Z NOTES
E s sa y P a c k I V
2014
Contents
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A Key S c e n e
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L ad y M a c be t h
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M a c b e t h a n d La dy M a c b e t h’s Part n e r shi p i n Gu i l t .
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Leavin g Ce rt i f i c at e 2 0 0 9
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Th e Wi t c h e s
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A Key Scene
Choose the scene from Shakespeare’ Macbeth that, in your view, is the most
dramatic. Discuss your choice, supporting your answer by reference to the
play. – 2001 © Cian Hogan English Notes
“ M a c beth” contains many highly dramatic scenes. However, in m y
o p i n i o n A ct V Scene, v is the most memorable scene in the play. Th i s
p o w e r f u l s cene contains Macbeth’s moment of epiphany, when we t r u l y
s e e h i m a s a tragic hero and feel great sympathy for him. The scene h a s
a c l ea r f o u r- s e c t i o n s t r u c t u re . Fi r s t , w e s e e M a c b e t h t h e g e n e ra l ,
c o n f i d e n t in the witches’ prophecy; declaring that his “castle’s stren g t h
w i l l l a u g h a siege to scorn”. However, “a cry within of women” promp t s a
p e r i o d o f introspection when he is conscious of his inability to reac t t o
t h i s s c rea m. The announcement of Lady Macbeth’s death precipitates h i s
m o m e n t o f tragic vision, whic h is both extremely dramatic and thou g h t
p ro v o k i n g . When the messenger ’s gives his report of “a moving gro v e ”,
w h at re m a ins of Macbeth’s world crumbles around him. Macbeth t h e n
t u r n s h i s mind to the preparations for battle, which began the sce n e .
H o w e v e r, it is obvious that he has changed. A grim despair a n d
d e t e r m i n at ion take hold of h im and the audience cannot help but b e
ex h i l a rat e d and impressed by t h is mome n t of profou n d t rage dy.
O n e of the most dramatic aspects to this scene is found in t h e
t ra n s f o r m ation that Macbeth undergoes. This transformation is at f i r s t
ap p a re n t i n the language that he uses. At the beginning of the scene , h e
b u o y a n t l y ordered his men to “hang out [their] banners on the outw a rd
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w a l l s ”, h o wever the “night-shr iek” of a woman disturbs and provoke s i n
h i m a mo m ent o f deep ref lection :
“I h ave almos t f orgot the taste of fears”.
Th e p l a i n n ess of Seyton’s communication that “the Queen, [...], is dea d ”
i s c o n t ra s t ed with the stirring rhythms of “tomorrow and tomorrow a n d
t o m o r ro w ” and the evocative metaphors of the “walking shadow” a n d
“ p o o r p l a y e r ”. Th e w o r l d - w ea r i n e s s a n d b l ea k c o u ra g e w i t h w h i c h
M a c be t h c oncludes the scene:
“I ‘gin to be aweary of the sun […]
we’ll die with harness on our back”
is poignant and fascinating. In fact, the imagery employed by
Sh a ke s p ea re to illustrate Macbeth’s moment of epiphany is nothing sh o rt
o f m e s m e r ic. In particular, the image of the “poor player, that struts a n d
f re t s h i s h our upon the stage” echoes that of the “borrow’d robes” a n d
“g i a n t ’ ro be upon a dwarfish thief ” used by Angus earlier in the s a m e
A c t . A n d for a brief period, it is as though Macbeth takes on t h e
att r i b u t e s of a poorly paid ac tor, who clumsily assumes someone el s e ’s
i d e n t i t y. This is a particularly striking description of Macbeth, who h a s
u s u r p e d D uncan’s role and destroyed Scotland. The image of darkne s s –
“o u t , o u t , brief candle!” – recalls some of Macbeth’s the most unsett l i n g
speec h e s i n the pla y :
St a r s , h i d e y o ur f ires;
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.
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Th i s t y p e of darkness imagery is particularly symbolic and has a n
i m p o rt a n t role in heightening the drama of the play as a whole. B u t ,
h e re i n t h i s scene, it highlights the emptiness of the life that Macb e t h
h a s c reat ed for himself. In addition, the idea of “nothing” alm o s t
b ec o mes a n ima ge:
“Life […] a tale told by an idiot, signifying nothing”
I t i s d i ff i c ult not to be captivated by the dark and brooding nature o f
th i s h i gh l y dra matic speech.
I m a g ery is also important in the earlier part of the scene. When t h e
w o m a n ’s c ry fails to provoke any emotional response in Macbeth, h e
s a y s , “ t h e time has been”when his “fell of hair would at a dismal treat i s e
ro u s e , a n d stir, as life were in’t ”. This reminds us of the “horrid im a g e
[ w h i c h d i d ] unfix [his] hair ” at the beginning of the play and show s u s
h o w d ra m atically he has altered since then. Macbeth too is aware of t h e
c h a n g e s i n h i m s e l f , att r i b u t i n g h i s “ s l a u g h t e ro u s t h o u g h t s ” t o t h e
“ h o r ro r s ” he has “supp‘d”. He is also painfully conscious of his inab i l i t y
t o rea c t t o his wife’s death, merely remarking, that “she should h a v e
d i e d h e rea fter ”.
