A Character Analysis of Macbeth in Shakespeare's Macbeth

By the end of Act V scene v it is clear that Macbeth is not going

to rule his kingdom much longer. He is to be killed by a "man none of

woman born" (IV,i,80) who we find out latter in the play is Macduff.

Before Macbeth is to be killed we find out that he is a great warrior, a

sane man, and a superstitious man.

In Act I scene ii we find out that Macbeth is a great warrior. We

start the scene off from a sergeants account of the fighting against the

enemy's of the king and Macbeth.

For brave Macbeth-well he deserves that

name,-disdaining fortune, with his

brandish'd steel, which smok'd with

bloody execution.

(I,ii,16-18)

From this we can tell that Macbeth fought bravely and through unbeatable

odds against Macdonwald's army. It also tells us that Macbeth can handle a

sword like it was an extension of his own body. The sergeant also tells

us:

As cannons overcharg'd with double cracks;

So they doubly redoubled strokes upon the

foe:

(I,ii,37-39)

From this we can tell that he was a relentless and courageous fighter and

would not stop until he had won. He is such a fearless fighter that the

day would be remembered for centuries to come the sergeant says: "Or

memorize another Golgotha," this tells us that Macbeth would have gone

down in the books as Scotland's heroic warrior. Macbeth had two glorious

battles both of which he had won. from these battles and the sergeants

words we can truly say that Macbeth was a great warrior.

Macbeth is also to be portrayed as an insane man, but I think that

this is not to be true. An insane man is supposed to be delirious, make no

sense what-so-ever, and to enjoy the killing and deaths of others. On the

contrary Macbeth is none of these, he in my opinion is a very sane man.

Macbeth says to lady Macbeth that "we will proceed no further in this

business" (I,vii,31) in this scene Macbeth is showing hesitation in

killing Ducan, which tells us that Macbeth like any other normal man does

not like killing. In Act II scene I Macbeth has his first major Soliloquy

where he seems to be delirious by seeing a dagger floating around him "A

dagger of the mind, a false creation" (II,i,38). I think that this in fact

is just his imagination telling him that it is a mistake to kill Ducan.

Macbeth has a very stressful decision on his mind whether to compel to the

wishes of the dark side or to the light. This in my mind would make any

man succumb to their deepest fears and desires. Macbeth makes perfect

sense through out the whole play. In Act III scene iv Macbeth starts to

yell at an empty seat at the banquet table where he sees Banquo's ghost.

"Prithee, see there! behold! look! lo! how say you?" (III,iv,69) Every body

around him thinks he is going crazy but it is Macbeth's imagination

suffering from the trauma of having to murder his best friend without a

great cause. Any man in Macbeth's possession would have the same type of

hallucinations. From these points you can believe that Macbeth is truly a

sane man.

Finally, Macbeth we find out early in the play that Macbeth is a

superstitious man. When Macbeth and Banquo first meet the witches, Macbeth

is intrigued by the witches prophecies and wishes to hear more "Stay, you

imperfect speakers, tell me more." Macbeth doesn't understand weather or

not to believe them.

By Sinel's death I know I am Thane of

Glamis; But how of Cawdor? the Thane

of Cawdor lives, A prosperous gentleman;

and to be king Stands not within the