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Macbeth: Fear
Fear, this motivates us to do many things no matter if they are right
or wrong. In the play Macbeth it was fear that was the main motivating
factor that influenced the outcome of the play. This can be proved by the
subsequent murders that followed after Duncan's, why were these committed?
Because Macbeth was scared of being caught and having to pay for the wrongs
he had done. Also look at Lady Macbeth, he constant washing of her hands,
sleepwalking and other behaviour like this. All done out of fear, and like
her husband fear of being caught. The final piece of proof I offer is
Macbeth's actions, they were all due to fear, not only of being caught but
of the witches' prophecies, he was scared of them coming true and tried to
stop them from happening. This whole play was inspired by fear and what it
and do to a person.
To begin, we'll address Macbeth's subsequent murders, following
Duncan's. For Macbeth, he's just killed the King of Scotland and blamed it
on his son. It worked and he became King, however he remembered the
witches' prophecies. They claimed that Macbeth would be King, but it would
be Banquo's children that would follow after him. This made Macbeth very
angry, he risked everything to become King and after him none of his family
will follow.
Only for them; and mine eternal jewel
Given to the common enemy of man,
To make them kings, the seeds of Banquo kings!
[Act III, S I, L 72-75]
Here Macbeth realizes that if something is not done to Banquo, then his
sons will become King. Macbeth can't have this, he's already worried that
his soul will go to hell for what he's already done. His fear become
evident in this scene also, "But to be safely thus: our fears in Banquo
Stick deep;" [Act III, S I, L 53-54] Macbeth then has Banquo murdered,
however his son Fleance escapes in the attack. Next Macduff refuses to
accept Macbeth as king and flees to England to join Malcom. And also the
witches tell him to beware of Macduff, which angers Macbeth and drives him
to kill Macduff's family. More fear of losing the impending battle with
England, makes Macbeth start doing anything that will give him an edge in
the final battle. Macbeth's fear is starting to consume him, he can no
longer sleep and is ravaged by guilt over what he's done.
As well Lady Macbeth is being comsumed by fear and guilt, she is
slowing losing her sanity. This is a result of her not being able to
handle what she has done to Duncan. As shown in this quote
Out, damned spot!out,I say!One;Two:why,
then 'tis time to do't. Hell is murky. Fie, my lord,
fie! a soldier and afeard? What need we fear who knows
it, when none can call our power to account?
[Act V, S I, L 32-35]
Here Lady Macbeth is trying to wash out what she sees as being blood on her
hands. As well she mentions hell an obvious fear of going there for what
she has done. At the start Lady Macbeth was the one pushing on Macbeth to
kill Duncan but as the play goes on she becomes weaker as Macbeth becomes
stronger, Macbeth isn't troubled by what he has done to the extent Lady
Macbeth is. Her role in the play slowly becomes smaller and smaller as she
ends up being driven mad by the guilt and soon can no longer take, and ends
up taking her own life hoping that her torment will end now that she is
dead. "The Queen, my Lord is dead" [Act V, S 5, L 18], Lady Macbeth takes
her life right before the battle against the english is about to begin.
This taking of her own life demonstrates her fear and in the end what that
fear can do to a person.
Now we come to the witches prophecies, these are a main source of fear
for Macbeth, after all where has he learned everything from. With each new
vision, Macbeth falls deeper and deeper into an evil spiral. From the
witches first prediction of Macbeth being king, which made Macbeth kill to
become king. As well as Banquo's children becoming kings, this scared
Macbeth as I previously mentioned. Also when he went back to see the
witches he gained some more knowledge, "Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! beware
Macduff; Beware the thane of Fife." [Act IV, S I, L 77], well now that
Macbeth has heard this, he believes that he must kill Macduff, however he
learns that Macduff has fled to England, so Macbeth desides to kill his
family. Next in the cave Macbeth is told he can't be killed by any man
born of woman, well this gives him confidence that no matter what the
English will not defeat him. And he is also told that he will not be
defeated until the trees of Birnam Wood move towards his castle. He has
put all his faith in these prophecies, what the witches say must be true
because of the first prediction.
In conclusion you can see what fear can do to a person, it made
Macbeth mad for power which he ended up getting. But after the first of
his crimes the rest became easier for him, pretty soon he'd just order it
and not think twice. That was not the case when he first murdered Duncan.
All though the play his fear of being caught, and the witches prophecies
coming true make him do all these evil deeds. Fear had become the main
movating factor in the play. Hopefully you have a better understanding of
the play from all this.
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