Thi s gi v es r i s e to a m oment of tragic vision which is deeply movi n g
i n i t s g r i m despair and resignation. In the most dramatic speech of t h e
p l a y, Ma c be th states that:
Lif e’s but a walkin g s h adow; a poor playe r,
That s t r ut s a nd fre t s h is h ou r u pon t h e s t age ,
And then is heard n o more : it is a t ale
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Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signif y ing no t h in g.
I ro n i c a l l y, it is precisely at this moment that the tragic hero finally co m e s
t o a p p re c i ate life’s futility. At the same time, of course, the audie n c e
c o m e s t o understand and appreciate his inestimable value as a hum a n
b e i n g . Th e speech marks the culmination of Macbeth’s journey towa rd s
sel f- k n o w l e dge; it is the clima x of t h e play.
M a c b eth is interrupted by a messenger, whose report that “Birn a m
w o o d [ i s ] come to Dunsinane” causes him to look at the witches a n d
t h e i r p ro p hecies in a very different light. He now begins to “do u b t
t h ’e q u i v o c ation of the fiend that lies like truth”. This is far removed f ro m
h i s s e l f - a s surance at the beginning of the scene; he is watching the l a s t
v e s t i g e o f h i s w o r l d c o l l a p s e , b u t n o w c e rt a i n t h a t h e i s f a c i n g
destruction, he displays nobility, honour and courage in his
d et e r m i n at io n to f ight to the en d:
Blow, wind! come, wrack! At least we”ll
die with harness on our back!.
Th i s d e m a nds the audience’s respect and admiration and also gives r i s e
t o a g reat sense of sorrow and loss that such an individual must b e
d es t ro y ed. The scene is a n emot ion al rolle r- coas t e r for t h e au die n ce .
A ct V, s ce ne v i s c e n t ra l t o a n y rea d i n g of Ma c b et h . Th i s s c e n e
w h i c h re v eals to us both the depth of Macbeth’s thinking and the ex t e n t
o f h i s d o wnfall, is in many ways essential to our understanding o f
M a c b e t h ’s character. Following this scene, we understand that this grea r
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w a r r i o r h a s sacrificed everything that human beings need in order to b e
h a ppy — s l eep, friendship, war mth and love. And, as a result, we com e t o
ac c e pt t h at Ma cbeth is a tra gic h e ro.
Lady Macbeth
W i f e to M a cbe t h a n d d ri v i n g fo rce b eh i n d th e p l o t to mu rd e r
D u n c a n , L a d y M a c b e t h i s o n e o f S h a k e s p e a r e ’s m o s t m e m o r a b l e
c h a ra c t e r s . In her, Shakespeare has managed to combine a ruth l e s s
p u r s u i t o f power with a naivety that, although not always obvious, lea d s
to h er des t r uctio n.
Th e e v i l t h at L a d y M a c b e t h e m b ra c e s i s c o n v e y e d t o u s b y
Sh a ke s p ea re in a very complex manner. To begin with, Lady Macbet h i s
l in ke d o n a metaphysical level with the Witches; her desire to beco m e
"u n s exe d" a n d t o h a v e h e r m i l k t a ke n “for gall", joins her to t h e
an dro gy n o us, "bla ck a nd filthy midn igh t h ags" that tempt her husba n d .
I n h e r w i sh to suppress her feminine side, Lady Macbeth unleas h e s
f o rc e s t h at are beyond her ability to control. While initially th e s e
"m u rd e r in g ministers" fuel her ambition and provide her with t h e
s t re n g t h t hat she lacks, they eventually destroy her. Her reaction to t h e
n e w s o f M acbeth's encounter with the witches is one of unrestrained j o y
an d i n t h e early stages of the play, she takes charge of events, pour i n g
“h e r s p ir its into [Ma cbeth’s] ear " and formulating the particulars of t h e i r
p l a n f o r murder. Freed from any conventional feminine qualms, s h e
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re mo v es, b y s he e r f o rc e o f he r will, an y obs t acle , t h at " impedes her f ro m
t h e g old e n ro und".
Her strength of cha ra c t er can be fi rs t s een in her ab i l i t y t o
m a n i p u l at e, cajole and eventually convince Macbeth to kill his K i n g .
Playing on his sense of pride, she questions his manhood and
u n d e r m i n e s his sense of right and wrong. However, for all her stren g t h
o f p u r p o s e, Lady Macbeth has never actually killed anyone and h e r
in i t i a l i n a bi lity to murder Duncan be cau s e , "he resembled [her] fathe r a s
h e s le p t " , can be viewed as an indication of a deeper humanity at w o r k
i n h e r c h a racter. One of the most interesting aspects of Lady Macbe t h ’s
c h a ra c t e r i sation is the fact that she fails to understand herself on m a n y
lev e l s . H e r na ïv e belief that a "litt le wat e r " and some convincing l i e s
"clea r s [ t h em] o f this deed" i s quickly revealed for what it is; a fal l a c y
b a s e d u p on a lack of understanding of the far reaching effects o f
m u rd e r. A l though Lady Macbeth never consciously concedes that t h e
m u rd e r h a s destroyed her peace of mind, her nightmares confirm fo r u s
t h at s h e i s haunted by remorse and guilt. Perhaps sensing his w i f e ’s
w ea k n e s s , Macbeth begins to exclude her from his plans and altho u g h
s h e att e m pts to reach him, he is lost to her. Macbeth fails to include h e r
in a n y fu rt her decisio ns a nd ins is t s t h at s h e s h ou ld be "innocent of t h e
kn o wle d g e Till” s h e “a ppla ud t h e de e d ". Banquo is murdered, Macdu ff ’s
ca s t l e i s s t o r med a nd his " wife an d babe s [ are ] | S avage ly s lau gh t er ’d "
al l w i t h o u t her co nsent o r kno wle dge .
