Macbeth: The Struggle Against Evil Essay

dissertation Statement In Shakespeares Macbeth, the part Macbeth forever and a day battles against his wretched nature. As the evasive wagerion progresses, Macbeth seems to go for become a all told wretched tyrant, still he neer to the full ends his splutter against disgust.IntroductionI. Macbeth a noble and virtuous shareII. press with lure and evilA. WitchesB. HimselfC. Lady MacbethIII. assassinate of Dun disregardA. in the setoff place the removeB. Effects of the get rid ofIV. Murder of BanquoV. Murder of Macduffs familyVI. perpetual grandness and signs of sense of right and wrongConclusionWilliam Shakespeares primary source for Macbeth was Holinsheds biography of Scotland. The fictional char seter, Macbeth, is based mainly on the actual Macbeth who Holinshed writes about. This Scottish play is, Shakespeares chief tragic gift to the universe at large (Jonson, Beaumont, Fletcher 279). Although it is his shortest play, it is often considered to be his best. In it he depicts the corruption of a soul in a right smart that both excites us, yet at the same(p) eon brings fright to us (Jonson, Beaumont, Fletcher 279).He is a character with whom, we are funnily suit equal to(p) to identify, and whose destruction we can non watch without feelings of veneration and pity (Alden 276). It is a play, which becomes the personal calamity of Macbeth, a noble character whose flaws scram his downfall. In Shakespeares Macbeth, the character Macbeth constantly battles against his evil nature. As the play progresses, Macbeth seems to have become a completely evil tyrant, but he neer fully ends his struggle against evil.Initially, Macbeth is portrayed as a brave, noble, and loyal man. He is well cognise and praised by many, including Duncan, the King of Scotland, who praises him for his loyalty and successes in battle. Macbeth seems to be the quintessence of nobility. Walter cut back states, He knows what it is to be actively loyal to female mo narch and country, to accept duty, to promote justice, amity, and piety (112). Before meeting the witches, he seems to have a definite disposition, to be unhesitating in his choices, and free from ambiguity (Curry 104). harmonise to Raymond Alden, The principle point is that Macbeth is presented to us at the outset in a nobly attractive form and is actually, in whatsoever grit, a vertical man (276).When he meets the witches, they help instill evil thoughts into his fountainhead. They see, what passions dig him and what dark desires await their fostering (Curry 116). He struggles with these evil thoughts which are already root within him. His real temptation begins by and by hearingJohnson 2the witches predictions saying that he go out become pansy. Curry says that the witches prophecy, arouses his passions and inflames his humor to the extent that nonhing is but what is not (78). Realizing his flaws in character and that he postu upstarts the kingdom, they be given his hard common sense of ambition and self- cacoethes. Curry explains that the witches, symbolize a secret globe of evil spirits that with satanic ruse lie in wait for merciful souls, conquering the unguarded heart and satisfaction in hurling their victim to the the Great Compromiser of misery and sin(57). Their purpose is, to consume Macbeths imagination to the point of prehensile some underlying emotional, moral, or keen content (Curry 55). Through their temptation, the witches are able to confuse and corrupt his judgement so that he is lead towards choosing the means to wrap up his desired goal, to become king. later the branch appearance of the witches, Macbeths p absolvee and ambition begin to overcome him. Evil thoughts of how he could obtain the crown run by means of his mind. He really begins to go through an internal struggle against evil. Curry says that he is too concerned not with, attaining the net inviolable, but of flattering his inordinate love of self (113). He is incapable of using correct judgement and making a reasonable decision. He knows that to become king, he will have to commit tally.He is in truth sensible and thinks about what the consequences of his actions would be. He still has a strong sense of sense of right and wrong although, his ambition is beginning to fleet him. Alden observes that Macbeths evil thoughts are, in the making, preferably of ready made and they struggle against that sense of their vileness which we have already notice (277). Duncan is a just and virtuous king he is excessively Macbeths cousin. The indicator of his ambition is demonstrated when he says, I have no spur / to tweet the sides ofJohnson 3my intent but / overleap ambition, which oerleaps itself / and falls on th some other (1.7.25-28). Vaulting ambition is his chief character flaw and his only reason to turn thumbs down the king. Edward Dowden points out that, Shakespeare does not believe in any sudden transformation of a n oble and loyal soul into that of a traitor and murderer (223). Macbeths moral sense still bothers him, even though he knows what parentage of action he should take. After much contemplation, he resolves not to shoot Duncan, but his decision doesnt decision long. Evil thoughts overcome him.Lady Macbeth is also seen as an evil with which he struggles against. She understands Macbeth in truth well and knows exactly how to manipulate him. She knows that he is a good man. This is demonstrated to us when she says, Yet I do fear thy nature / It is too full o th milk of human humanity / To catch the nearest way. Thou wouldst be great, / Art not without ambition, but without / the sickness should attend it ( 1.5.16-20). She also knows that he will probably not go through with his plans without her pressuring and influencing him to go through with them. She decides that she must rid of anything that interferes with him becoming king. Macbeth tells her that he has decided not to kill the king and she becomes infuriated.She knows that he is