An Analysis Of Central Themes In Shakespears

Macbeth Essay, Research Paper

An Analysis of Central Themes in William Shackespear’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.p1) In macbeth, Shakespear 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

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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 Norwasian 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

prevent him from becoming the King.

The prince of Cumberland! That is a step

On which I must fall down, or else o’erleap,

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 appared 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.

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Glacis thou art, and Cowdor, and shalt be What thou are promised.

Yet do I fear thy nature.

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’ldst have, great Glacis

That which cries”Thus though must do,”if though have it;

And that which rather thou dost fear to do

Than wishest 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

To have thee crowned withal.

(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 masterdom.

(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 ’twere 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,

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We’ld jump the life to come. But in these cases

We still h

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