The c ontrast bet we e n th e first half of play, where Lady Macbet h i s
re garded b y M ac b e t h a s hi s “deare s t part n e r of great n e s s ” and t h e
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c l o s i n g m oments of the play, where she remains alone and isolat e d ,
c o u l d n o t be more pronounced. It is difficult for us to ignore that L a d y
M a c b e t h s ucceeds in realising her earlier wish to become divorced f ro m
t h e b o n d s of femininity, motherhood and compassion that define h e r
h u m a n i t y. A n d o n c e t h i s h a p p e n s , t h e c o n s e q u e n c e s f o r h e r a re
d e v a s t at i n g. What we witness is her utter dehumanisation and, in t h e
e n d , L a d y Macbeth is reduced to a pitiful shadow of her former s e l f ;
b u rd e n e d by the conscience that she so desperately tried to silence. Th e
ar r i v a l o f t h e do cto r co nf ir ms t o u s t h at s h e h as be e n con de mn e d t o rel iv e t h e n i ght of the murder and that she has become a nightma r i s h
p a ro d y o f the confident and self-assured woman that once drove h e r
h u s ba n d t o rea lise their da r kes t dreams . He r t ort u re d crie s of "out, o u t
d a mn s po t" bring us back to the night of the murder and remind u s o f
t h e f u t i l i t y of what they have done. The jumble of thoughts a n d
f r i g h t e n e d snatches of memory that emerge when Lady Macbeth i s
s l e e p w a l k i ng, demonstrate to us that she is no monster. We realise t h at
t h e re i s a disturbing honesty and even a naivety to her recollectio n o f
D u n c a n ’s b lo o dsta ined co r pse:
Yet who would have thought the old man
to have had so much blood in him.
O f c o u r s e , the scene also shows a woman tortured by the crimes that h e r
h u s ba n d h a s co mmitted:
The thane of Fife had a wife: where is she now?
Th e d o c t o r voices what we have known since the murder of Dunc a n ;
L a dy M a c b eth’s “disea se” i s b e y o n d m e d i c a l “pract is e” and “ unnat u ra l
d e e d s | Do breed unnatura l trou ble s”. In her final moments on sta g e ,
Sh a ke s p ea re has Lady Macbeth speak lines that, in a sense, coun t e r
s o m e o f t he brutal imagery often associated with her. She speaks of t h e
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“p e r f u me s o f A ra bia” b e i n g u n a b l e t o “s we e t e n h e r litt le h an d ”. Th e s e
l in e s re m i nd us that despite L ady Macbeth’s earlier, chilling attempt s t o
s u p p re s s h er feminine side, she has become a frightened, pitiful wom a n .
Fi n a l l y, w h ile it is important to challenge some of the assumptions t h at
w e a re t e mpted to make about Lady Macbeth, it is equally importan t t o
s t re s s t h at her character lacks the tragic dimensions that we witnes s i n
h e r h u s b a nd, Macbeth. Shakespeare does not allow her the momen t o f
t ra g i c e p i phany that sees Mac beth attempt to understand the emptin e s s
o f h i s ex i s t ence.
La dy Macbeth is a compl ex an d t o t al l y c o n v i n c i n g re p re s e n t at i o n
o f h u m a n i t y, obsessed by power and blinded by a ruthless ambition f o r
h e r h u s b a nd. Although Shakespeare succeeds in depicting her terri b l e ,
vi o l e n t n at u re he a lso ca ptures h e r n aive t y an d vu ln e rabilit y.
Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s Partnership in Guilt.
Their par tner ship in guilt, whic h at the beginning of the play is a strong bond
b e t w e e n t h e m , g ra d u a l l y d r i v e s M a c b e t h a n d h i s w i fe a p a r t u n t i l t h e y go d ow n t o
their separate dooms , isolated and alone . Discuss .
© C i a n H og a n E n g l i s h N o t e s
Ma cbeth provides us w it h a real i s t i c an d fri gh t en i n g st u d y i n t o t h e
e ff e c t s o f criminality on the human psyche. Nowhere is this more clea r l y
s e e n t h a n i n t h e d e t e r i o rat i n g re l at i o n s h i p o f M a c b e t h a n d L a d y
M a c b e t h . Their partnership in guilt, which at the beginning of the pla y i s
a s t ro n g bond between them, gradually drives Macbeth and his w i f e
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ap a rt u n t i l they go do wn to the ir s e parat e dooms , is olat e d an d alon e .
A lt ho ug h M a cbe t h a n d La d y M a c b et h rea c t di fferen t l y t o t h e
p ro p h e c i e s, they are united in their ambition and there is no deny i n g
t h at t h e y a re a very close and loving couple. Macbeth’s letter to his w i f e
p ro v i d e s u s with a fascinating insight into a relationship based on l o v e
an d m u t u a l respect. His excitement at what the prophecies hold for h i s
c a re e r i s matched by his hopes for what this means for them as a cou p l e .
