The mutual trust that exists between them is seen in the first Act, where Macbeth immediately sends a letter to his “dearest love” to inform her of his meeting with the Witches. Like his valiant nature, Macbeth’s undeniable love for his wife is a somewhat surprising and impressive side to his otherwise gruff character. This indestructible will of the warrior is certainly something to be admired, even if it eventually becomes misdirected. ![]() Even with the combined forces of England and Scotland pitted against him, Macbeth refuses outright to surrender, exclaiming “I’ll fight, till from my bones my flesh be hacked”. This courage is one of the only positive traits which remains with Macbeth to the bitter end. In fact, in the beginning of the play it is Macbeth who is fighting against treachery, slaying the rebel Macdonwald in a stunningly brutal fashion, unseaming him “from the nave to the chops”. In fact, the play begins with a lengthy description of our “Brave Macbeth”, who is lauded for his valiant effort on the battlefield. For this reason I believe that Macbeth, like his wife, acts ruthlessly based on his own insatiable ambition and as such I do not consider him any less villainous than his female counterpart.Įven with his many nasty qualities now laid before us, I still believe that Macbeth has a variety of characteristics that somewhat redeem him. His capacity for treason and dishonesty proves once again that Macbeth is completely unrelenting when it comes to fulfilling his prophecy. ![]() His dishonesty seems to know no bounds and he puts on an almost impressive display of “false sorrow” to distance himself from the crime, exclaiming “Had I but died an hour before this chance/ I had lived a blessed time”, appearing distraught at the death he has caused. It is Macbeth who urges his wife to “hide what false heart doth know”, to disguise their true feelings behind a mask of sorrow showing his own capacity for treachery. Yet another of Macbeth’s immoral traits is his deceitful nature, particularly in the wake of Duncan’s murder. His subsequent murder of Duncan, a virtuous and respected King, who even Macbeth admits “hath borne his faculties so meek”, shows an utterly reprehensible lack in his morality, and one that is motivated in large part by his own desire for greatness, not by the corrupting influence of his wife. Whilst not inherently evil in and of themselves, the ambitious thoughts which stir within Macbeth are fulfilled only through bloody treachery. ![]() His companion Banquo soon notices this and interrogates him bluntly, “Why do you start and seem to fear/Things that do sound so fair?” In retrospect it is clear that his fear is caused by a feeling of guilt at this outward expression of his “black and deep desires”. Their prophecies, filled with predictions of his ascent to the throne, stepping over Duncan in the process, seem to strike a chord with Macbeth and leave him in a daze of abject shock and horror. The extent to which this hamartia affects Macbeth is made clear long before he is influenced by his wife and even longer before these thoughts are acted upon, in fact it can even be seen in his first interaction with the Witches. The many horrific acts that Macbeth commits and his slow descent into demented tyranny can all be traced back to a fatal flaw in his character, his insatiable, “vaulting ambition” and desire for power. As is usually the case, things are not as simple as they may seem and I hope to reflect that in my response. ![]() Similarly, his wife’s initial portrait as an opportunist of shocking depravity is not supported by her later disintegration to a state of dismal and guilt-wracked vulnerability. Macbeth’s tragic fall from grace, although rife with treachery and bloodshed, does not completely destroy his humanity. Nonetheless, it manages to create a pair as loathsome as they are pitiable and it is my view that both Macbeth and his “partner of greatness” have traits that redeem them to an extent, although both’s reprehensible characteristics far outway their reputable ones. Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” presents us with a shocking look into the minds of some of the most despicable characters ever created, a brutal and often disturbing reminder of the very worst of human nature.
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