This analysis will look at how major themes such as, ambition, supernatural, reality and appearance, played a role in the way events occurred and how they have affected the marriage between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. This analysis would also study how the author, William Shakespeare, portrayed these themes using language and historical context to affect the opinions of the audience’s perception of the two characters. As Shakespeare’s Macbeth had been written in the past, it would be of great contrast to the two modern poems that would also be analysed. This analysis will look at the similarities and differences of the poems: ‘My last duchess’ by Robert Browning and ‘A woman to her lover’ by Christina Walsh. The uses of language, literary devices and the contexts of the poems and the play will be studied together in detail. The essay will end with a conclusion given on the way Shakespeare presents commitment in marriage in his piece, ‘Macbeth’, in contrast to how commitment is portrayed in the modern works of Browning and Walsh.
Shakespeare’s Macbeth is of the ‘tragedy’ genre. In terms of Shakespeare’s work, a tragedy is defined as when main characters are put in to situations where the end result leads to infortune and failure. The central characters, such as Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, were found to be unfortunate later on in the play, as they had reached a time of madness, guilt and later on death, as certain aspects such as ambition and the news of a prophecy brought them to this fatal conclusion. This had affected their marriage commitment because of their selfishness to their own desires and also the difference in their personalities e.g. Lady Macbeth being known to be cunning and manipulative whereas Macbeth is kind and brave. Moreover, the play was written in 1606, during the Jacobean era in which King James I had ruled. The Jacobean era housed religious conflicts between protestants and Catholics, and therefore the influences of these two sects of Christianity have affected the society of the time. The significance behind this is that during the Jacobean era, women had fewer legal rights and were culturally submissive to their male partners. Lady Macbeth’s character, as a dominant woman, contrasted the social ideals of that period of time. And so the play would revolve around how she and Macbeth were different in their commitment in marriage than others.
Themes which embarked their marriage and the commitment, was the theme of supernatural, this was shown in the beginning of the play, this belief in the supernatural is believed by both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. This is shown when three witches approached the scene and told Macbeth and Banquo (his closest friend) about upcoming prophesies. In Act 1 Scene 3, Banquo spotted the witches. The three witches said “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!” This particular speech by the witches is believed only by Macbeth, whereas Banquo says “If you can look into the seeds of time and say which grain will grow and which will not, speak, then, to me, who neither beg nor fear your favors nor your hate.” In this particular dialect, the word ‘seeds’ refer to future, Shakespeare also uses the word ‘grain’ which is a synonym to seed to describe the prophesies the witches said. This also ties in with the supernatural theme as what the witches say sparked the play, leading Macbeth and also later Lady Macbeth to many tragedies. This is important because a letter Lady Macbeth reads is what leads to themes such as ambition and then also the theme of reality and appearance. This made a great impact to the characters as this letter later on leads to the execution of Macbeth and the death of Lady Macbeth.
During the play Macbeth shows ambition throughout the scenes as a result to the witches’ predictions of what is to come. However, Lady Macbeth surpasses the amount of ambition she holds within the play. The evidence of what ambition Macbeth had, was shown straight after he is told about the somewhat truthful future events that are yet to occur. A streak of ambition strikes him as he is ambitious to fulfil those prophesies, and so he becomes the Thane of Glamis and then more powerful than the Thane of Cawdor. To remain in his position, he kills the current king of Scotland which is Duncan. Although when this play was staged, the killing was not shown to the audience, the play itself was strictly in a chronological structure. And so the killing was described and not shown as it happened off stage.
To look at how ambition is portrayed within the play of Macbeth, the evidence in the text which shows/reveals his ambition for power and status is shown in Act 1 Scene 4, where Macbeth said: “The prince of Cumberland! That is a step, on which I must fall down, or else o'erleap, for in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires; Let not light see my black and deep desires. The eye wink at the hand, yet let that be, which the eye fears, when it is done, to see “. To analyse this extract, Macbeth shows that he is perplexed/consternated about his future actions of how he would be able to meet his desires and ambition, he describes this feeling by saying “my black and deep desires”. Also when he said “stars, hide your fires” this refers to his want for no one knowing about what he will do which is why the author Shakespeare uses the word fire instead of light as it shows that Macbeth shall commit an evil deed. This links to marriage and commitment because, if he is able to complete his desires, Macbeth will also be able to be committed in his marriage. Also, these ambitions are important as their relationship will evolve in terms of power and status.
In contrast to Macbeth, Lady Macbeth was more cunning and ambitious in their relationship. The reason being is that when she heard about the prophecy, she did everything in her willpower to make it happen. She is aware of the good qualities her husband has and so doesn’t want that to stir him away from power which they can both gain. The evidence of where her ambition shows is in act 1 scene 5 where she says “Glamis thou art, and Cawdor; and shalt be what thou art promised. Yet do I fear thy nature; It is too full o' th' milk of human kindness to catch the nearest way: thou wouldst be great, art not without ambition, but without the illness should attend it”. To analyse this extract Shakespeare shows that Lady Macbeth believes what the witches say and that Macbeth will surely be king “shalt be what art thou art promised”, but the part where she is aware of his kindness is where she says “too full o’th’ milk of human kindness”. In the end of the extract Shakespeare uses the word- ‘illness’, this is for Lady Macbeth’s speech, showing that she understands that the obstacles she has to cross (like murdering Duncan) to gain power aren’t right and is inhumane. This links to marriage and commitment because Lady Macbeth wants her husband to be with her when following along with her plan as she had planned roles for him to take part in gaining power as witchcraft is what she and he believed in, therefore the prophesies seemed true to them.
In addition, reality and appearance was evident in Lady Macbeth and also apparent in Macbeth as well. For Lady Macbeth, this is when she imagines blood on her hands, this is because of the guilt she holds for planning the murder of Duncan, also this scene took place after the murder, the evidence of this is “Out, damned spot! Out, I say! —One, two. Why, then, ’tis time to do ’t…”, this happens in Act 1 scene 5. The same goes for Macbeth but this is in the case of a different scenario, Macbeth doesn’t seem to know the difference of reality and appearance as he believes that there is a dagger pointing towards him. This confuses him as he and Lady Macbeth planned to kill Duncan beforehand and so this hallucination is also a form of guilt of what he will have to do when following the plan (killing Duncan). The evidence of his hallucination is in Act 2 scene 1, “Is this a dagger which I see before me, the handle toward my hand…”. This theme of reality and appearance links with their commitment in marriage as they had both gained the same outcome of guilt for both of their actions.
To look at the relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, Shakespeare changes the roles of how the wife and husband in the relationship are to act. Lady Macbeth shows dominance throughout the play, as she drives Macbeth to all of the tragic events that occur, this being done for one motive-power. In addition, the evil and cruel actions they do all lead to terrible consequences. Macbeth for instance is aware of this as in his soliloquy in act 1 scene 7, he questions whether he should kill Duncan, and that killing him will only show betrayal and violence to others. As he says “But in these cases we still have judgment here, that we but teach bloody instructions, which, being taught, return to plague th' inventor: this even-handed justice commends the ingredients of our poisoned chalice”. This extract of the soliloquy shows that he shall be punished for the crime he shall commit (killing Duncan) in this world. Also Macbeth carries on to speak about the connection and trust he has with Duncan and how he shall betray him even though he is his kinsman and also his subject. In the end of the soliloquy Lady Macbeth enters and yet again talks him into murdering Duncan and calls him a ‘coward’ for his weakness and kindness. Also Shakespeare shows that throughout the play Lady Macbeth is stronger and more dominant when looked at their relationship, this coming from her ambition and desires.