H e c a l l s h er his “ dea rest pa rt n e r of great n e s s ” and is eager that s h e
u n der s t a n d the “greatness” that is “ promis e d” to her. While her reac t i o n
d e m o n s t rates an intimate understanding of her husband’s character i t i s
al s o re m a rkably selfless. Her thoughts are for him and his career a n d ,
w h e n s h e does envisage her role in the fulfilment of the prophecie s , i t
as a s u p po rt to him:
Hie t h e e hither,
That I ma y p o u r my s pir it s in t h in e ear ;
And chastise with the valour of my tongue
All that impedes thee from the golden round
Sh e k n o w s that Macbeth has the potential to realise the greatness t h at
h e s p ea ks of in his letter, but she also understands that he lacks t h e
r u t h l e s s n e ss needed to fulfil his destiny, that he is too full of the mil k o f
h u m a n k i n dness. She determines that it must therefore fall to her t o
p ro v i de Ma cbeth with the supp ort h e n e e ds t o “cat ch t h e n eare s t way ”. I f
t h at m ea n s the she must condemn herself to a living nightmare then s o
b e i t . L a d y Macbeth seems to grasp early on in the play that she may n o t
b e w e l l - s u i ted to murder. However, she also understands that if she i s t o
p ro v i d e h er husband with the support that he needs, she will have t o
b e c o m e s omething other than she is. In one of the the most disturb i n g
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p a s s a g e s i n the play, she undertakes to sublimate her feminine nat u re
in t o c r u e l t y a nd v io lence:
A nd fill me fro m the crown t o t h e t oe t op- fu ll
Of direst cruelty! make thick my blood;
Stop up the access and passage to remorse,
That no compunctious visitings of nature
Shake my fell purpose,
M o re t h a n any other, it is this decision to divorce herself from h e r
h u ma n i t y t h at so ws the seeds for Lady Macbe t h ’s e ve n t u al de s t ru ct ion.
Ma cbeth also feels t h e need to su p p re s s h i s h u m an i t y. M u c h l at e r
i n t h e p l a y, in Act III scene ii, when the crime has been committ e d ,
M a c b e t h a ppeals to the same forces of dark evil to sustain him in h i s
m u rdero u s ca reer :
Sca rf up the tender e ye of pit ifu l day;
And with thy bloody and invisible hand
Cancel and tear to pieces that great bond
Which keeps me pale!
W h i l e t h e s e lines capture the violent and evil nature of Macbeth, t h e y
al s o d i s p l a y the extent to which he is willing to sacrifice his humanit y i n
o rd e r c l i n g on to power.
The strong bond of love that once exis t e d
b e t w e e n t his couple was, of course, an extension of the humanity t h at
t h e y n e e d ed to destroy in order to murder. Once their prayers a re
an s w e re d they are literally rendered incapable of feeling anything a n d
th ey begi n their to their sepa rat e dooms , is olat e d an d alon e .
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Plagued by guilt a nd ha un t ed b y t h e p ros p ec t t h at h as “ file d [h i s ]
m i n d ; [ . . . ] | Put rancours in the vessel of [his] peace” and given h i s
“e t e r n a l j e wel to the common enemy of man”, Macbeth undertake s t o
m u rd e r h i s way to security. In itially, the focus of hatred and paranoi a i s
B a n q u o. H owever, no sooner is his former friend lying dead in a d i t c h
w i t h “ t w e n ty trenched gashes on his head”, than Macduff becomes t h e
t a rg e t o f Macbeth’s murderous obsession with security.
He qui c k l y
u n dert a ke s to :
Seize upo n Fife ; give t o t h e e dge o' t h e s word
His wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls
That trace him in his line.
Sp u r re d o n by his need to retain the throne, Macbeth turns his back o n
his wife.
In fact, the latter st ages of the play are remarkable, not o n l y
f o r t h e i r v iolence and brutality, but also for the manner in which t h e y
h i g h l i g h t t he degree to which Macbeth and Lady Macbeth have gro w n
ap a rt . Fo l l owing the Banquet scene, both characters never again app ea r
o n s t a g e t ogether and we see that the partnership in guilt, which at t h e
b e g i n n i n g of the play was a strong bond between them, has gradu a l l y
d r i v e n M a cbeth and his wife apart until they go down to their sepa rat e
d o o ms , i s o lated a nd a lo ne.
Tw o key m ome nts in the play’s action highlight the profo u n d
c h a n g e t h at occurred in their relationship. In Lady Macbeth’s case, w e
w i t n e s s t h e degree to which she is tormented by the memory of t h e
c r i m e s h e instigated during Act
V scene i. Condemned to carry t h e
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t e r r i b l e b u rden of her guilt, her tortured cries of "out, out damn sp o t "
b r i n g u s b ack to the night of the murder and remind us of the futilit y o f
w h at t h e y have done. The jumble of thoughts and frightened snatche s o f
m e m o r y t hat emerge when Lady Macbeth is sleepwalking, demonst rat e
t o u s j u s t how alone she is. She has no one to turn to and is dee p l y
d i s t u r bed b y her f ea r s o v er wh at h e r h u s ban d h as don e :
The thane of Fife had a wife: where is she now?
I n h e r f i n al moments on stage, Shakespeare has Lady Macbeth sp ea k
l i n e s t h at , i n a s e n s e , c o u n t e r s o m e o f t h e b r u t a l i m a g e r y o ft e n
as s o c i at e d with her. She speaks of the “perfumes of Arabia” be i n g
u n a b l e t o “sweeten her little hand”. Here, when Lady Macbeth m o s t
n e e d s h e r husband’s support, she is alone and isolated. She fades ou t o f
t h e p l a y - with the “cry of a woman” - as she falls to her deat h .
