Macbeth: The Struggle Against Evil Essay

Thesis Statement In Shakespeares Macbeth, the character Macbeth constantly battles against his detestation nature. As the play progresses, Macbeth seems to consent proceed a completely curse tyrant, just now he never full ends his splutter against evil.IntroductionI. Macbeth a awful and virtuous characterII. exertion with temptation and evilA. WitchesB. HimselfC. Lady MacbethIII. Murder of Dun plentyA. Before the murderB. face-to-face effects of the murderIV. Murder of BanquoV. Murder of Macduffs familyVI. Lasting nobility and signs of moral senseConclusionWilliam Shakespeares primary source for Macbeth was Holinsheds History of Scotland. The fabricated character, Macbeth, is based mainly on the actual Macbeth who Holinshed writes about. This Scottish play is, Shakespeares straits tragic gift to the world at large (Jonson, Beaumont, Fletcher 279). Although it is his shortest play, it is a great masses considered to be his best. In it he depicts the impairion of a soul in a way that both excites us, yet at the same m brings fear to us (Jonson, Beaumont, Fletcher 279).He is a character with whom, we are funnily able to identify, and whose destruction we cannot watch without feelings of fright and pity (Alden 276). It is a play, which beats the personal tragedy of Macbeth, a noble character whose flaws cause his downf completely. In Shakespeares Macbeth, the character Macbeth constantly battles against his evil nature. As the play progresses, Macbeth seems to have mother a completely evil tyrant, but he never amply ends his struggle against evil.Initially, Macbeth is portrayed as a brave, noble, and loyal man. He is soundly known 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 ethyl ether of nobility. Walter Curry states, He knows what it is to be actively loyal to queen mole rat and country, to let duty, to promote justice, amity, and piety (112). Before meeting the witches, he seems to have a definite disposition, to be resolute in his choices, and free from equivocalness (Curry 104). According 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 well-nigh sense, a good man (276).When he meets the witches, they help instill evil thoughts into his mind. They see, what passions need him and what dark desires await their fostering (Curry 116). He struggles with these evil thoughts which are already rooted within him. His real temptation begins after hearingJohnson 2the witches predictions saying that he depart become king. Curry says that the witches prophecy, arouses his passions and inflames his imagination to the period that cypher is but what is not (78). Realizing his flaws in character and that he wants the kingdom, they hunt his pissed sense of want and self-love. Curry explains that the witches, symbolize a mysterious world of evi l spirits that with satanic cunning lie in wait for human souls, conquering the unguarded heart and rejoicing in hurling their victim to the dust of misery and sin(57). Their purpose is, to shit Macbeths imagination to the point of grasping almost underlying emotional, moral, or intellectual 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 reach his want goal, to become king.After the first appearance of the witches, Macbeths pride and ambition begin to oercome him. Evil thoughts of how he could obtain the crown maneuver through his mind. He really begins to go through an internal struggle against evil. Curry says that he is too concerned not with, attaining the ultimate good, but of flattering his immoderate love of self (113). He is incapable of apply correct judgement and making a reasonable decision. He knows that to become king, he will have to commit murder.He is gen uinely commonsensible and thinks about what the consequences of his actions would be. He still has a strong sense of moral sense although, his ambition is beginning to overtake him. Alden observes that Macbeths evil thoughts are, in the making, or else of ready made and they struggle against that sense of their vileness which we have already observed (277). Duncan is a good and virtuous king he is alike Macbeths cousin. The power of his ambition is demonstrated when he says, I have no spur / to prick the sides ofJohnson 3my intent but / vault ambition, which oerleaps itself / and falls on th other (1.7.25-28). Vaulting ambition is his chief character flaw and his only reason to kill the king. Edward Dowden points out that, Shakespeare does not believe in any sudden transformation of a noble and loyal soul into that of a traitor and murderer (223). Macbeths sense of right and wrong still bothers him, even though he knows what chassis of action he should take. After much contemp lation, he resolves not to kill Duncan, but his decision doesnt last long. Evil thoughts overcome him.Lady Macbeth is also seen as an evil with which he struggles against. She understands Macbeth very 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 draw of human kindness / To catch the nearest way. Thou wouldst be great, / cheat not without ambition, but without / the illness 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 