Analyzing Macbeth’s Character Evolution In William Shakespeare’s Play

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“Macbeth,” a tragic play written by William Shakespeare, dramatizes the destructive and psychological impact of political admiration on its protagonist, Macbeth, who sought power for its sake. Macbeth, who served as one of the soldiers in the Scottish Kingdom alongside his friend, Banquo, was a polite individual who was loyal to his master, King Duncan. The play began when the two met with three witches who prophesized that Macbeth would serve as a Thane of Cawdor before becoming the King of Scotland and that Banquo’s lineage will inherit the protagonist as kings.

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Macbeth eventually kills his predecessor, King Duncan. Fearful of the prophecy, the protagonist also kills Banquo and his family but is ultimately overthrown and killed by Macduff in the company of Malcolm, one of King Duncan’s sons (Islam 188). In “Macbeth” the protagonist begins as a polite and kind soldier, but after he meets the three witches he soon becomes possessed with goal of becoming the King of Scotland upon his appointment as the Thane of Cawdor, which, in turn, inspires him to commit several murders before meeting his untimely death at the end of the play.

Macbeth was a gentleman who was loyal not only to the throne but also to his master, King Duncan . The protagonist was also a loving and caring husband whose strong affection with his spouse, Lady Macbeth, saw him write a letter to her despite the harsh encounters he had in a battle away from his home. Macbeth’s loving character is also evident in his friendship with Banquo, who advised him on several issues.

However, this outstanding character was about to change upon Macbeth, and Banquo’s encounter the three witches who made three prophesies that left the duo wondering. The three witches promised that Macbeth would become a thane, he will be a king of Scotland, and that Banquo’s sons will also be kings. The decision of King Duncan to appoint Macbeth as the Thane of Cawdor marked the fulfillment of the first prophecy (Islam 188). This appointment, in turn, increases the obsession of Macbeth to become a king.

The obsession of the protagonist to kill King Duncan and inherit the throne deepens when his wife, Lady Macbeth, persuades him to commit the murder (Nirmala 36). The character of Macbeth eventually changes into that of a horrible individual determined to murder King Duncan while in his sleep, which he succeeded to do. The advice that Macbeth received from his wife helped him to frame the King’s dead servants as his direct murders (Peveto 5). Macbeth eventually became the King of Scotland, which marked the fulfillment of the second prophecy. However, Macbeth remained worried about the achievement of the third prophecy, which, in turn, inspired him to send murders to kill Banquo and his son. The atrocious killings help Macbeth to prevent the Banquo’s son from becoming a king as prophesied by the three witches (Cusimano 17). Banquo’s ghost, however, began haunting Macbeth in front of his guests, causing shame to him.

Macbeth decided to revisit the witches who emphasize that he should be cautious of Macduff (Islam190). The three witches insisted that no one could defeat Macbeth until Birnam Wood moves. Macbeth’s return from the witches inspires him to kill Macduff’s family. Macduff, in turn, convinces Malcolm, one of the deceased king’s sons, to overthrow the kingdom of Macbeth (Nirmala 38). The two revolutionists arrived in Scotland with an army but decided to cut down branches of various trees in Birnam Wood to use as camouflage while executing their attack at Macbeth's castle. The incident of cutting the trees achieved the prophecy of the three witches because it accounted for the movement of the Birnam Wood (Cusimano 33). Finally, Macduff kills Macbeth to fulfill the last prophecy of the witches.

In conclusion, “Macbeth” illustrates how the character of its protagonist undergoes a drastic change from a kind and polite soldier to a horrific individual whose admiration for becoming the King of Scotland inspires him to commit several murders. For instance, Macbeth conspired with his wife to murder King Duncan immediately after receiving his appointment as the Thane of Cawdor. As a result, Macbeth manages to become the King of Scotland, but he is soon overthrown through a revolution orchestrated by his antagonist, Macduff.

Works Cited

1.Cusimano, Maria. Temptation, Sin, and the Human Condition in Shakespeare's Macbeth. University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations, 2015, pp. 1-76, https://scholarworks.uno.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3091&context=td.

2.Islam, Saiful. Nature of Evil in Macbeth. The Arts Faculty Journal, 2011, pp. 185-194.

3.Nirmala, Petricia, A. Women characters as the manifestation of the ‘other’ of Macbeth: A psychological reading of Shakespeare’s Macbeth. The Journal for English Language and Literary Studies, 2017, vol. 7, no. 1, pp. 35-38. http://www.tjells.com/article/651_33%20-%2038%20Petricia%20Alphine%20Nirmala.pdf.

4.Peveto, Jacqueline. Sounding and dressing the part: understanding Macbeth through language and costume. Conversations: A Graduate Student Journal of the Humanities, Social Sciences, and Theology, Vol. 2, No. 1, 2015, pp. 1-12, https://digitalcommons.acu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1011&context=conversations.