M ea n w h i l e , in an other part of the castle, Macbeth is also preparing t o
f a c e h i s d oom alone and isolated when his thoughts are interrupted b y
t h e a w o m a n ’s s c r e a m . T h e r e i s a s h o c k i n g f i n a l i t y t o S e y t o n ’s
c o n f i r m at i on that the queen is dead. Macbeth’s reaction to this new s i s
c a p t u re d i n one of the most profound and terribly sad speeches in a l l o f
li t erat u re, that under sco res the mean in gle s s e mpt in e s s of h is life :
S h e s h ou ld h ave died hereafter;
Th e re wou ld h ave been a time for such a word.
To- morrow, an d to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Cre e ps in t h is pe tty pace from day to day
To t h e las t s yllable of recorded time,
An d all ou r ye st erdays have lighted fools
Th e way t o du st y death. Out, out, brief candle!
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Lif e 's bu t a walking shadow, a poor player
Th at s t ru t s an d f ret s his hour upon the stage
An d t h e n is h eard no more: it is a tale
Told by an idiot , f ull of sound and fury,
S ign if yin g n ot hing.
H i s l i f e h as become a meaningless farce because he is no lon g e r
c a p a b l e o f expressing or experiencing feeling. And, like his wife be f o re
h i m , h e i s left with no a lter nati ve ot h e r t h an t o face h is deat h alon e
Leaving Certificate 2009
“ Ma c be t h ha s a ll the ingredien t s of compe llin g drama.”
“ Ma c be t h ” ha s a ll the ingredie n t s of compe llin g drama. This play h a s
f a s c i n at e d generations of readers because in its dark and unsett l i n g
p o rt ra y a l of tragedy, “Macbeth” interlaces a profound commentary o n
universal themes, with a gripping examination of the effects of
u n br i dl e d ambitio n, remo r se an d los s on t h e h u man s ou l.
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O ne o f the mo st compe lling as pe cts of t h is play is t h e man n er i n
w h i c h S h a kespeare presents Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s relations h i p.
W h e n L a d y Macbeth first appears on stage in Act I, scene iv, sh e i s
rea d i n g a l etter from her husband, Macbeth. The letter indicates his t r u s t
i n h e r a n d the closeness of their relationship. He shares his meeting w i t h
t h e W i t c h es with her, and explains how they “have have more in th e m
t h a n m o rt al knowledge.” The excitement contained in his hope t h at
t h e s e p ro phesies will come true is almost palpable. He refers to his w i f e
p a s s i o n at e ly and lovingly as his “dearest partner in greatness” and h e
sh a res w i t h her his a mbitio ns for a fu t u re of s h are d powe r an d privile g e.
Ye t b y A c t III, scene iv this relationship has changed dramatic a l l y.
D u n c a n i s dead and their dream of shared power and majesty has b e e n
re p l a c e d by a nightmarish reality of sleepless nights and paranoia. Th e
d ra m at i c change that takes place in the relationship is compel l i n g
b e c a u s e i t so complete. The killing of Duncan marks the beginning o f
t h e e n d f o r their relationship. Macbeth retreats into
the cold centre o f
h i s s e n s e of himself as a warrior and she becomes further and furt h e r
i s o l at e d . Eventually, the relationship, which was once so close a n d
lo v i n g , beco mes mea ningless an d e mpt y.
W h ile play c h a rt s t he s low de t e riorat ion of Macbe t h a n d La d y
M a c b e t h ’s relationship, it also provides us with a compelling accoun t o f
w h at h a p p ens to them as individuals. In order to give any meaning t o
w h at h e h as lost, Macbeth commits crime after crime, and in the proc e s s ,
d i v e s t s h i mself of any remnants of human feeling that he may once h a v e
h a d . D u r i ng one particularly memorable episode, Macbeth intone s a
p ra y e r t o the night to “cancel and tear to pieces” the “great bond t h at
ke e p s [ h i m] pale.” And then, when news arrives that Macduff has fled t o
En g l a n d, h e deter mines to :
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S e iz e u pon Fife; give to the edge o' the sword
His wif e , his babes, and all unfortunate souls
Th at t race him in his line.
M a c b e t h ’s decision to slaughter Macduff ’s family is an act of chilling e v i l
t h at c o n f i rms for us that he is no longer capable of human feel i n g .
H o w e v e r, what is most compelling about Shakespeare’s portraya l o f
M a c b e t h ’s descent into evil, is the clear-eyed awareness of the man. Th e
rea l , a n d u tterly fascinating tragedy of Macbeth’s life, lies not in the f a c t
th at h e h a s embra ced ev il a nd s old h is s ou l, bu t rat h e r in is h is sel f aw a re n e s s of all that he ha s lost. This is perhaps best seen w h e n
M a c b e t h hears of his wife’s death. In one of
the most profound a n d
c o m p e l l i n g speeches in all of literature, he articulates the destruc t i v e
e ffe c t o f e v il o n his so ul:
To- morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Cre e ps in this petty pace from day to day
To t h e last syllable of recorded time,
An d all our yesterdays have lighted fools
Th e way t o dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Lif e 's bu t a walking shadow, a poor player [...]
I n t h i s s p e ech, Macbeth offers us a despairing and nihilistic assessm e n t
o f t h e l i fe h e ha s created f o r hims e lf.
