NOTE: Free essay sample provided on this page should be used for references or sample purposes only. The sample essay is available to anyone, so any direct quoting without mentioning the source will be considered plagiarism by schools, colleges and universities that use plagiarism detection software. To get a completely brand-new, plagiarism-free essay, please use our essay writing service.
One click instant price quote
An Analysis of Central Themes in William Shakespeare's Macbeth William Shakespeare was born on approximately April 23, 1564 and died on the same day in 1616, at 52 years of age. All of Shakespeare's dramatic writings were written in the span of the last 25 years of his life, making his literary productivity even more amazing. Macbeth is the fourth and last of the "great tragedies, " probably first performed in 1606, during the first years of King James I's reign. As in Shakespeare's other plays, Macbeth is based on a much earlier mythic-historical source. Scholars attribute Shakespeare's source to the Chronicles of Holinshed, which recounts the reigns of one Duncan and Macbeth in around the year 1050. As usual, Shakespeare just relies of the bare skeleton of his source tale, adding much by way of plot complication and structural complexity. (SP.
p 1) In macbeth, Shakespeare explores the themes of blood, self-love, and good vs evil in the development of characters and plot. A struggle is present in every tragedy, as a person tries to overcome their flaws and fit the mold of their ideal. (M. G. p. 327) William Shakespeare plainly defined a good man in the play "Macbeth." This goal by it's definition is a difficult one for any man to achieve. Prudence and logic, temperance and patients, as well as the vindication of honor are Shakespeare's defining characteristics of a good man.
As with any well written tragedy, Macbeth's title character and hero had to fall from his place of greatness to see his faults and begin his agonizing climb back to his previous position. His position, that of a good man, was one that demanded respect in the beginning of "Macbeth." Macbeth was written while Scotland lacked a good leader to defend it from a Norwegian invasion. During this dangerous situation, Macbeth stood out as the most commanding figure by defeating the rebel army. His thrill towards the witches' prophecies all confirmed his hopes of becoming the King and replacing King Duncan, who lacked the power and courage to save his country from this invasion.
The first signs that tell us of Macbeth's thoughts of becoming King were found when the King proclaimed his son, Malcolm, the heir to the Scottishthrone, and Macbeth considered murder to overcome this obstacle that would The prince of Cumberland! That is a step On which I must fall down, or else o'elea, For in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires! Let not light see my black and deep desires. The eye wink at the hand; yet let that be, Which the eye fears, when it is done, to see. (Act 1: Scene 4: ln. 55) When Lady Macbeth heard of her husband's success and read the letter, we almost immediately feel that a new source of power had apparel in the drama.
Her words reflected a great knowledge of her husband and her practical approach to problems as seen in the following two verses. Glacis thou art, and Color, and shalt be What thou are promised. It is too full o' the milk of human kindness To catch the nearest way. Thou wouldst be great; Art not without ambition, but without The illness should attend it. What though wouldst highly, That wouldst though holily; wouldst not play false And yet wouldst wrongly win. Thou " list have, great Glacis That which cries " Thus though must do, "if though have it; And that which rather thou dost fear to do Than wishes should be undone.
Hie thee hither, That I may pour my spirits in thine ear And chastise with the valor of my tongue All that impedes thee from the golden round Which fate and metaphysical aid doth seem (Act 1: Scene 5: ln. 14 O, never Shall sun that morrow see! Your face, my thane, is a book where men May read strange matters. To beguile the time, Look like the time; bear welcome in your eye, Your hand, your tongue, look like the innocent flower, But be the serpent under't. He that's coming Must he provide for; and you shall put This night's great business into my dispatches, Which shall to all our nights and days to come, Give solely sovereign sway and martyrdom. (Act 1: Scene 6: ln. 68) Driven to murder King Duncan, Macbeth's conscience first appeared when he was not present to greet the King upon his arrival at the castle.
This showed the lack of courage that Macbeth had to face his victim. If it were done when 'tis done, then 'there well It were done quickly. If the assassination Could trammel up the consequence, and catch, With his surcease, success, that but this blow Might be the be-all and the end-all here, But here, upon this bank and shoal of time, We " ld jump the life to come. But in these cases We still have judgment here, that we but teach Bloody instructions, which being taught, return To plague the inventor (Act 1: Scene 7: ln 1) This verse stressed Macbeth's fears of punishment. He cleared out that he was prepared to suffer eternity if only this crime would go unpunished. He recognized certain obstacles in killing the King, the first and most important being was that the King was his guest.
He also saw some dangers of committing the crime and understood it consequences well. When Macbeth tried to resist the temptation, his wife was the one that insisted on him to consent the murder. She accused Macbeth of cowardliness and later assures him that the crime will go undetected when she outlined it's details. In Act 2: Scene 1: ln. 72, we know that the crime will happen when Macbeth says: I go, and it is done.
The bell invites me. Hear it not Duncan, for it is a knell That summons thee to heaven or to hell. Following the crime, we get the impression that Macbeth was horrified by what he had done. It seems that he had gone through some sort of "mental collapse" due to the haunted visions of guilt and punishment that he Having begun a career of evil, Macbeth fel...
Free research essays on topics related to: king duncan, wouldst, good man, act 1 scene, william shakespeare
Research essay sample on Act 1 Scene William Shakespeare
