Macbeth Analyasis

In the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare, he portrays the protagonist Macbeth as a weak character, mentality wise. Making it seem like he is easily influenced by all the other characters, especially the female characters in the play. This is not the case, Macbeth is much more complex than this, more sinister than anyone thinks. While many of the characters in the book are very influential, Macbeth is at fault for his own actions.

The play introduces the three witches very early into the play, predicting, "All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter!" (1.3.17). Seconds after this prediction, Macbeth already gets the idea in his head that the only way he will become king is to kill Duncan, the current king. The witches have no influence over his idea, they merely present the truth to him. Of his own accord, he later goes home and informs lady Macbeth of the prediction and his idea. In the article He says/She says by Fransesco Aristide and Mary Ives Thompson it stats, "Lady Macbeth's role is completely determined by her husbands. Without even a name of her own, the only way she can achieve power is if her husband first attains it."(pg 5). Since the beginning Macbeth had the power, putting into Lady Macbeth's head the idea they could rule the kingdom. He fed her insanity, gaining more power for himself.

'She [Lady Macbeth] operates completely in her own sphere," as noted in the article He says/She says by Fransesco Aristide and Mary Ives Thompson, on page 6. In other words, Macbeth also operates within his own sphere, separating her actions from his own. She has no influence over him as he plots to kill Banqou and his son Fleance.

MACBETH. Ride you this afternoon?

BANQOU. Ay, my good lord.

MACBETH.

We should have else desired your good advice

(Which still hath been both grave and prosperous)

In this day's council, but we'll take tomorrow.

Is't far you ride? (3.1.83)

After their conversation Macbeth goes to hire three murderers to kill father and son. Acting out on his own, making his best friend's murder Macbeth's fault, and his fault only.

Upon seeing the ghost, Macbeth slowly starts to break down, terrified because he knows he is guilty. He screams at the ghost, "what man I dare, I dare./ Approach thou like the rugged Russian bear,/ The armed rhinoceros, or th' Hycran tiger;/ Take any shape but that, and my firm nerves/ Shall never tremble. Or be alive again/ And dare me to the desert with thy sword./ If trembling I inhabit then, protest me/ The baby of a girl. Hence, horrible shadow!/ Unreal mockr'y hence!/ Why so, being gone,/ I am a man again.--Pray