Macbeth man or a monster? Essay

Macduff c eachs Macbeth a fiend of Scotland and a hell-kite. Do you take Shakespe ar has presented Macbeth as a man or a monster?At the time that Macbeth was written people strongly look atd in witches and witchcraft. In fact the queer at the time was so fire in witches it is said he snuck into witch trails, in disguise, to find out what was happening. People who lived at this time as well believed strongly in Christianity, so they spend their whole lives trying to reach Heaven as they had a terrible fear of Hell.When Macduff c exclusivelys Macbeth a fiend (A Devil 1 actuated by the almost intense wickedness or hate) of Scotland, he is essentially calling him the devil of Scotland and thus condemning him to hell as he is so evil.When Macduff calls Macbeth a Hell-kite, he is calling him a cold-blooded killer with no heart or heavenly soul, as he is a pure evil killer. These two insults are nearly of the worst that Macbeth could withstand been called at the time, implying he is evil, possessed and Heartless.At the start of the play it is set just after a battle amid the rebels and the king. At this part of the play the soldiers are talking about one thing. Macbeth.For brave Macbeth well he deserves that name Disdaining fortune, with his brandished steel, (Captain human action1, gibe 2, lines 16-17)This quote shows that Macbeth is regarded very exceedingly amongst the soldiers at this part in the play. Macbeth also gain favour with the king at this point.What he hath lost noble Macbeth hath won. (Duncan bit 1, Scene 2, line 68)At this point in the play Macbeth is an innocent, hardworking, devoted soldier. I believe Macbeth is a man and not a monster at this point of the play.In identification number 1, Scene 3 Macbeth meets the witches upon a heath Macbeth and Banquo are on their way to somewhere when they see the witches. They stop and the witches give Macbeth three propheciesAll fare Macbeth, hail to thee, Thane of Glamis (1st Witch Act 1, Sc ene 3, line 48)All hail Macbeth, hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor (2nd Witch Act 1, Scene 3, line 49)All hail Macbeth that shalt be king hereafter (3rd Witch Act 1, Scene 3, line 50)When Macbeth hears the prophecies for the first time he dismisses them, saying some of them will never happen.Stay you imperfect speakers, recount me more.By Siniels death I know I am Thane of Glamis,But how of Cawdor? The Than of Cawdor livesA prosperous gentleman and to be KingStands not within the prospects of belief,No more than to be Cawdor. (Macbeth Act 1, Scene 3, lines 70 -75)This quote shows that he outwardly dismisses the prophecies at first apart from to amaze the Thane of Glamis, besides I believe that this sparks an idea that he could be much bigger, much more powerful.He tells us he signifys this later on in his letter to lady Macbeth.When Lady Macbeth reads his letter in Act 1 Scene 5 ideas about her decent more powerful start to spring into her mind, so much so that she tries ask the spirits to become pure evil ,unsex me hereAnd fill me from the crown to the toe top-fullOf direst cruelty make thick my blood,Stop up thaccess and passage to remorse, (Lady Macbeth Act 1, Scene 5, lines 41-44)The difference is Macbeth tries to dismiss them and thinks nothing of it whereas his married woman starts to make plans as she has decided that she wants to be queen. So when Macbeth arrives back at his rook Lady Macbeth tries to make him kill his beloved king Duncan. At the start he doesnt want to know and says he has never think to kill Duncan but Lady Macbeth uses all sorts of tactics to try and persuade Macbeth to change his mind and Murder Duncan. However Macbeth doesnt want anything to do with it as he believes Lady Macbeth has understood him.All though He says he doesnt want to kill Duncan he has obviously thought about becoming king because in Act 1 Scene 4 he saysThe Prince of Cumberland that is a step,On which I must fall down, (Macbeth Act 1, Scene 4, lines 48-4 9)Macbeth makes this observe just after Duncans son Malcolm is named Prince of Cumberland and next in line to the throne (ahead of Macbeth).In Act 1, Scene 7 I think that Macbeth legato doesnt want to actually kill the king himself, but more that he is being forced into it by his wife through blackmail. I think this because it seems that he is trying to talk himself into doing it. , that we but teachBloody instructions, which being taught returnTo plague th inventor. (Macbeth Act 1, Scene 7, lines 8-10)In this quote Macbeth is basically telling himself I have been taught to kill I am a killer, which I think is just hyping himself up as he doesnt have a better reason to kill Duncan, Because of this I believe Macbeth is a Man and not a Monster at this point.I think the spikelet soliloquy In Act 2, Scene 1 could be telling us that Macbeth is getting nervous or he could be ill (physically or mentally) about killing Duncan which could be causing him to hallucinate,A prickle of the m ind, a false creation,Proceeding from the heat-opressed brain? (Macbeth Act 2, Scene 1, lines 38-39)But I think the most likely cause is that Shakespeare has put this in to show that Macbeths thoughts are wandering and not concentrated as he is still deciding (in his conscience) what to do, the dagger helps in this way as it actually points the way in which to go gee marshallst me the way that I was going, (Macbeth Act 2, Scene1, line 42)The dagger also guides him by showing he must kill DuncanAnd on thy blade and dudgeon gouts of blood, After Macbeth has committed the collide with he starts to get paranoid claiming that