Macbeth :: essays research papers

A scarcecher is someone who brutally slaughters other human-beings. According to this definition Macbeth was a &8217butcher&8217 by the end of the play. Macbeth becoming a butcher was brought about by his ambition for power, and how this ambition was used by the witches.Macbeth&8217s ambition is made obvious from the start. It is the social function the witches use get him under their spell,&8217All hail thee Thane of Glamis&8230.Thane of Cawdor&8230..king&8217. Macbeth is intrigued by this greeting. When he finds out from Duncan that he has become the thane of Cawdor he whispers to the audience,&8217Glamis, and the thane of Cawdor, the greatest is behind.&8217 Macbeth is sure that he leave alone become king. However at this stage he thinks that he will acquire it legally as he sees murder as,&8217fantastical&8217(I,iii,139).The story of how Macbeth descends into havoc starts when Duncan announces that Malcolm is to be,&8217Prince of Cumberland&8217(I,iv,39) and therefore Duncan &8217s successor as king of Scotland.Macbeth is now in a dilemma. He has just been told he will be king by the witches. Two of their prophesies have become true already. However, because Malcolm has just become king he cannot see how the third prophesy will come true. Macbeth&8217s wife solves his problem by telling him to kill Duncan. She tells him this after reading his letter to her and after hearing that the king is coming to her castle. She decides to&8217look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under&8217t.&8217(I,v,63-65). peeress Macbeth plays an important part in Macbeth&8217s spiral downwards into becoming a butcher by persuading him to rend his first murder. Macbeth doesn&8217t want to kill Duncan and has strong doubts about what he should do, as shown by what he says in act I, scene vii,&8217He&8217s in double trust here&8230..i am his kinsman strong against the deed , then as his host, who should against his murderer shut the door, not bear the knife himself &8217Lady Macbeth changes his mind by challenging his manhood,&8217When you durst do it, then you were a man&8217 and, to be more than what you were, you would be so much more the man.&8217(I,vii,49-51)He ultimately decides, after much tossing and turning that killing Duncan would be the best thing,&8217I am settled&8217. What Duncan said after the Thane of Cawdor was executed that,&8217there&8217s no art to find the mind&8217s construction in the face&8217(I,iv,12-13) is proved when Macbeth says,&8217False face must hide what the false heart dost last&8217(I,iv,82-83)