Macbeth

Macbeth is a beloved Scottish general who bravely defends his king and country in battle. After hearing the three weird sisters' prophesy that he will one day rule Scotland, Macbeth commits heinous murder and other tyrannous acts in order secure his position as king.

Macbeth and the Question of Fate

When we follow Macbeth's trajectory in the play, we're invited to consider what it is, exactly, that makes a seemingly decent man commit an "evil" act. Let's start from the beginning. When Macbeth hears the witches' prophesy, he's very interested in what they have to say. His thoughts also turn to "murder" (in order to fulfill said prophesy). But Macbeth is also terrified by his "horrible imaginings" – his hair stands on end and his heart races, "knock[ing] at [his] ribs." "My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical," says Macbeth, "Shakes so my single state" (1.3.9). Macbeth knows that killing Duncan would be a terrible act and he's sickened by his own thoughts. So, what happens to Macbeth? What makes him kill Duncan and then order several other murders without batting an eyelash?

On the one hand, we can see Macbeth as a figure controlled by outside forces. After all, the three witches prophesize that Macbeth will become king (1.3.4) and they also know the exact circumstances of Macbeth's downfall (4.1.8), which suggests that Macbeth has no control over his own fate. What's more, the weird sisters' words clearly prompt Macbeth into action and we often get a sense that Macbeth is acting against his own will, as though he's in a trance. Think about the first time Macbeth encounters the witches – he's twice described as being "rapt" (1.3.2). Even after this encounter Macbeth, at times, seems to move through the play in a dreamlike state, as when he follows a "dagger of the mind" toward the sleeping king's room just before he commits his first murder (2.1.6). In light of this kind of evidence, it's easy to blame all of Macbeth's actions on the three witches and/or fate. (For a detailed discussion about the witches' relationship to "fate," check out our "Character Analysis" of the Weird Sisters.)

Yet, we can also argue that Macbeth has a mind of his own and acts according to his own free will. In the play, we clearly see Macbeth deliberate about murder, and then make his own choices and put his plans into action. The witches, we should point out, never say anything to Macbeth about murdering Duncan. When Macbeth first hears the sisters' prophesy, his thoughts turn to "murder" all on their own. (In fact, the witches never say anything at all about how Macbeth will become king.) So, perhaps Macbeth has had inside him a murderous ambition all along and the three witches merely awaken or embody a desire that's been dormant. We could argue, then, that "fate" has nothing to do with Macbeth's life at all.

Now, we don't necessarily have to be married to any of these arguments. Alternatively, we could say Macbeth is "fated" to become king but how he comes to the crown is entirely up to him. Or, we settle on the idea that Macbeth is a figure that dramatizes the ambiguity of human will and action. Why do people do the things they do, even when they know their actions are hideous? It's often a complete and utter mystery, and Shakespeare brings this point to the forefront.

Macbeth, Marriage, and Masculinity

In recent decades (that's not such a long time considering that Macbeth is about 400 years old), audiences have become increasingly interested in Macbeth's relationship with his wife. We have to admit that their relationship is fascinating. At the play's beginning, Macbeth treats Lady Macbeth as an equal, if not more dominant partner. In fact, when Macbeth waffles and has second thoughts about killing Duncan, it's his ambitious wife who urges him on by attacking his masculinity, a strategy that proves effective. When Macbeth says "we will proceed no further in this business," Lady Macbeth responds by asking, "Art thou afeard / To be the same in thine own act of valour / As thou art in desire?" (1.7.3-4). In other words, Lady Macbeth asks if Macbeth is worried that his performance of the act of murder will be as weak as his "desire" to kill the king.

There's also a dig at Macbeth's sexual performance at work here because Lady Macbeth implies that Macbeth is afraid his performance of killing the king will be just as weak as his performance in the bedroom (his sexual "desire"). Either way, Lady Macbeth insists her husband is acting like an impotent "coward" (1.7.3). Killing the king, like satisfying one's wife, says Lady Macbeth, will confirm Macbeth's masculinity: "When you durst do it, then you were a man" (1.7.4).

Macbeth, as we see, buys into this notion that "valour," however cruel, is synonymous with masculinity. "Prithee peace," he says, "I dare do all that may become a man" (1.7.4). Macbeth clearly associates manhood with the capacity for murder (and the ability to satisfy his wife). Perhaps this is why Macbeth assumes the dominant role in his marriage only after he kills Duncan. (It's also interesting that, when Macbeth plans the murder of Banquo – rejecting his wife's input in the matter altogether – he taunts his henchmen about proving their manhood (3.1.10). We can't help but wonder if Macbeth's ideas about what it means to be a "man" ultimately contribute to his downfall. What do you think?

Ambition

We can also read Macbeth's character as a study of ambition and its ill effects. Once Macbeth murders Duncan, he becomes willing to do anything necessary in order to secure his position of power. It also becomes easier and easier for Macbeth to commit heinous crimes. Without thinking twice, he orders the murders of Macduff's family, including his children. According to Macbeth, he's got to look out for his own best interests.

For mine own good
All causes shall give way. I am in blood
Stepp'd in so far that, should I wade no more,
Returning were as tedious as go o'er. (3.4.24)

By comparing his actions to wading through a bloody river, Macbeth suggests that once a man commits a murderous act for his own gain, it's impossible to stop. Turning back would be "tedious." Macbeth's selfishness, acting for his "own good," ultimately makes him a hated "tyrant," which is quite a long way from being the "beloved" thane he once was. As the play progresses, Macbeth's justifications for his actions become increasingly thin and by the end, Macbeth seems like a shell of the man he once was – the entire kingdom looks forward to the day he'll be replaced by Malcolm.