Poetics in 330 BC. Shakespeare

Plays have been written ever since Aristotle discussed the origin and function of theater in his famous treatise Poetics in 330 BC. Shakespeare, William the supreme English poet and playwright, recognized in much of the world as the greatest of all dramatists. He was also the first person to have a script for his plays, macbeth is thought to be the first, written in 1606 and published in 1623. As the play unfolds, Macbeth’s ambition causes him to change his nature towards evil.At the beginning of the play, Macbeth was portrayed as a courageous soldier who fought for his King without mercy. But once the witches planted the seeds of greater things and Lady Macbeth fuelled his ambition, which lead him to become greedy and power hungry.

What is ambition? Ambition is described as eager for success, power or fame. For Macbeth. Ambition was what drove him to become great, it forced him to change his nature towards evil. At the beginning of the play, Macbeth was portrayed as a courageous soldier who fought for his King without mercy. But once the witches planted the seeds of greater things and Lady Macbeth fuelled his ambition, which lead him to become greedy and power hungry.

Macbeth was led down to an unescapable road of doom by an outside force, namely fate in the form of the three witches. There was no supernatural force working against Macbeth, which therefore makes him responsible for his own actions and inevitable downfall. Macbeth is indeed responsible for his own actions, which are provoked by an unwillingness to listen to his own conscience, the witches, and his ambition. The witches tempted Macbeth with their prophecies, which made Macbeth¡¦s heart and mind slowly filled with ambition and his huger for power. The witches predicted, at the beginning of the play, that Macbeth would soon become the Thane of Cawdor and eventually the outright King. They tell Macbeth this, simply to ignite what would finally end up being a burning desire for success.

Lady Macbeth then help Macbeth by inserting ill thoughts into his mind, and provided suggestions as to how to become King. At first, Macbeth rejects the horror in his mind but eventually he succumbs to evil for his ambition is far too great. The effect of the witches on the action of the play can be summarised by these words: ¡§while the influences of the Witches’ prophecies on Macbeth was very great, but it was quite clearly shown that it was only an influence and nothing more¡¨ (from a book called Macbeth Analyse). What I want to say was that Macbeth was just morally weaker than other normal human beings such as Banquo, who have very little ambition, Macbeth should been more responsible for his own actions and not blaming his downfall on the witches and his wife.

Thanks to Lady Macbeth who acts as a ruthless, overpowering woman who dominates her husband and his actions. She makes Macbeth’s decisions for him without giving him any say in his own actions, and she orders her husband to do what she determines to be best for him. It was Lady Macbeth who contrives the plan to kill King Duncan, because she knows that Macbeth would never commit such an act on his own without her prodding. At this present stage, Macbeth still has a conscience and he was very hesitant about killing the King but his weak nature over powers his conscience. Throughout the entire play Macbeth had by many imagination due to his guilt. Like seen the vision of the dagger, the ghost of Banquo, his vivid imagination and his constant worries also provokes him, this showed that he still has a conscience. This was also evident in his terrible dreams, which gives the solid theme that he has indeed “Murdered sleep”.

Macbeth’s personnel ambition and his insatiable lust for power drives him to his downfall. Although Macbeth’s ambition was not in itself evil. Macbeth¡¦s new knowledge, which he obtained from the witches, makes him uncomfortable, as he realises the implications. His first thoughts considering murdering Duncan appeared, and he was scared. But his ambition, his desire for power over comes his fear, for him to pursue the murder.

After he commits the murder, Macbeth Say, ¡§The voice cried ¡¥sleep no more¡¦ to all the house ¡¥Glamis¡¦ hath murdered sleep, and therefore Cawdor shall sleep no more; Macbeth shall sleep no more.¡¨ Knowing that has committed such a vile act makes him uncomfortable. It will be difficult to act innocent and to deal with his guilt.

However when he reaches the kingship, his ambition grow like never before, with his new found power, Macbeth begins to gain strength which he never before possessed. He starts to take charge of his own actions, and Lady Macbeth loses control of him. He no longer needs her to make his decisions for him. This becomes evident, as he planned the murder of Banquo and hired the murderers himself without consulting his wife at all. In fact, Lady Macbeth urges him to forget what has happened in the past and move on.

Macbeth, however, with his new sense of control, refuses to submit to her command. He goes on with his plans to kill Banquo because he was the only one that know about witch¡¦s prophecies other than himself and his wife, he was also scared that his later generations will become king at the same way that he become king (murdering Duncan). He later decides to kill Macduff’s family as well, because he had decide from now oh he¡¦ll act whatever his heart told him to. Lady Macbeth was no longer involved in the decisions of Macbeth’s life, decisions over which she formerly exercised total control. She was left behind with no part in his life, as Macbeth heads off with new plans of his own.

Towards the end of the play when Lady Macbeth went insane and kills herself but still unable to remove the “damned spot” When she died, Macbeth shows some good which may have been. He wishes for a normal life for which he would have lived to an honourable age but he realised that can¡¦t be done. Even when Macbeth hears that the prophecy has become true of Birnam Wood coming to Dunsinane, he rejects this idea and fights on until he realised that Macduff wasn¡¦t born in a natural birth but instead was “Untimely ripped” from his mother¡¦s womb. When Macbeth hears of this he realises what he has done and how the witches tricked him, he was absorbed in his own ambition and can not pull out of it. He realise it was too late so he fights on only to be slain by Macduff.

Macbeth was a virtuous man, corrupted by power and greed. His ambitions led him to treason, murder and brutal killings by ordering the deaths of individuals, including his friends. The witches, to some extent are responsible for these temptations, as they had the power to provide temptation and to induce wrongful doings. His ambition grew within his head until his thirst for power caused him to lose it all to the blade of Macduff¡¦s sword

It is my opinion; Macbeth is by no means but a butcher. Unfortunately his great ambition destroyed him and his relationship between his wife, friends (Banquo) and King Duncan. He was simply tempted by the witches to commit these acts with the only motive being personal glory and achievements. Usually, when not being manipulated, Macbeth was a good, loyal and courageous man, who was held by others of the community, in high esteem.