, Loyal Subject To A Murderous Tyrant Essay, Research Paper
? The play
focuses on the changing character of Macbeth and his increasing greed for
power.? Many factors contribute to the
changes to Macbeth throughout the play which cause the character to deteriorate
from a man with nobility and good intentions to one who is ruled by ambition
and greed. ?The play
begins with the scene of three witches who prophesise that three events will
occur to Macbeth. ?The
Elizabethans believed strongly in the supernatural, and associated the devil
and witches with this.? It was thought
that witches were enemies of mankind, causing bad weather, crops to fail and
bringing death upon families.? As shown
in act 1; scene 3, it was also thought that witches could see into the future. ? Having just
seved the King (Duncan), gaining victory in battle against rebels and the
Scottish traitor the Thane of Cawdor,?
Macbeth and his companion Banquo meet with the three witches on a lonely
moor. ? The witches
go on to tell Macbeth that he will have three changes of title; ? 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 receives this
information with disbelief ? he reminds the witches? that he is already Thane of Glamis and unaware at this point of
the Thane of Cawdors treachery he tells them that their prophecies are wrong. However, when shortly after he is appointed Thane of
Cawdor, the change of character begins as his ambition is triggered.? Having previously been seen as loyal and
honourable to his King and country, he quite instantly becomes untrustworthy
and deceitful as he thinks of the third prophecy. ? Before
reaching home and Lady Macbeth, his desire for power begins to overwhelm him. ?The prince of Cumberland : that is a step on which I
must not 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.? This implies that
Macbeth already has plans of evil towards Duncan whom is obviously the obstacle
preventing him from taking the throne, he is ?in the way? his statement also