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MacbethMacbethisaplaywrittenbyWilliamShakespeare.Itisconsideredoneofhisdarkestandmostpowerfultragedies.Theplaydramatizesthecorrosivepsychologicalandpoliticaleffectsproducedwhenevilischosenasawaytofulfiltheambitionforpower.It’sShakespeare’sshortesttragedy.Shakespeare'ssourceforthetragedyistheaccountofKingMacbethofScotland,Macduff,andDuncaninHolinshed'sChronicles,ahistoryofEngland,ScotlandandIreland,althoughtheeventsintheplaydifferextensivelyfromthehistoryoftherealMacbeth.SynopsisAbraveScottishgeneralnamedMacbethwhoreceivesaprophecyfromthreewitchesthatonedayhewillbecomeKingofScotland.Consumedbyambitionandspurredtoactionbyhiswife,MacbethmurdersKingDuncanandtakesthethroneforhimself.Heisthenwrackedwithguiltandparanoia,andhesoonbecomesatyrannicalrulerasheisforcedtocommitmoreandmoremurderstoprotecthimselffromenmityandsuspicion.ThebloodbathandconsequentcivilwarswiftlytakeMacbethandLadyMacbethintotherealmsofarrogance,madness,anddeath.CharactersDuncan–KingofScotlandMalcolm–Duncan'seldersonDonalbain–Duncan'syoungersonMacbeth–ageneralinthearmyofKingDuncan;originallyThaneofGlamis,thenThaneofCawdor,andlaterKingofScotlandLadyMacbeth–Macbeth'swifeandlaterQueenofScotlandBanquo–Macbeth'sfriendandageneralinthearmyofKingDuncanFleance–Banquo'ssonMacduff–ThaneofFifeLadyMacduff–Macduff'swifeMacduff'ssonRoss,Lennox,Angus,Menteith,Caithness–ScottishThanesSiward–GeneraloftheEnglishforcesYoungSiward–Siward'ssonSeyton–Macbeth'sservantandattendantHecate–QueenofthewitchesThreeWitches–makethepredictionofMacbethbecomingaKingandBanquo'sdescendantsbeingkingsThreeMurderersPorter–gatekeeperatMacbeth'shomeDoctor–LadyMacbeth'sdoctorGentlewoman–LadyMacbeth'scaretakerCharacteranalysis—MacbethAsoneofKingDuncan’schiefgeneralsandclosestmilitaryadvisers,Macbethisledtoperformwickeddeedsbythepropheciesofthreewitchesandthemachinationsofhiswife.Whenaprophecycomestruebeforehisascensiontothekingship–heistemptedintomurdertofulfillthesecondprophecy.Onceheiscrownedking,hisbrutalplansaremadealltheeasierashebeginskillingindiscriminatelytoensurehisthrone.Heisnotsubtle,noreffectiveasherilestheentireScottishnobilityagainsthistyrannouswaysandultimatelyfallsbeforethemightofhisownpsychologicalpressureandthemightofhisopposition.Characteranalysis—LadyMacbethAsMacbeth’swife,LadyMacbethistheearlyinstigatoroftheatrociousplansthatleadtoMacbeth’sKingship.Sheisambitiousandpowerhungryandhermachinationsareascoldandviciousasherhusband’sactions.However,afterthebloodshedbeginssheisincapableofbearingtheweightofwhatshehasdoneandsoonfallsvictimtotheweightofherguilt,eventuallygoingmadandcommittingsuicide.Despitethehorriblenatureofherandherhusband’scrimes,thetwoareaveryclosecouple.SheisoneofShakespeare’smostfamousandfrighteningfemalecharacters.MajorThemes1.TheFallofManTheancientGreeknotionoftragedyconcernedthefallofagreatman,suchasaking,fromapositionofsuperioritytoapositionofhumilityonaccountofhisambitiouspride,orhubris.TotheGreeks,sucharroganceinhumanbehaviorwaspunishablebyterriblevengeance.Thetragicherowastobepitiedinhisfallenplightbutnotnecessarilyforgiven:Greektragedyfrequentlyhasableakoutcome.Christiandrama,ontheotherhand,alwaysoffersarayofhope;hence,MacbethendswiththecoronationofMalcolm,anewleaderwhoexhibitsallthecorrectvirtuesforaking.MacbethexhibitselementsthatreflectthegreatestChristiantragedyofall:theFallofMan.IntheGenesisstory,itistheweaknessofAdam,persuadedbyhiswife(whohasinturnbeenseducedbythedevil)whichleadshimtotheproudassumptionthathecanplayGod.Butbothstoriesofferroomforhope:Christwillcometosavemankindpreciselybecausemankindhasmadethewrongchoicethroughhisownfreewill.InChristianterms,althoughMacbethhasactedtyrannically,criminally,andsinfully,heisnotentirelybeyondredemptioninheaven.2.Fortune,Fate,andFreeWillFortuneisanotherwordforchance.TheancientviewofhumanaffairsfrequentlyreferredtotheWheelofFortune,accordingtowhichhumanlifewassomethingofalottery.Onecouldrisetothetopofthewheelandenjoythebenefitsofsuperiority,butonlyforawhile.Withanunpredictableswingupordown,onecouldequallyeasilycrashtothebaseofthewheel.Fate,ontheotherhand,isfixed.Inafatalisticuniverse,thelengthandoutcomeofone'slife(destiny)ispredeterminedbyexternalforces.InMacbeth,theWitchesrepresentthisinfluence.Theplaymakesanimportantdistinction:Fatemaydictatewhatwillbe,buthowthatdestinycomesaboutisamatterofchance(and,inaChristianworldsuchasMacbeth's)ofman'sownchoiceorfreewill.AlthoughMacbethistoldhewillbecomeking,heisnottoldhowtoachievethepositionofking:thatmuchisuptohim.Wecannotblamehimforbecomingking(itishisDestiny),butwecanblamehimforthewayinwhichhechoosestogetthere(byhisownfreewill).3.KingshipandNaturalOrderMacbethissetinasocietyinwhichthenotionofhonortoone'swordandloyaltytoone'ssuperiorsisabsolute.Atthetopofthishierarchyistheking,God'srepresentativeonEarth.Otherrelationshipsalsodependonloyalty:comradeshipinwarfare,hospitalityofhosttowardsguest,andtheloyaltybetweenhusbandandwife.Inthisplay,allthesebasicsocietalrelationshipsarepervertedorbroken.LadyMacbeth'sdominationoverherhusband,Macbeth'streacherousactofregici