GCSE Macbeth

• Macbeth is shown to be a hero at the start because of his violent nature. He kills a traitor. Ironically, Macbeth ends up becoming the traitor that is murdered by Macduff ( an actual hero ) at the end of the play.
• Shakespeare contrasts the eerie opening scene with the brutality and 'bloody execution' of the battlefield, this sets a violent mood for the rest of the play.
• The Captain and Duncan describe Macbeth as 'brave' and 'valiant' at this point Macbeth is seen as a hero who is loyal to his King and the country.
• The violent imagery describing Macbeth at the start of the play is honourable: his violence at the battlefield is for the King, he is praised and rewarded for killing a treacherous thane (Macdonald)
• 'Till he unseam'd him from the nave to th' chops'

  • 'unseam'd' - violent verb, emphasises how Macbeth opens him up
  • implies Macbeth is very strong and is unphased by horrifically killing another man
• This violence eventually leads to his downfall which is ironic.
• Macbeth is described as a 'tyrant' because he rules selfishly, using violence.
• Macbeth is rarely referred to 'king' which shows the other characters don't accept him as the true king
• A bad king is 'bloody, false, deceitful'
• Malcom is describing Macbeth's reign here - his lies make him 'false' and 'deceitful', he's 'bloody' because he uses violence to keep control over his people.
• Macbeth removes Maccdonald's head and displays it from the battlements which has a clear purpose.
• When Shakespeare was writing (during the Jacobean era), anyone was sentenced to death for treason such as Guy Fawkes after the failed Gunpowder Plot would be hung, drawn and quartered and their heads would be shown on pikes on Traitor's Gate. This was the gateway prisoners that would pass through as they entered the Tower of London and this was done to make sure people thought twice before acting against their king and country.
• At the end of the play, Macduff removes Macbeth's head. Macduff seems to be displaying it as he asks the audience to look at it.
• Act 5 Scene 9 - 'the usurper's cursed head'

  • takes Macbeth's heroism at the start for somewhat ironic
  • implies he was a hero for killing Macdonald who was a traitor to the King.
  • however almost immediately after that, Macbeth himself becomes a traitor to the King and took over Scotland.
• Links back to the witches' statement: 'Fair is foul, foul is fair' - things and people are not always what they seem.
• The battles were 'bloody' and violent however participating, fighting and dying was honourable. This is why Macbeth's murder of King Duncan seems savagery - he killed him whilst he was asleep and did not give Duncan a chance to meet him equally in battle.
• A contemporary audience would be aware of the Biblical commandment 'thou shall not kill', which expressed that violence and murder of any kind was a sinful act against God
• The audience hear about the violence rather than experiencing it directly. This suggests perhaps that for a Jacobean audience at a time of political instability, Shakespeare wanted to discourage the idea or enjoyment of violence whilst still exploring the idea of it in human nature and psychology.
• Therefore, we can see that Macbeth is established as a tragic hero from the offset, though he is a successful character and increasing his power within the feudal world, this power is built upon his capacity for and enjoyment of violence, which will ultimately cause him to fail and in turn warn the Jacobean audience against any kind of violence in their own lives.
• Furthermore, violence leads to more violence in Macbeth. Macbeth murders the King and murders to protect his crown thereafter, he even orders for a child to be murdered. The violence of killing Duncan is clear from the blood on Macbeth's hands. Macbeth was especially cowardly in the murder and he prevented him from a warrior's death.
• Macbeth's actions lead to further violence


  He has no remorse for his crimes
• Macbeth has no guilt for his actions


  He feels justified in committing these acts
• Macbeth feels justified in his actions


  He becomes increasingly ruthless and cruel towards others
• Macbeth's violent actions

  • Killing Banquo without hesitation
  • Sending away Lady Macduff's husband to die and then killing her himself
  • Ordering the murder of all of Macduff's family including children
• Macbeth's violence escalates throughout the play
• Refers to his hands as 'a sorry sight' - evokes that he has done something incredibly weak in murdering Duncan and one who he was honour-bound to server and protect.
• After King Duncan's murder, Macbeth steps away from murdering others with his own hands, he prefers to send murderers to do this for him - suggests he is still ashamed of using violence against those who don't deserve it. Alternatively, this could show that he cares so little about human life that he carelessly gives the job of murdering to other people.
• 'It will have blood: blood will have blood' - Macbeth says this after seeing Banquo's ghost. The metaphor conveys that once a violent act is committed, more violence will follow. One violence act causes more and more violence.
• The murder of Macduff's son can be seen as a symbol of Macduff's loss of power: 'he has killed me, mother' - the murder of children is very violent and devasting because children are symbolic of innocence so they cannot protect themselves. Shakespeare uses emotive language here because Macduff's son is calling out to his 'mother' and he is young. The violence reflects how evil Macbeth has become.
• In conclusion, we can see that Macbeth is an extremely violent character and Shakespeare presents this through the use of exaggerated language and graphic detail like he murders Macduff's son who is only a child. The play gives us two different types of violence: one is acceptable and one is criminal; the first holds Scotland together while the second tears it apart.
• 'bloody, false, deceitful'
• 'the usurper's cursed head'
• 'fair is foul, foul is fair'
• 'thou shall not kill'
• 'a sorry sight'
• 'it will have blood: blood will have blood'
• 'he has killed me, mother'