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In Shakespeare's Macbeth, the repercussions of Macbeth murdering his King are very numerous. Through themes which include, imagery, soliloquies, atmosphere, and supernatural beings, Shakespeare enforces the magnitude of Macbeth's crime. Most of these factors are linked together. One of the main ways in which the horror of the murder is underlined is through the Great Chain of Being. At the time this play was written, it was believed that there was a hierarchy in the universe, with God being at the top, then angels, then the King, then man, and finally animals. This meant that the King was Gods representative on earth, and so if a rebel were to attack the King, he would be seen to be attacking and rebelling against God.
This is seen in Act One, Scene Two, when the Thane of Cawdor rebels against King Duncan, where the Sergeant says Ship wracking storms and direful thunders break (L. 26). This thunderous weather symbolizes Gods anger at his representative of Scotland being attacked. The darkness during the play (all but two of the scenes are set in darkness) shows how the night is strangling the earth, representing the anger of God at the events in Scotland. The Dark night strangles (Act Two, Scene Four, Line Seven) the earth, showing Gods, overall grip on the world. The King at this time had an absolute monarchy (power of life and death over everyone in his kingdom). The belief was that God had passed special powers to all Kings, such as that for healing, which Malcolm identifies in Edward the Confessor (the King of England) in Act Four, Scene Three He cures the healing benediction hath a heavenly gift of prophecy (L. 152 - 157).
Shakespeare later uses Edward to compare a great King to Macbeth, in order to show what a bad King Macbeth is. Macbeth does not have the divinity as he is not a rightful King, and this is why his Scotland turns into chaos. In killing Duncan, Macbeth goes against the great chain of being. He attacks God through killing Duncan; he undermines Gods authority on earth, which will lead to God being very angry, and eternal damnation for Macbeth. By losing the rightful King, Scotland can only become a worse place, and this is what happens Poor country; It cannot be call our mother, but out grave (Act four, scene three, line 164).
Duncan was a great King, and for a king of his power and greatness to be sacrificed to the ambition of someone like Macbeth shows the magnitude of the murder. Duncan's character backed up his status he was very generous, such as in giving Macbeth the title of the Thane of Cawdor. But his naivety was his fault as a King, and it is partially what led to his downfall. When Macbeth defends him on the battlefield, he describes Macbeth as a Valiant cousin Worthy gentleman (Act 1 Scene 2 L. 24).
He praises Macbeth in a regal way More is thy due than more than all can pay I have begun to plant thee, and will labour to make thee full of growing (Act 1 Scene 4 L. 21, 28). By nurturing Macbeth in this way, he builds up his confidence, and gives him the confidence to carry out his ambitions. Horror is built up here through Macbeth taking advantage of the Kings solitary weakness naivety. Horror is also built up from the irony which Shakespeare creates in Macbeth continuing what the previous Thane of Cawdor started a plot to over through the King. It is also created when Macbeth was defending the King in battle, yet he is the one who eventually kills him.
Characters such as the Sergeant in Act One, Scene Two, build up a heroic stature of Macbeth, when he says Brave MacbethValours Minion. This again creates irony, as Macbeth turns out to be quite the opposite. In Macbeth's soliloquy in act one scene seven, Macbeth debates with himself as to whether he should carry out the murder of the king If it were done (L. 1). He works himself into frenzy, worrying about the horror of the deed.
He describes the murder as a horrid deed (L. 24). This may not appear to symbolize the magnitude of the crime, for the word horrid has a meaning which is a lot less drastic now then it was when Shakespeare was alive; the murder would seem much worse to an audience at the time than today. Macbeth acknowledges that Duncan is such a good King, and that killing him would lead to eternal damnation The deep damnation of his taking off (L. 20). Macbeth is scared by this, as he says that if there were no repercussions to the murder, then it would be a good thing to do (L. 1 - 2). Macbeth lists reasons as to why he could not go through with the deed as he is so aware of the horror involved: I am his kinsman and his subject his host, who should against his murderer shut the door, not bear the knife myself (L. 13 - 16). In lines 16 - 25, Macbeth realizes that if he were to kill such a great king, then his virtues will, with voices like trumpets, blow news of the crime into every mans eye.
All these factors show the horror Macbeth would create in killing Duncan, and the magnitude of the results. In Macbeth's second soliloquy (in the first scene of the second act), as he approaches Duncan's quarters, he shows that the business of the murder is giving him a very disturbed psyche. He uses very powerful language in this soliloquy to demonstrate his feelings Nature seems dead witchcraft celebrates wicked dreams. The power of this language shows a metaphor for the magnitude of what will happen if Macbeth kills Duncan. It shows that the death will interfere with nature, indicating great magnitude. The visions of the dagger which Macbeth has show how the murder is spinning his brain into turmoil a false creation from the heat-oppressed brain (L. 36).
The dagger is not real, yet in fact it is more real than reality itself. Macbeth says that Mine eyes are made the fools o the other senses, or else worth all the rest (L. 44), implying the eyes, even though they may be more foolish than the rest of the senses, and the most trustworthy. This shows that the supernatural world of imaginary is taking over Macbeth, and when he kills Duncan, he will enter that very world. Macbeth knows what he is about to do, and he shows this by saying hear not my steps (L. 57). This has the same objective as in Act One, Scene Four, when he says Stars, hide your fires! Let not light see my black and deep desires (L. 50 - 51).
Macbeth wants to keep his plans away from others, as he knows that they are of such a magnitude, that if anyone found them out, the consequences would be disastrous. Macbeth calls on darkness, which represents evil, to help him to succeed in gaining the crown. This shows that evil is Macbeth's allay, meaning that the crime is of a very evil nature. In the same scene, Macbeth says Let the eye not wink at the hand (L. 52). This means that the eye (of onlookers) would be horrified to see what the hand (of Macbeth) is doing.
This again shows the horror of the deed. In Macbeth's scene with Lady Macbeth in Act Three, Scene Two, he is very disturbing and tense, due to the effect of his deeds on his mind. He has realized that what he has done is of such a horror that he is now committed to a course of murder he cannot turn back, as it is impossible to be forgiven for what he has done. The only way for him to go in order to escape without punishment if forward, meaning more murders, which builds more horror.
Macbeth relates his theory as to crossing a river of blood, which is an image of great magnitude, and represents Macbeth's state of mind. Under Macbeth, Scotland has become a realm of murder and fear Poor country; It cannot be call our mother, but out grave (Act four, scene three, line 164). One example of this is when Macbeth has Macduff's family killed. Like Duncan, they represent innocence and good, yet in doing this, Macbeth shows that he now has become a serial killer, capable of killing anyone. Macduff has the choice of saving his family, or sacrificing his family for the welfare of his country. Macbeth made Macduff make that decision, which is unsaleable.
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