S h a ke s p ea re ’s p o rt ra y a l o f L a d y M a c b e t h ’s s l o w d e s c e n t i n t o
is o l at i o n a n d despa ir is equa lly compe llin g. She reacts to her husba n d ’s
g ro w i n g v i olence and distant behaviour by receding into the shadow s o f
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h e r m e m o ries of that dark night. Following Act III scene iv, Lady Macb e t h
n e v e r a g a i n appears on stage with her husband. And, when we next s e e
h e r i n A c t V scene i, we witness an utterly compelling transformatio n i n
h e r c h a ra c ter. She has become a nightmarish parody of the woman s h e
once was:
O ut, da mned s pot ! ou t , I s ay! - [ ...] He ll is murky![...]
Yet wh o would have thought the old man
t o h ave had so much blood in him.
I n t h e e n d , her death by suicide offers us a fascinating reminder of t h e
p r i c e s h e h a s pa id f o r her inv olve me n t wit h e vil.
Th e play als o p res e n t s us wit h man y scen e s of he ighte n ed dram a.
I n pa rt i c u la r, the Banquet Scene which occurs in Act III, scene i v
p ro v i d e s u s w i t h a n u n f o rg e tt a b l e m o m e n t o f d ra m a . Th e s c e n e ’s
p l a c e m e n t within the overall play is highly significant. Macbeth’s ille g a l
att e m p t t o usurp the throne of Scotland has been successful, and i n
o rd e r t o p roject an image of power and stability, he arranges for a s t at e
b a n q u e t t o be held. The scene opens with Macbeth insisting on ord e r
an d d e c o r um. He reminds his guests that they all “know [their] o w n
d e g re e s ; ” and offers them a “hearty welcome”. He makes extensive u s e
o f t h e ro y al plura l so a s to proje ct a s e n s e of maje s t y an d powe r:
O ur self will min gle wit h s ocie t y,
An d play t he humble host.
Ou r h os t e s s keeps her state, but in best time
We will require her welcome.
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O n e o f t h e most compelling aspects of this scene, is the way in wh i c h
S h a k e s p e a r e h i g h l i g h t s t h e i n c o n g r u i t y b e t w e e n M a c b e t h ’s o p e n
h ea rt e d w elcome to the assembled Thanes and his murderous int e n t .
W h e n t h e ghost of the friend that he has murdered arrives on stage , i t
s u c c e e d s in destroying Macbeth’s “pretence” of nobility and maje s t y.
Th e a s s e mbled Thanes know nothing of Banquo’s murder. So, w h e n
M a c be t h i n sists to the gho st that :
Th ou canst not say I did it: never shake
Th y gory locks at me [,]
t h e y m u s t suspect that he is referring to the murder of Duncan. As t h e
t e n s i o n m ounts, their suspicions are captured in Ross’ puzzled reply t o
M a c be t h :
Wh at s ights , my lord?
Th e re i s n o answer to this question, and while Lady Macbeth’s tim e l y
i n t e r v e n t i o n saves her husband from making a full disclosure, it a l s o
e m p h a s i s e s that he is concealing a dark secret. So, one of the m o s t
d ra m at i c o utcomes of this scene, is that it reveals Macbeth’s true nat u re
t o t h e p e o ple of Scotland. Fo llowing Act III, scene iv, Macbeth is ne v e r
ac c e pt e d as the King o f Sco tlan d.
An oth er c ompelling as pe ct t o “Macbe th” is t h e way i n w h i c h
Sh a ke s p ea re makes use of imagery in the play. The most fascinat i n g
p att e r n s o f imagery in this play are those associated with night, bl o o d
an d c l o t h i ng. Darkness becomes a disturbing symbol of the evil t h at
M a c b e t h e mbraces and the disturbance that he unleashes on Scotla n d .
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To b e g i n with, Macbeth intones an prayer to the night that sees him a s k
t h e “ s t a r s ” to hide their “fires.” HIs aim is that night should shro u d
Sc o t l a n d a nd conceal his “black and deep desires.” While the langu a g e
h e re i s d a rk and compelling, Shakespeare adds a further dimension t o
h i s u s e o f night imagery by granting Macbeth’s wish for the light to b e
ex t i n g u i s h ed. In a series a truly unforgettable descriptions, we com e t o
rea l i s e t h at the natural world has been thrown into chaos by Macbe t h ’s
c r i m e . B a nquo informs us that “ There's husbandry in heaven; Th e i r
c a n d l e s a re all out,” and following Macbeth’s accession to the thro n e ,
Ro s s d e s c ribes how “ dark night strangles the travelling lamp.” Bl o o d
i m a g e r y c ompliments images of darkness and night. The word bl o o d
ap p ea r s f orty two times in Macbeth and is used by Shakespeare t o
e m p h a s i s e Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s guilt in an utterly compel l i n g
m a n n e r. M acbeth’s overwhelming sense of guilty and regret is appa re n t
al m o s t i m mediately following the murder of Duncan. The sight of h i s
h a n ds c o v e red in blo o d is a lmos t t oo mu ch for h im t o bear:
Th is is a s orry sight.
A n d h i s “ hangman’s hands” s hame him into realising that his crim e i s
m o n s t ro u s a nd that his sense gu ilt will n e ve r be as s u age d:
Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood
Clean f rom my hand? No, this my hand will rather
Th e mu lt itudinous seas in incarnadine,
Makin g t he green one red.
