Macbeth
by
William Shakespeare
(Character
of Macbeth)
Shakespeare’s art of characterization can be
best seen in the tragedies. In his tragic-comedies he does not endow virtues to
his hero, but he gifts vices in abundance to his villain. Thus, the blackness
of the villain brings out the snowy character of the hero. In tragedies like
‘Macbeth’ where the villain himself is the hero or in other words the hero
himself is the villain. Shakespeare brings out the tragic effect by making the
hero to use his virtues in immoral means. Thus, the downfall of hero’s virtues causes
the tragic effect in his plays.
In
the play Macbeth is introduced as a warrior hero. He becomes famous on the
battlefield and his fame wins him great honor from the king. We come to know
about his personal ambitions through his asides and soliloquies, after all he
is a human being. His personal ambitions are different from the opinion, others
have of him. Though Macbeth is a brave and fearless character in battle, but he
is concerned by the prophecies of the Witches, and he remains confused, before,
during, and after his murder of King Duncan. As soon as king Duncan announces
that his intention is to pass the kingdom to his son Malcolm, Macbeth becomes upset.
He undergoes terrible pangs of conscience, when he is about to commit the
murder of Duncan. We feel sympathy for him, when his wife, Lady Macbeth mocks his
manliness and demeans him (Act I, Scene 7).
The
main cause of the downfall of Macbeth is his being over ambitious. His ambition
is a royal ambition. In the opening of the play Macbeth is shown royal, gentle
and gifted person but as the play advances he becomes the victim of his royal
ambition. He is not a born criminal. In his case tragedy arises out of the
sacrifice of better qualities. He uses his best to fulfill his royal ambition.
Initially,
in the play, the dramatist shows his goodness of the character. In the words of
Duncan, Macbeth is “a worthy gentleman” and “worthiest cousin”. Not only Duncan
but other characters have also described him as “Valor’s minion and Bellona’s
bridegroom”. Macbeth is shown loyal to
his king Duncan risking his life in battle, fights against traitor and enemies
and securing the country for the king. Virtually Macbeth is the king of
Scotland lacking only the title. He is full of human kindness when we first
meet him in the opening of the play. His inner life is quite different from
that of outer one. Macbeth is the developing character in the play. The play
presents the inner life of the protagonist which is in conflict with the outer
life of a villain. In the play Macbeth is a hero-villain. This contrast of his
character can be seen in his imagination.
Macbeth
is a noble and a gifted person. In his case tragedy arises out of the
sacrifices of better qualities which do not promise the fulfillment of his
ambition. His soliloquies justify the goodness of his character. Even if we
discard the praises of Duncan, we notice that the other characters of the play
describe him a noble and a brave man. In the opening scenes of the play Macbeth
shudders at the mere thought of murder. His deeds of murder are done in a
situation, over which he has no control. He does it because he is punished and
is driven to do it. He is influenced by his wife whom he loves and who
possesses the stronger will than he does. Macbeth is driven to use dagger laid
by his wife, Lady Macbeth. He acts like a possessed man and not as a true
agent. Duncan’s announcement of Malcolm’s nomination as the next king tempts
Macbeth immediately for the murder, “…. the prince of Cumberland, that is a
step which I must fall down or else overleap, for in my way it lies”.
In
this way Macbeth’s black deeds are governed by those factors over which he has
no control.
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