Mackbeth

Year 10 Shakespeare Macbeth coursework.

The play begins with "brave Macbeth! Well he deserves that name", but by the end of Act 5 he is called "this dead butcher"

Explore the presentation of Macbeth at key moments in the play, and explain how and why you react this way towards him.

At the beginning of the play Macbeth it begins with " brave Macbeth! Well he deserves his name" but by the end of the play Macbeth is known as "this dead butcher".

Macbeth was first perceived as a man with a lot of potential in becoming high in status. Everybody thought good of him it was as if he was the new celebrity because the victory he had sustained in battle. But by the end of this play everything has changed. He looses his respect; friends, wife and you could argue that Macbeth also looses his courage. You could even argue that Macbeth is no longer a caring and loving husband and a loyal friend. It as if his personality had suddenly switched from being good to evil.

The audience first hear of Macbeth when he victoriously and bravely defeats the opposition in battle (without dieing) whereas the former Thane of Cawdor died in battle and did not manage to defeat the opposition. Therefore it is decide without Macbeth knowing at this stage in the play that he will be named Thane of Cawdor. "And with his former title greet Macbeth" (the former Thane of Cawdor). Once the news has got around to everybody that Macbeth was the hero in battle it is as if he has just become the "new celebrity in town". He is liked by everybody and it seems as if everybody is just trying to get into his good books.

Whilst walking with Banquo both him and Macbeth come across three "different" women. They claimed to be able to tell the future. Well not claimed they just started predicting the titles that Macbeth would gain in the future.

"All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Glamis

All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor

All hail, Macbeth! That shalt be king hereafter!"

Macbeth was confused and did not really think much of what these three women but he was puzzled as to how they knew his name. Later on in the play Macbeth finds out that he has been pronounced Thane of Cawdor he starts to remember what the three witches said and if the prophecy is starting to come true that means that he is to be next in line to be king.

Macbeth's wife in the play is called Lady Macbeth and she is extremely demanding towards Macbeth and she seems to get anything she wants. This was quite unusual for the woman to get her own way in Jacobean times which is when the play was believed to of been written. Macbeth tells Lady Macbeth about what the three witches had said and he tries to persuade him to do anything that is possible to persuade him into doing anything it takes to become king.

The relationship between Lady Macbeth and Macbeth influences the way we see Macbeth. It makes the audience think that Macbeth will do anything in his power to please his wife instead of it being the other way around. It as if she owns him and she orders him around like a puppy dog.

A Jacobean audience would of seen Lady Macbeth as the "man" of the house. She was basically taking on the role of Macbeth. In Jacobean times it would not be normal to see a woman running a household or a family because in the 1600 women were just expected to cook and clean etc. Also women where not seen as equals to men. Men where seen as more superior so it was said that women should not really have a say in anything important. Lady Macbeth tries to talk Macbeth into killing Duncan.

In act 1 scene 7 Macbeth decides not to murder Duncan " We will proceed no further in this business" but soon he is very much so influenced by Lady Macbeth that he changes his mind about killing Duncan.

How tender 'tis to love the babe that milks me:

I would, while it was smiling in my face

Have plucked my nipple from his boneless gums,

And dashed the brains out, had I so sworn as you

Have done this.

Basically Lady Macbeth is trying her hardest to make Macbeth feel bad for breaking his promise that he would kill Duncan to her. She said that she would rather dash the baby which she had given suck to (breast fed) brains out that break such an important promise to him.

After the murder of Macbeth, Lady Macbeth and Macbeth both feel differently about what has happened. Macbeth seems distraught and he has a guilty conscience, he can't believe what he has done. Lady Macbeth's feelings towards the murder are totally different. He has no remorse what so ever. Lady Macbeth just carries on with everyday life jus as if nothing has happened. It seems as if Lady Macbeth hasn't got a conscience whereas Macbeth knows that he has done wrong.

This part of the play would have been very dramatic for a Jacobean audience because killing the king would have been and extremely big crime This is because back then being a king was almost an equal to being God. A king was just like one step down from God (divine right of kings). To kill a king is called Regicide. Therefore they both committed Regicide.

In act 3 scene 1 Shakespeare shows us Macbeth hypocrisy when he talks to Banquo. He talks to Banquo like he is just generally interested in where Fleance and Banquo are going but he is secretly planning on killing them both. "Ride you this afternoon?" By this time in the play Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's relationship changed drastically. Macbeth is no longer going to his wife for approval. Infact Macbeth did not even tell Lady Macbeth his plans to kill Banquo and Fleance.

In act 3 scene 2 Macbeth's use of language becomes more violent and evil. Macbeth has started to get use to the idea of murdering people to get his own way. "O, full of scorpions