How Does Shakespeare Create Dislike of, and Sympathy for, Macbeth Throughout the Play
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- Category: English: Shakespeare
- Date Submitted: 03/08/2015 08:46 AM
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How does Shakespeare create dislike of, and sympathy for, Macbeth throughout the play?
Shakespeare creates dislike of Macbeth by making him murder those who were important in his life. Not only did this make him a tyrant, killing made him feel guilt to an extent where it drove him mad. Sympathy was also created for Macbeth several times during the play, such as when Lady Macbeth commits suicide and when Macbeth seemed to lose who he truly was. Was this due to his out-of-hand ambition or his craving of power?
Macbeth managed to lose and gain trust from several other characters in the play, such as befriending the hitmen who he hires to kill Banquo, his best friend, and making the king’s sons suspicious of Macbeth and his actions. Although Macbeth’s intention was to kill only the king, he ends up murdering the two innocent guards as a result of ‘my fury’, but it also could be because of damage control. If the two guards were dead, then they would not have the chance to explain their side of the story.
In Act One, Scene Two, Duncan calls Macbeth a ‘valiant cousin’ for defeating the enemy in battle. The word ‘cousin’ shows how close Macbeth and the King are; a reference to family indicates a tight knit relationship. The Captain compares Macbeth and Banquo to majestic animals such as ‘sparrows’ and ‘eagles’ because of how they performed in battle. It could also be interpreted that as these animals are at the top of the food chain and they’re predators, Macbeth and Banquo were quite comfortable with the idea of murdering brutally, which explains that after killing Banquo and Macduff’s family, Macbeth did not seem to care or feel remorse, which makes him seem cold hearted and soulless, almost resembling an empty shell and the only force driving him on was the idea of power and his ambitions. However, even after being called a ‘valiant cousin’, Macbeth proceeded to murder Duncan, so he’d be one step closer to the title of becoming the King of Scotland, showing...
Shakespeare creates dislike of Macbeth by making him murder those who were important in his life. Not only did this make him a tyrant, killing made him feel guilt to an extent where it drove him mad. Sympathy was also created for Macbeth several times during the play, such as when Lady Macbeth commits suicide and when Macbeth seemed to lose who he truly was. Was this due to his out-of-hand ambition or his craving of power?
Macbeth managed to lose and gain trust from several other characters in the play, such as befriending the hitmen who he hires to kill Banquo, his best friend, and making the king’s sons suspicious of Macbeth and his actions. Although Macbeth’s intention was to kill only the king, he ends up murdering the two innocent guards as a result of ‘my fury’, but it also could be because of damage control. If the two guards were dead, then they would not have the chance to explain their side of the story.
In Act One, Scene Two, Duncan calls Macbeth a ‘valiant cousin’ for defeating the enemy in battle. The word ‘cousin’ shows how close Macbeth and the King are; a reference to family indicates a tight knit relationship. The Captain compares Macbeth and Banquo to majestic animals such as ‘sparrows’ and ‘eagles’ because of how they performed in battle. It could also be interpreted that as these animals are at the top of the food chain and they’re predators, Macbeth and Banquo were quite comfortable with the idea of murdering brutally, which explains that after killing Banquo and Macduff’s family, Macbeth did not seem to care or feel remorse, which makes him seem cold hearted and soulless, almost resembling an empty shell and the only force driving him on was the idea of power and his ambitions. However, even after being called a ‘valiant cousin’, Macbeth proceeded to murder Duncan, so he’d be one step closer to the title of becoming the King of Scotland, showing...