moldiness 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 very proud man, so by questioning his manhood she is able to convince him to kill the king. According to Curry, He dares do all that m ay become a man. And it is precisely this established trigger of his self-esteem that Lady Macbeth assaults. She charges him with unmasculine weakness and contemptible cowardice (118). She is a very influential force upon him and holds much power. Macbeth succumbs to the temptation and evil of his wife. Even though he has given into the temptation and evil, he continues to have a strong sense of sense of right and wrong and fears the evil act which he is soon passing to commit.Johnson 4Macbeth goes through a major struggle with his guilt and scruples when he commits his first murder, the murder of Duncan. Wilson Knight observes that, He himself is hopelessly at a loss, and has little idea as to why he is outlet to murder Duncan (121). Macbeth is nervous and feels very indictable about murdering him. He feels so guilty that he even becomes delusional and starts imagining things. His regretting sense of right and wrong and struggle against evil is demonstrated to us when direct ly after murdering him, he hears voices saying, Glamis hath murdered sleep, and hence 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 scruples is shown after sidesplitting Duncan when he says, This is a sorry sight (2.2.20). He is very rattle and on edge because of his sins.Beginning after the first murder, there is a dramatic change in the Macbeths character. Curry says, It is a big(p) alteration in the state of his personality, an astounding dislocation of the very philia of cosmos, which fixes itself immediately in a habit inclining to further plague (104). After murdering Duncan, its as if the good in him begins to diminish.He starts to digest some of his conscience and begins transforming into an almost evil character. Curry quotes Thomas doubting Thomas in saying, when man through one sinful act loses honor, charity, or sha me, or anything else that withdraws him from evil, he thereby falls into another sin, the first being the accidental cause of the plump for (119). He becomes less concerned with conscience, and more concerned with completing what he has already begun I am in blood stepped so far that, should I wade no more, go were as tedious as go oer (3.5.37- ). He feels like it is too late for him to turn back now, and that he has nothing left to lose at this point.Johnson 5It becomes easier for Macbeth to commit the second and terzetto 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, frayed nerves, and inordinate apprehension of the imagination, have led him to believe that Banquos knowledgeCould be a possible threat to him (Curry 127). He strengthened it up in his mind that Banquo was the main source of all his problems and a very hearty threat to his kingdom. Thinking 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 ir intelligent course of action leads to the third murder that Macbeth commits, the murder of Macduffs family. Macduff is one of the main people who oppose Macbeth and pose a major threat. Without any reasonable reason, and in a rage of anger, he surprises Macduffs castle 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 remains an almost completely evil tyrant.Although finally, it seems like there is no goodness and nobility remaining in him, there is. Macbeth never amply allows himself to become entirely evil. There are still lasting signs of conscience and virtue shown in his character. Curry explains, Macbeth remains essentially human and his conscience continues to witness the diminution of his being. There is still left necessarily some natural good in him sin cannot completely deprive him of his rational nature, which is the root of his inescapable inclination 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 6lasting conscience and virtue. Thomas Aquinas is quoted as stating that, no human being can become completely evil (Curry 89).Initially, it is easy to see all of Macbeths good virtues, but later after he has committed all of his evil acts, it becomes very thorny. Its almost as if the evil takes over and becomes second nature to him, but 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 me ntal suffering. The good in him is never fully destroyed, and we hold respect for him even up to the time of his death Macbeths language is the lowering utterance of the very heart, conscience-sick, even to the last faintings of moral death (Jonson, Beaumont, Fletcher 230). workings CitedAlden, Raymond. Shakespeare. New York Duffield, 1922.Curry, Walter C. Shakespeares Philosophical Patterns. Ann Arbor LSU UP, 1959.Dowden, Edward. Shakespeare A Critical playing area of His Mind and Art. New York Harper, 1880.Jonson, Ben, Beaumont, and Fletcher. Shakespeare. Liverpool Howell, 1874.Knight, Wilson. The Wheel of Fire Interpretations of Shakespearean Tragedy. New YorkMeridian, 1957.Shakespeare, William. Macbeth. Literature, unaltered Voices, Timeless Themes The BritishTradition. Ed. Ellen Bowler et al. Saddle River, New Jers4ey Prentice, 1999. 272-361.