Lat e r i n A c t V, s c en e i , L a d y Macbe t h p ro v ide s us wit h a vivid
an d unf orge tt a b l e d e p i c t i on o f h e r guilt t h at in many way s has
com e t o d ef i n e h er c h a ra ct e r:
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Out damned spot! Out I say! One:
two: why then 'tis time to do't: hell is murky.
B e f o re t h e murder, she understood that blood could be a symbo l o f
t rea c h e r y and she believed that by smearing the “sleepy grooms” wit h i t
t h at s h e c ould deflect suspicion from her and Macbeth. However, in t h e
f i n a l m o m ents of her life, Lady Macbeth demonstrates clearly in h e r
visions of her bloodstained hands that such guilt can never be
d efl ec t ed.
In “ Ma cbeth” Shakes pea re pre s en t s us with a vivid an d fas c i n at i n g
a c c o u n t o f o n e m a n ’s t ra g e d y. Th e p l a y ’s c h a ra c t e r s , m o m e n t s o f
h e i g h t e n e d drama and imagery all contribute to an utterly compel l i n g
ex p e r i e nc e f o r the reader.
The Witches
" Th e re i s at o nce a gro ssness, a h orrible realit y abou t t h e wit ch e s , an d a
m y s t e r y o f ev il inf luence."
I n l i g h t o f this statement, discus s , t h e role of t h e wit ch e s in “Macbe t h”
wi t h s u i t a ble quo tatio n f ro m th e play.
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Although t he w it che s ’ chie f fun ction in play is to conve y a s p ec t s o f
Sh a ke s p ea re’s vision of evil, these unsettling creatures have ot h e r
i m p o rt a n t roles. Their grossness and the mystery of evil influence t h at
t h e y exe rt is used by Shakespeare to create a distinctive atmosph e re
t h at h a s , in many ways, come to define how we think of the p l a y
“ M a c b e t h .” Furthermore, the witches act as a catalyst in Macbe t h ’s
d o w n f a l l ; t hey tempt him and awaken in him dark and deep desires t h at
l e a d t o h i s d e s t r u c t i o n . Fi n a l l y, t h e w i t c h e s ’ f o u r a p p e a ra n c e s i n
“ M a c b e t h ” serve to unify the action of the play and to intensify t h e
d ra m a .
We f irst meet th e w it che s in A ct I, s ce ne i, and from thi s h i gh l y
d ra m at i c f irst appearance we learn a great deal about these dark a n d
u n s e tt l i n g characters. The stage directions indicate that their arr i v a l
c o i n c i d e s with “thunder and lightening.” So, the first role of the witc h e s
i s t o a l e rt us to the disruptive and malign influence that evil exerts o n
t h e n at u ra l order. While we later learn that their powers are somew h at
l im i t e d , t h ey do possess the ability to control the elements, and w h e n
th ey exe rc i se this po wer, it is t o creat e u n favou rable weat h e r con dit ion s :
Wh e n s h all we three meet again
In t h u n der, lightning, or in rain?
Th e i r d i s r uptive influence is matched by the barren sterility that t h e y
s e e m t o e mbody. Their appearance on a “barren heath” underscore s a
ke y a s p e c t of Shakespeare’s vision of evil. In the play, evil is seen to b e
s t e r i l e , a n d those that allow themselves to be tempted by the Witc h e s
f a c e t h e h orrible reality of a life that is barren and empty. In one of t h e
m o s t s h o c king episodes in the play, Lady Macbeth calls on those sp i r i t s
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o f n i g h t , t hose “murdering ministers” that we rightly presume are i n
l ea g u e w i th witches, to “unsex” her and to fill her full of the “di re s t
c r u e l t y.”
The witches are presented to us in a series of unforgetta b l e
v i s u a l i m a ges that underscore this notion of evil being linked to steri l i t y.
B a n q u o d e scribes them as loo king “not like the inhabitants of the ea rt h ”.
H e l a y s e mphasis on their “choppy finger[s],” “skinny lips” and t h e i r
d i s t u r b i n g androgyny is seen in his description of their “beards.” In t h i s
f i r s t e n c o unter, we witness the grossness, the horrible reality a n d
m y s t e r y o f ev il inf luence that t h e y exe rt .
Ye t des pit e t h e ir obviou s u glin e s s , t h e wit che s man age t o t em p t
M a c be t h i n to v io lating his mo s t de e ply h e ld be lie fs . Th e y act as a po t en t
cat a l y s t i n his do wnf a ll; they tempt h im an d awake n in h im dark an d
d eep de s i res. We see him str uggle wit h t h e e vil t h at t h e y re pre s e n t
al mo s t i m mediately. H is rea ction t o t h e firs t e n cou n t e r is on e of s t art l ed
“ fea r,” a n d then, later in so lilo q u y, as h e be gin s t o abs orb t h e
si g n i fi c a n c e o f what they ha v e s aid, h e ackn owle dge s t h e vis ce ral e ffec t
th at t h e s e c reatures ha v e ha d on h im:
If good, wh y do I yield to that suggestion
Wh os e h orrid image doth unfix my hair
An d make my seated heart knock at my ribs,
Again s t t h e u s e of nature?
