Macbeth

• symbolises the perils of ambition
• a tragic hero who starts in a position of glory and success but falls due to an error in judgement
• fatal flaw / hamartia
• he cannot restrain himself for going after what he wants, regardless of the consequences
• when Macbeth is introduced in the play, his strong masculinity and proves his manhood where Shakespeare uses his noble status to give him a place to fall from.
• his fall from a brave warrior to coward allows for an exploitation in gender,power and morality
• Shakspeare suggests that breaking from normality and order of society makes you vulnerable to corruption and temptation
• his life is controlled by his fate - how much of his story was foretold (witches/supernatural) and how much was his own-making??
• For most of the play, Macbeth treats lady Macbeth as equal . However, he allows himself to be manipulated by her, because she has the power to strip him of his masculinity
• Macbeths ambition is his fatal flaw
• his disputed masculinity is his weakness
• Shakespeare uses the idea of a tragic hero to teach the audience the importance of morality and respecting gods will. Despite their failings the audience feels sympathy for the tragic hero (macbeth)
• Macbeth is oblivious to morality and natural order where he doesn’t know when its best to listen to their desires for the good of themselves, their loved ones and their country, where they can restrain themselves from chasing their ambitions.
• Immediately after the murder, Macbeth become a man who us guilt-ridden and tragically remorseful.
• His guilt makes him a nihilistic figure ( tormented by his own conscience)
• Shakespeare follows Macbeth’s mental state where a tyrannical king becomes a psychological tragedy - suggesting that the real punishment for regicide isnt execution, but guilt
• The play is filled with violence and conflict, both internal and external - where Macbeth suffers the most himself from his actions - violence is associated with manhood and masculinity
• Men are supposed to be noble and strong leaders, and Macbeth interprets this as bloodlust
• Importantly, Shakespeare demonstrates how violence and bloodshed are used to maintain tyranny and corruption- which are tools for bad kingsv