he has heard all kinds of voices, shouts and cries from other chambers.Theres one did laugh ins sleep, and one criedMurder (Macbeth Act 2, Scene 2, lines 19-20)After this they realises that Macbeth hasnt placed the daggers back on the guards but has kept them in his hands, so Lady Macbeth takes them off him and does what he failed to as he tries to wash his hands but as he is doing this we learn that he feels he can never wash the blood of Duncan off of his hands.Will all great Neptunes maritime wash this bloodClean from my hand? No, this myhand will ratherThe multitudinous seas incarnadine,Making the green one red. (Macbeth Act 2, Scene 2, lines 57-60)I think in most of Act 2, Scenes 1 and 2 that Macbeth is a monster. But in this brief moment at the end I believe he has become a man again.In the scenes that follow the murder of Duncan Macbeth suspects Banquo of suspecting that Macbeth killed the king. However unfaithful to his old friend this may sound Macbeth is right as Banquo does suspect Macbeth.Thou hast it now, King, Cawdor, Glamis, all,As the weird women promised, and I fearThou playdst most foully fort (Banquo Act 3, Scene 1, lines 1-3)And so because of what Macbeth thinks he plans to have Banquo killed.Since the murder of Duncan the relationship between Macbeth and his wife has changed dramatically she is no longer the influentia l, controlling figure she was but now Macbeth has taken charge, and I think this was a big mistake as all the problems in the plans so far have come about because of Macbeth, either in what he did (or didnt) do or because of how he reacted, or what he said etc.Macbeths new plan includes a visit to the witches so they can tell him whats going to happen in the future. When he arrives however their prophecies dont seem to be as clear-cut as the first ones although Macbeth interprets them word for word as that is what happened with the first prophecies.Macbeth, Macbeth, Macbeth, look out MacduffBeware the Thane of Fife. (1st vestige Act 4, Scene 1, lines 71-72)Be bloody, bold and resolute laugh to scornThe power of man, for none of woman bornShall harm Macbeth. (2nd spook Act 4, Scene 1, lines 79-81)Be lion-mettled, proud and take no careWho chafes, who frets, or where conspirers are.Macbeth shall never vanquished be, untilGreat Birnam wood to high Dunsinane hillShall come against hi m(3rd Apparition Act 4, Scene 1, lines 90-95)Macbeth takes this first Apparition very seriously and so he decides to go and kill Macduff, even though he thinks he is unbeatable and cant be killed, as he believes it impossible for someone to not be born of woman. But when his men reach Macduffs castle at Fife, Macduff isnt their but they kill everyone inside it anyway, including his wife and children.The 2nd Apparition Macbeth also takes very seriously, word for word thinking he is unvanquishable as everyone is woman born so he can never be killed.Macbeth also takes the 3rd Apparition word for word and as he believes the wood outside his castle (Great Birnam Wood) can never move he thinks he can never be defeated.I think at this order in the play Macbeth is becoming more and more of monster as he has now resorted to killing innocent women and children.In the final scenes of the play Macbeth puts all of his trust and faith into the witches prophecies so they might save him from the imposing English armyBring me no more reports, let them fly all.Till Birnam wood remove to Dunsinane, (Macbeth Act 5, Scene 3, lines 1-2)I cannot taint with fear. Whats the boy Malcolm?Was he not born of woman? The spirits that knowAll soul consequences have pronounced me thusFear not Macbeth, no man thats born of womanshall eer have power upon thee. (Macbeth Act 5, Scene 3, lines 3-7)However when one of the witches prophecies that Great Birnam wood Macbeth is shocked and lashes out at the messenger who tells him by brandishing him aLiar and a slave (Macbeth Act 5, Scene 5, line 37)AndIf thou speakst false,Upon the next tree shalt thou hang alive (Macbeth Act 5, Scene 5, lines 38-39)During the last few scene in the play Macbeth has moments of his real, original character of a loyal, brave soldier come out.Ill fight, till from my bones my flesh be hacked,Give me my armour. (Macbeth Act 5, Scene 3, lines 32-33)This is an extremely brave side of Macbeth coming out.In the final fight with Macduff the Macbeth we see is a defiant and desperate one clinging onto his one last expect the last prophecyLet fall thy blade on vulnerable crestsI bear a charmed life, which must not yieldTo one of woman born. (Macbeth Act 5, Scene 8, lines 11-13)Macduff then answers to this withDespair thy charmAnd let the angel whom thou still hast servedTell thee, Macduff was from his mothers womb prematurely ripped. (Macduff Act 5, Scene 8, lines 14-17)What Macduff is saying here is that he was born by a caesarean section and not naturally born. Macduff and Macbeth carry on flake until Macbeth is slain.In conclusion I believe that Macbeth was a noble soldier who was almost considered a hero amongst his fellow men who was pushed by his evil, controlling, influential wife to commit a murder he did not want to commit however after this turning point Macbeth became a bloodthirsty, evil monster solely by his own doing, until at the end were we start to see him in his original state again . Others may consider him a complete and utter monster, whereas some will defend his actions saying it was the right thing, or he was forced to do it, but I suppose one way to sum it all up would be to sayOne mans terrorist is another mans freedom fighter or more simply Its a matter of perspective.