Shakespeare's "Macbeth" is certainly one of his most famous shows and one of the most tragic play ever written. "Macbeth" tells the story of a Scottish man corrupted by power. At the top of show, three witches tell us a battle is occurring. Macbeth, the thane of Glamis, wins the battle bringing honor to his name. King Duncan who rules over Scotland awards him with the title of thane of Cawdor. While his best friend Banquo and him wonder after their victory, they run into three witches. These witches tell the thane and his right hand man prophetic tales. The witches declare "All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, thane of Glamis. All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, thane of Cawdor. All hail Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter! (I.iii.14). The coven also predicts that Macbeth will be king, yet Banquo's descendants will follow after that. Macbeth considers what the witches have to say, but then moves on. Suddenly, Macbeth is informed that King Duncan will be staying in his new castle. At this point, he tells Lady Macbeth about the witches. She is the one who convinces her husband to commit the murder. Everything goes to plan. As the king slumbers, the couple murders Duncan, but they frame two servants. In the shock of the murder, Duncan's heirs, Donalbain and Malcom run away. Their departure makes Macbeth next in line for the throne. Macbeth is overcome by evil as he rules Scotland like a tyrant.
Macbeth is quite an interesting character. Shakespeare is very clever in crafting a protagonist who actually becomes an antagonist. While reading the play, I could not help but notice that Macbeth is the predecessor to the modern day villain. Much like Darth Vader, Macbeth is not a bad man. Evil merely overcomes him. All him and his lady want is power. "Macbeth" makes us wonder if this an accurate telling of Scottish politics in Shakespeare's day. Like most villains, there is a part of Macbeth that makes us not want to see him fail. We catch ourselves wanting to cheer for him. On the contrary, we want to see good dominate over tyranny.
Lady Macbeth is the actual villain. Without his lady, Macbeth would have remained a thane. Until she devises a plan, the witches' prophecy is regarded as rubbish. Rarely do we see a woman as evil as this Scottish queen. In a strange way, Shakespeare shows that women are just as powerful as men. In Elizabethan times, this was not as common a thought as in our world. Lady Macbeth is strong. In all Macbeth's rage, she does not illustrate a wink of fear.
Of all the amazingly written characters in this show, I enjoyed the three witches most of all. Usually, the great playwright throws us down with drama, but lifts us up with comic relief. In this show, he does not write in one comedic character. Some would perceive the witches as humorous. They are not intended to be this way. Although they speak in rhyme, these are not creatures to be messed with. These three sorceresses open the show with a very sinister French scene. They set the tone and eventually ruin Macbeth's life. There is something about these three that makes them sinister, yet likable. I could read about them preparing a poison for the Scottish king and still enjoy what they were saying. The witches' speak with a rhythm that gives them vigor. Their spells and speeches makes us ponder how much the witches' actually know. Are they or are they not omniscient?
Obviously, "Macbeth" is still relevant in today's world. Betrayal and treason occur on a number of scales. As a middle schooler, I can attest to the fact that disloyalty is not extinct. I would recommend "Macbeth" for anyone who can handle a sad story. Shakespeare does not write fairy tales. "Macbeth" has a plot that keeps getting exponentially tragic. My only criticism of this masterpiece would be that Shakespeare ended it too quickly. He leaves us at a point where we want to know more of the story. Perhaps, this is his genius at work. In addition to a relevant plot, thespians everywhere are superstitious of the word "Macbeth". Most believe that the name is a curse on the theater unless you are criticizing or in production of the play. "Macbeth" is also believed to have had an influence on "The Lion King". A lot of fans of the movie will say that the plot is more like that of "Hamlet". "Macbeth" is merely "The Lion King" written from Scar's point of view. For this dark look on the play, I loved it. "Macbeth" was definitely a great choice to get my Shakespeare endeavor for the year started off.
Cited Source
Shakespeare, William. Macbeth. Ed. John Crowther. New York: Spark, 2003. Print.
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