Th e w i t c h e s h a v e e c h o e d M a c b e t h ’s d a r ke s t i m p u l s e s a n d t h e
“ s u g g e s t i o n” that so upsets him is the murder of a kind and benevo l e n t
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k i n g . Th e y never mention killing Duncan; in fact, the witches ne v e r
m e n t i o n Duncan by name. Yet, their presence acts a catalyst. Sho rt l y
aft e r t h e i r first appearance, the rhythm and cadence of Macbe t h ’s
speec h i s n o ticea bly a ltered to t h e poin t t h at it e ch oe s t h e wit ch e s .
St ars , h ide your f ires;
Le t n ot ligh t s e e my black and deep desires:
Th e e ye win k at the hand; yet let that be,
Wh ich t h e e ye f ears, when it is done, to see.
Th e y n e v e r tell him what to do, and they are not responsible for h i s
s u b s e q u e n t actions, but they clearly have had the profoundest effec t o n
his thinking.
Later in Act IV, scene i, we wit n es s t h e witch es prepare a s pel l t h at
f u rt h e r h i ghlights their role as symbols of evil. The ingredients of t h i s
v i l e c o n c o ction are nearly all drawn from poisonous, dead or noctu r n a l
c reat u re s and reinforce our sense that the witches are perverse bein g s .
I n e v e r y sense of word, this spell is a symbol for evil. Among t h e
i n g re d i e n t s, we find: “Root of hemlock digg'd i' the dark, Liver o f
b l a s ph emi n g Jew,” a nd mo st d is t u rbin g of all, t h e
Fin ge r of birth-strangled babe
Dit ch - de live r'd by a drab,
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Th i s t h i c k “gruel” provides us with an unequivocal representation of h o w
Sh a ke s p ea re views evil. In his eyes, evil is repugnant, aberrant and r u n s
co n t ra r y t o co mmo n sta nda rds of h u man de ce n cy.
Although l ess o bviou s t h an t h e ir role s as s ymbols of ev i l an d
c at a l y s t s i n Macbeth’s downfall, the witches also serve an import a n t
f u n c t i o n i n creating a sense of unity within the narrative. Their f o u r
ap p ea ra n c es in Act I, scene i, Act I, scene iii, Act III scene iv and fin a l l y
i n A c t I V, s cene i, serve to bind the action of the play and to mainta i n a
s e n s e o f n a r rat i v e u n i t y. E a c h s e p a rat e a p p ea ra n c e o c c u r s at ke y
m o m e n t s i n the plot ’s development that serve to remind the reade r o f
e v e n t s t h at have happened or will happen. Furthermore, the witc h e s
h a v e a c h oric function; they pass comment on events and remind u s o f
wh at i s h a p pening in the wo r ld of t h e play:
Firs t Wit ch:
Wh e n s h all we three meet again
In t h u n der, lightning, or in rain?
S e con d Wit ch:
Wh e n t h e hurlyburly's done,
Wh e n t h e battle's lost and won.
H e re , t h e witches provide us with important background informat i o n
ab o u t t h e battle raging in Scotland. By mentioning Macbeth by na m e ,
t h e y a l e rt
us to the pivotal role that he is going to play. Their n ex t
ap p ea ra n c e in Act I, scene iii confirms for us that Macbeth is linked t o
t h e m o n a metaphysical level. The first words that he speaks in the p l a y
e c h o t h e w itches’ o pening pron ou n ce me n t :
25
S o f ou l and f air a day I have not seen.
W h i l e t h e s e lines remind us of the paradoxical nature of evil, they a l s o
s e r v e t o provide the reader with a clear perspective on events. Th e
o p e n i n g s cenes are action packed and occur in quick succession. S u c h
re p e t i t i o n of key lines helps the reader to follow events more clos e l y.
Si m i l a r l y, their meeting with Hecate later in Act III, contains a m i n i
su mma r y o f Ma cbeth’s ev il progre s s :
An d, wh ich is worse, all you have done
Hat h be en but for a wayward son,
S pit e f u l and wrathful, who, as others do,
Love s f or his own ends, not for you.
Th e wit ch e s ’ final ro le i n “Macbeth” is t o re min d u s on e las t ti m e o f
t h e e v i l t h at they symbolise. Having appeared presumably at Macbe t h ’s
b e h e s t , t h ey yield to his demand that they provide him assurances ab o u t
h i s f u t u re . It is precisely at this moment that we witness the full exten t o f
t h e m y s t e r y of evil influence that they exert. The notion of equivocat i o n
l ie s at t h e heart of what they represent. And here, in their cavern, we s e e
t h i s e q u i v ocation at work. They provide Macbeth with a series o f
as s u ra n c e s that are designed to echo his inner desire for peace of m i n d .
H o w e v e r, these assurances are as empty and barren as the “blas t e d
h eat h ” o n which the Weird Sist e rs firs t appeare d t o h im:
Be bloody, bold, and resolute; laugh to scorn
Th e powe r of man, for none of woman born
S h all h arm Macbet h.
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N o t f o r f i rst time in the play, the horrible reality of what they are i s
i g n o re d b y Macbeth as he be comes swept away by their evil influen c e .
M u c h l at e r, when all is lost, Macbeth acknowledges that they a re
“ j u g g l i n g fiends” that “lie like truth.” By then it is of course too l at e .
M a c b e t h h as lost everything and witches have succeeded in their goa l o f
v i s i t i n g d i sorder and chaos on the world. This is their chief role in t h e
p l a y. A s a result, there is no nee d for an y fu rt h e r appearan ce .
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