare adds a more frightening and relatable supernatural aspect to the play. The play follows the experiences of Macbeth, the Scottish lord of Glamis, through a short time of his path to becoming King. We observe his fall on the Elizabethan idea of the wheel of fortune, leading to his external and internal position tumbling.
The Elizabethans had this idea about a wheel of fortune which symbolised your internal and external position. When at the top of the wheel you are of a high status good morale, and have healthy mind. Macbeth falls on the wheel of fortune after committing regicide and therefore develops insanity and loses all respect from anyone that had previously followed him.
Macbeth is a tragic hero in this story, an idea created by the ancient Greeks. Aristotle wrote a book called ‘poetics’ which gave instructions on how to write a tragic hero play:
Firstly at the beginning of the play, they are a person with exceptional qualities that inspires awe and wonder in others because of their achievements as we need to like and respect this character at the start. They are also very significant characters and so their deaths will create huge disruption to their nation, causing the character to create a bigger impact on the World around him and lastly, they have a hamartia, a fatal flaw, which ultimately leads to their internal and external downfall and then their