Macbeth Human Isolation Essay

The play, Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, presents many societal issues, such as the influence of superstition and the supernatural, as well as the continuous desire of the human race for progress and ambitious fulfilment. What a person chooses to do in order to fulfil those desires depends on the individuals themselves, and in the case of Macbeth, he turns to murder in order to advance his social and political standing. The audience’s perception of Macbeth changes throughout the play, beginning with feelings of admiration and approval of his deeds and character, and ending, with the play and as well as his life, as feelings of contempt and disgust at his treachery. This is achieved mainly through the progression of Macbeth’s character development, as well as through the dialogue of himself and other characters.

Throughout ‘Macbeth’ Shakespeare consistently presents tension and interference between the natural and unnatural world, exploring the conflict and consequences in the characters world. Shakespeare shows evilness, insanity and death as specific consequences when the natural is disrupted by the unnatural. Shakespeare uses these conflicts and their consequences to form a tragedy about transgression beyond the affixed natural world. Ultimately Macbeth serves as a warning for his then early 17th century audience, they lived in a world of absolutes and superstition, exploring the consequences and conflicts of the wheel of fortune and the chain of being.

Macbeth, an ironic tragedy of the 17th century, is perhaps one of the most appraised works by renowned playwright William Shakespeare. Such fame, though, can be justified through the play’s effective utilization of themes and their evocative subtext; however, Shakespeare particularly focusses on the theme of power and has done so with intent. Macbeth visualises power in two forms, being that of divine and supernatural. The play forms a representation that, alike with the socio-cultural beliefs of the Elizabethan era, divine power should not be tampered with. Otherwise, the consequences can be detrimental, as demonstrated by the painful ends of characters Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. Both individuals use the process of illegitimate power to

In tragedies, characters often serve to act as instruments of the suffering of others. This is particularly true in the play Macbeth, in which the main character’s actions lead to the subsequent distress and woe of other characters. In the play, the main character, Macbeth, directly contributes to the anguish of other characters, succumbing to his own bloodthirstiness as he ruthlessly removes threats to his desired power. Macbeth brings great suffering upon others, and the subsequent violence and carnage adds to the distress and tragedy of the play as a whole; the tragic vision of the play is consequently exemplified.

The prophecy given by three witches to Macbeth directly influences their idea of Macbeth becoming King and obtaining ultimate power. When the sister witch tells Macbeth, "All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter!" (1.3.51-53), the blueprint of Macbeth’s downfall and the loss of his humanity is put into motion. The witches’ prophecy tempts Macbeth to use any means possible to achieve his ultimate goal to the throne, which eventually causes bloodshed and his complete downfall. The witches’ supernatural knowledge and predictions plant the seeds of lust in Macbeth to be the most powerful man in Scotland, which is intoxicating to him.

Self-imposed solitude induced to attain a higher sense of self may produce immense benefits for an individual. However, since isolation is frequently practised as a way to escape the guilt and responsibility of one's actions, the fallout destroys a person’s entire being. Tormented by their thoughts, their mind, soul and identity will deteriorate. Therefore, without comfort or communication with the outside world, a recluse individual’s inner turmoil will fester and grow until it encapsulates their entire being. In his play, Macbeth, Shakespeare depicts the transpiring consequences that occur when individuals choose to isolate themselves, feeling guilt-filled and deserted, they fall into an endless cycle of self-destructive behaviour, destroying

Macbeth is starting to become selfish because of how he wants to pursue his “dream” in becoming the ruler of Scotland. Macbeth is interested, but is still hiding his

Macbeth, the protagonist in Shakespeare’s play Macbeth, descends into madness from the abuse of his eminent position and neglect of his morals. With a continuous lust for power and the incitement of those around him, Macbeth commits regicide and numerous other murders in an attempt to cover up his sinful actions. Even with faithful morals at the

Macbeth initiates his own ‘black and deep desires’ to become king after choosing to believe the ambiguous prophecies. The witches take advantage of his gullibility saying he will ‘be king hereafter’ increasing his thirst for the throne and encourages him to murder King Duncan. Macbeth, confident under the influence of the witches, misunderstands ‘for none of a woman born shall harm Macbeth’ resulting in equivocation. By believing

In the Shakespearian play, Macbeth, a story is told of a greatly admired and respected general who in the drive of ambition deteriorates in moral character. In the beginning of the play, Macbeth is shown to be brave and mentally stable but his mentality starts to decline when his guilt causes him to be hysterical. Throughout the acts, the witches, the hallucinations, and his hunger for power has all caused him to total madness. Macbeth’s moral decline is further developed with the idea of light and darkness.

While in Hamlet and others of Shakespeare's plays we feel that Shakespeare refined upon and brooded over his thoughts, Macbeth seems as if struck out at a heat and imagined from first to last with rapidity and power, and a subtlety of workmanship which has become instructive. The theme of the drama is the gradual ruin through yielding to evil within and evil without, of a man, who, though from the first tainted by base and ambitious thoughts, yet possessed elements in his nature of possible honor and loyalty. (792)

Macbeth is an epic tragedy inspiring pity and remorse because the hero, though flawed, is also shown to be human. The play portrays a journey of self-discovery and awareness as both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth pass from happiness to misery. Their punishment is well deserved but the retributive price is enormous.

There is no room for weakness in the exclusively male world of treason and revenge. Furthermore as soon as Macbeth abandons her company for witches, Lady Macbeth is totally alone. Macbeth`s union with the witches symbolizes the culmination of Lady Macbeth's loss of womanly social roles as well as her loss of home and family. In her sleepwalking scenes , Lady Macbeth exists in the darkness of her soul which no candle can enlighten. She exists solely with the present memory of the past horrors.

The story of Macbeth transpires in 11th Century Scotland towards the end of the Dark Ages in Europe. The direction the tale will take based on the period of time correlates well, as a bloody power struggle unfolds upon the land. Through the play, William Shakespeare involves a tremendous amount of character involvement and influence within the play. The majority of the characters in the book will face either an interpersonal or intrapersonal conflict, which in turn will play a part in character development. Each and every character in the play are used as a key role of how it impacts other characters growth and change. Nevertheless, Macbeth ,the main character in the play, undergoes massive changes that lead to the audience’s change in perspective.

Macbeth’s self-imposed isolation caused by his feelings of guilt towards killing Duncan as well as other characters causes his downfall. Shakespeare alienates Macbeth by only allowing him to see things such as Banquo’s ghost and the witches. After Macbeth kills Duncan he becomes haunted by his actions. His guilt separates himself from his wife as well as his peers. Readers can clearly see Macbeth’s separation from those around him during the banquet scene directly after Banquo’s death. During the feast the sight of Banquo’s ghost disturbs Macbeth, yet Lady Macbeth explains Macbeth’s reaction as a “fit” to the other lords at dinner. This fit confirms that only Macbeth can see the ghost, further isolating him from others. Additionally, Macbeth