a precise proud man, so by questioning his manhood she is able to entice him to kill the king. According to Curry, He dares do all that may become a man. And it is precisely this established foundation of his self-pride that Lady Macbeth assaults. She charges him with unmasculine weakness and contemptible cowardliness (118). She is a very influential guide upon him and conserves much power. Macbeth succumbs to the temptation and evil of his wife. regular though he has given into the temptation and evil, he continues to have a strong sense of conscience and fears the evil act which he is soon personnel casualty to commit.Johnson 4Macbeth goes through a major(ip) struggle with his guilt and conscience when he commits his maiden murder, the murder of Duncan. Wilson Knight observes that, He himself is dispiritedly at a loss, and has little view as to why he is going to murder Duncan (121). Macbeth is nervous and feels very red-handed about murdering him. He feels so blamable that he even becomes delusional and starts imagining things. His regretting conscience and struggle against evil is demonstrated to us when directly after murdering him, he hears voices saying, Glamis hath remove sleep, and therefore Cawdor / Shall sleep no to a greater extent Macbeth shall sleep no more (2.2.41-42). He is very remorseful and doesnt want to think about the evil act which he has just committed. His remorse and conscience is shown after violent death Duncan when he says, This is a sorry sight (2.2.20). He is very ratt lead and on edge because of his sins. showtime after the first murder, there is a dramatic change in the Macbeths character. Curry says, It is a profound readjustment in the state of his personality, an astounding equipment failure of the very center of being, which fixes itself immediately in a habit inclining to raise offense (104). After murdering Duncan, its as if the good in him begins to d iminish.He starts to digest some of his conscience and begins transforming into an almost evil character. Curry quotes Thomas Aquinas in saying, when man through one repelling act loses honor, charity, or shame, or anything else that withdraws him from evil, he thereby falls into another sin, the first being the accidental cause of the moment (119). He becomes less concerned with conscience, and more concerned with completing what he has already begun I am in riptide stepped so far that, should I walk no more, returning were as muted as go oer (3.5.37- ). He feels akin it is too late for him to turn back now, and that he has zilch unexpended to lose at this point.Johnson 5It becomes easier for Macbeth to commit the second and third murders. A train of sins and crimes follow the first crime he commits (Curry 120). The second murder is the murder of Banquo. Banquo was one of his close colleagues but his, wracking passions, frazzle nerves, and inordinate apprehension of the i magination, have led him to believe that Banquos knowledgeCould be a possible threat to him (Curry 127). He build it up in his mind that Banquo was the main source of all his problems and a very significant threat to his kingdom. opinion that doing evil will be easier if he does it quickly, he says, The very firstlings of my heart shall be / The firstlings of my hand (4.1.147-148). Taking this irrational course of action leads to the third murder that Macbeth commits, the murder of Macduffs family. Macduff is one of the main multitude who oppose Macbeth and pose a major threat. Without any rational reason, and in a rage of anger, he surprises Macduffs go and kills everyone in his family. By this time it seems as if so many of his sins have built up, and that almost all of the goodness which he initially had has left him. He dust an almost completely evil tyrant.Although finally, it seems like there is no goodness and nobility remaining in him, there is. Macbeth never fully allo ws himself to become entirely evil. in that respect are still tenacious signs of conscience and virtue shown in his character. Curry explains, Macbeth remains essentially human and his conscience continues to obtain the diminution of his being. There is still left necessarily some natural good in him sin cannot completely peel him of his rational nature, which is the root of his inescapable contention to virtue(133). Even when Macbeth is about to die, he demonstrates nobility by not killing himself or giving up. He also did not want to kill Macduff because he felt guilty about spilling so much of his blood already. This shows hisJohnson 6 cultureing conscience and virtue. Thomas Aquinas is quoted as stating that, no human being can become completely evil (Curry 89).Initially, it is booming to see all of Macbeths good virtues, but later after he has committed all of his evil acts, it becomes very vexed. Its almost as if the evil takes over and becomes second nature to him, bu t not quite. Doing the evil acts is always difficult for him, and through it all he is able to maintain his conscience and some virtues. He never becomes completely evil because of his conscience, which causes a great deal of mental suffering. The good in him is never fully destroyed, and we hold admiration for him even up to the time of his death Macbeths language is the write in code utterance of the very heart, conscience-sick, even to the last faintings of moral death (Jonson, Beaumont, Fletcher 230).Works CitedAlden, Raymond. Shakespeare. raw York Duffield, 1922.Curry, Walter C. Shakespeares Philosophical Patterns. Ann Arbor LSU UP, 1959.Dowden, Edward. Shakespeare A Critical Study of His Mind and Art. youthful York Harper, 1880.Jonson, Ben, Beaumont, and Fletcher. Shakespeare. Liverpool Howell, 1874.Knight, Wilson. The Wheel of Fire Interpretations of Shakespearean Tragedy. refreshing YorkMeridian, 1957.Shakespeare, William. Macbeth. Literature, Timeless Voices, Timeless T hemes The BritishTradition. Ed. Ellen plug hat et al. Saddle River, New Jers4ey Prentice, 1999. 272-361.